Chapter 8 – Revelations
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The warm water cascaded down to the floor. She rinsed the last few suds of soap from her body. Reaching down and turning the water off, she stepped out of the shower. Drying her long brown hair she stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself. Sliding the towel down her body, she wiped up the last bits of water and let the towel drop to the floor. She stepped out into the cool air of her quarters, she sighed and a shiver ran through her body. She smiled and bent over to pull on her uniform, which was lying on the bottom drawer of her dresser.
Pulling the pants up and fastening the clasp on the tunic, she picked up her name badge and stuck it over her right breast. She didn't really like her name, always reminding her of her brother Ganya. But she was also proud to bear her name, and represent the last of her family. After her father, Andrei, died a few years ago, she tried avoiding her emotions, thinking that it could be considered a weakness. She had recently revealed the fact that she was a low level telepath, when a traitor was thought to be among the command crew. She got her abilities from her mother, Sofie. After she took her life her father became distant, and she thought it was something she had done. She looked down at the name pin in the mirror.
Picking up her silver and gold command bar, she affixed it to her tunic, above her left breast. She adjusted her hair, pulling it up into a tight ponytail. She applied a light layer of lip stick and turned and exited the room. She walked onto the command deck and stood at the command post, hands behind her back, watching out the view port. Her link suddenly beeps at her.
"Ivanova..."
"Susan, this is John, get to the council room, we are having a meeting."
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A man with long black hair and a short beard walked into the room. He looked around at all the members of the war council and clapped his hands.
"Marcus, glad you could finally make it," John said to the man.
"Thank you John," he replied, "so, where is this new telepath I've heard so much about?"
Luke stands up and nods to the ranger.
"Marcus, I'd like you to meet Luke Skywalker," John said, "Luke, this is Marcus Cole, our favorite ranger."
"Why thank you John, it is nice to meet you Luke."
"I love the accent, you from Coruscant?" Luke asked him.
"No, it's British," Marcus replied with a laugh.
"Heh, so...could you tell me a little more about the rangers?" Luke asked Marcus.
"It was founded 1000 years ago by the Minbari Valen, who was a Minbari, not born of Minbar. He formed the rangers after the war with the shadows, to protect the Minbari and prepare for this war, but we pushed aside and were mostly forgotten. After the Earth-Minbari war, to strengthen ties between our two races the rangers began allowing humans in. We are guardians of peace. We do not start fights, but we do not, and I mean never, walk away from a fight once it has begun. We live for the One. We die for the one. We walk in the dark places that no one else will enter. We stand on the bridge, and none may pass. Our weapon, the Denn'Bok, or fighting pike, is a close combat weapon," he says as he pulls his pike out and it extends to its 6 foot length, "rather than a ranged one. It is more honorable, and forces us to confront our opponents, rather than kill from afar, and it's really a lot of fun too."
"That sounds very similar to the Jedi order. We were founded many thousands of years ago, but the order we have today was started 18 years ago, when I founded a new Jedi Academy. We are the new Jedi order. We are guardians of peace as well. We do not, however, believe that fights must be ended then and there. The force is our guide. The creed of the old jedi order was: There is no Emotion...There is Peace. There is no Ignorance...There is Knowledge. There is no Passion...There is Serenity. There is no Death...There is the Force. I personally believe, that, without emotion, what is peace? So I do not strictly forbid emotion in my order, in fact I promote it as much as I can. Our main defensive item is what we call a lightsaber, and it too is close ranged. I choose not to call it a weapon, because that would imply it is used to hurt or kill, when it is actually used only for the defense of justice and good," Luke said while walking around the room.
"We have more in common than I had thought," Marcus replied.
"Yes, you are quite correct," Luke agreed.
*How long have you loved the Commander?* Luke asked Marcus through the force.
*It feels like forever, but it has only been a few months, since I first saw her* Marcus thought back.
*Does she know?*
*No, I could never tell her, why you know something?*
*I try not to mingle in other people affairs, but you two are putting out very strong emotions towards each other...*
*Really, she feels the same way?*
*She is confused, but she does have feelings for you, she's unconsciously blocking out the thoughts, only she can tell you if it's love however...*
*What should I do?*
*Tell her, simple as that, try to be honest as possible*
"Hey Susan, can I talk with you after the meeting, I have some important news you need to hear," Marcus said to her, smiling at Luke.
Luke nodded as Susan replied, "Yeah, Okay, I have a break in an hour, see you at the Zocalo?"
"No, I was thinking more private, which is why I can't say it here."
"Okay, my quarters, same time?"
"That will be perfect!"
Marcus looked over at Luke and thought *Thank you...*
*May the force be with you.*
"Okay, I now that introductions have been made, I have an announcement I have to make," John said, waiting for Susan and Marcus to finish.
All eyes shifted to the Captain. John wraps his arm around Delenn.
"I have recently received some information regarding our friends here," John says motioning toward Luke and Leia, "It seems that the Vorlons had something to do with their arrival here, and that it wasn't a coincidence they arrived here."
Chatter was all over the room, every member of the council was trying to figure out why the Vorlons would do such a thing.
"Order! Silence!"
The room was suddenly quiet.
"Thank you. While Ambassador Kosh has said nothing, we have a reliable source as our information, Lyta Alexander. She has not said much, due to injuries sustained during what appears to be a telepathic attack, but what she told Doctor Franklin combined with Kosh's refusal to speak, proves in my mind that this is true."
Stephen nods his head, and Luke does the same.
"That is all people; you may go back to work."
Susan walked out of the room and went back to her post, wondering what Marcus had to tell her in private. She hoped it was what she thought it might be, but then pushed that idea out of her mind as it was probably not true.
Marcus sat there for a few minutes, and then looked up and saw Luke.
"I'd like to thank you, this will make things much easier now," Marcus told the middle-aged man.
"Like I said before, I thought you needed to know, because it might kill you if you don't tell her," Luke said as he walked out the door.
"May the force be with you," Marcus said with a smile.
"And with you as well."
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The door to Marcus's room slid closed and Marcus paced across the room. He wiped the sweat off his palms and walked out of the room. He needed something to ease the tension, and be thoughtful at the same time. Then he remembered the syntharoses Susan had given him a few months ago. He quickly ran down to the Zocalo and found a flower salesman. Handing him some money, he grabs a dozen roses from the stand. He fixes his hair and checks his breath. Satisfied, he checks the clock, 3 minutes until he is supposed to arrive at Susan's quarters. He lays the roses down and dusts his pants off. Looking up he sees her walking into her room, not noticing him. He stands up, grabbing the roses and steps up to the door. Checking the clock again, he smiles and presses the buzzer.
"Come in," Susan says to the computer.
The door slides open and Marcus gulps and walks into the room. He sees Susan standing at her desk, sorting through some files. He walks up behind her and holds out the roses. He then coughs, trying to get her attention, and does so. She looks down at the roses and then up at him, a tear in her eye.
"Susan, there's something I've been meaning to tell you..."