Journey of Love
Chapter Twelve
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Marcus and Neroon, or anyone else from
Babylon 5.

Authors notes: Rated PG-13 Contains slash: two males in a romantic/sexual (although not explicit) relationship. If this offends you please turn back now.

If the formatting is screwed up please forgive me. I still haven't gotten the hang of it yet.
I came back to consciousness only to hear Shamar and Maiko arguing with each other in the Infirmary. At first I could barely see their shapes and outlines, and even those were blurry. By the time I could make out the two Minbari clearly they had quieted down some but were still talking quite vigorously, and it didn't look like they would stop anytime soon. Neroon wouldn't stand for this behavior from his officers… Neroon!

"Where is Neroon?" I said trying to speak over their conversation. Shamar only happened to hear me because he was facing in my direction, and wouldn't have heard the hoarse whisper otherwise.

"Are you alright?" Shamar asked fluffing my pillow so that I was laying in a more comfortable position, which greatly contrasted Maiko's belligerent glare.

"I'm fine. Now where's Neroon?" I asked again this time in a somewhat stronger voice. Before Shamar could answer me, Maiko stepped closer to the bed as I was trying to sit up and stepped antagonistically into my personal space.

"Considering you were his bodyguard should you not know where he is?" Maiko snarled at me. Thinking Maiko was only being his usual charming self, and Neroon was sleeping somewhere nearby, I ignored the taunt. Forcing myself into a sitting position took quite a bit of my meager energy and I had to ignore the aching of my head and pain in my chest to do it.

"I will ask this once more, and only once more. Where in the bloody hell is Neroon?" I asked in a rigidly controlled voice, looking for all the world like I was in exacting control of my body, when in reality the only thing keeping me vertical was my finger which had a death grip on the bed underneath the covers.

"We don't know. He was kidnapped from the grounds by the time we went out to look for you. Maiko and myself came upon you and the three guards unconscious in the near vicinity with no sign of Neroon anywhere.." Shamar explained. "The only clue we found was this dart lying on the ground next to where you fell."

I carefully examined the dart that Shamar handed to me looking for clues as to who the culprit was. As I was looking it over, my thumb happened to prick the tip. The odd thing was that instead of a simple drop of blood, the dart cut a small design in my thumb shaped like two half circles with two lines running perpendicular through them. Although the symbol looked slightly familiar I couldn't place it.

"What do you make of this?" I questioned them showing each in turn my bloodied thumb.

"The symbol is from the time before Valen signifying a challenge of leadership from a powerful warrior. It became obsolete with the forming of the Grey Council. Only a particularly strong warrior could utilize this symbol." Maiko answered, while looking disbelievingly at my thumb.

"Only an extremely strong warrior would be able to take out four well-trained men as well as Neroon, without even alerting the others stationed nearby." I frustrated exclaimed. "We already know that, but how does this help us? Why didn't you find this symbol among the other men earlier?"

"The dart you are holding was used to knock out Neroon, the poison in each dart was the same, but since Neroon was nowhere to be found we couldn't very well check the puncture wound. On each of you the dart made a simple pin-prick on your necks where it impacted. We had not gotten a chance to examine the dart in detail yet because we were checking over the guards." Shamar explained reasonably probably trying to calm me down.

"If you would actually let us finish explaining perhaps you wouldn't ask so many obtuse questions and I could explain the significance of this particular symbol." Maiko growled at me once I looked like I would at least hear them out, rather than just tear their head off their shoulders.

"Fine continue." I hissed through clenched teeth.

"The only ones who would have the influence of that magnitude would be a clan leader." Maiko explained. "One of the delegates must not have been to thrilled with Neroon's appointment to Caste Leader.

"But how do we find the culprit?" Shamar questioned looking slightly queasy.

"Easy. I go down to the meeting hall and don't let any of the delegates leave until I get some answers." Simple to say but much more difficult to follow through with, considering that every time I tried to move my head would spin.

"You can not go it there and threaten twelve of the best warriors on Minbar!" Shamar exclaimed looking aghast that I would even suggest such a thing. "You'll just get yourself incarcerated or exiled from Minbar altogether, even if you do succeed. At the very least you could feasibly cause a diplomatic incident."

"Watch me." I retorted. When I made as if to get out of bed Shamar gently pushed me back down.

"You aren't going anywhere until at the earliest tomorrow morning. While you were unconscious whoever kidnapped Neroon knocked you around quite a bit. You have a mild concussion and three bruised ribs. Now even though I repaired the immediate damage you will be extremely sore for the next few days."

"I don't give a damn! Neroon could be hurt for all we know. Now let me up, NOW!" I yelled at Shamar. I was so angry with myself for letting Neroon get captured that I had neither the energy nor the patience to be polite.

"What good will you be to Neroon if you can not even get out of this bed on your own?" Shamar asked calmly ignoring my uncharacteristic outburst, knowing full well how worried I was about Neroon. "Get some rest and start fresh in the morning. We will discuss this insane plan of yours then."

"Very well." I reluctantly agreed lying back down with an exasperated sigh.

"Good. Now if you will excuse us. I need to make sure Neroon has a fully running ship to come back to." Shamar acknowledged ruefully as he made his way to the door, only pausing when he realized that Maiko wasn't following his lead.

"I will meet you on the bridge." Maiko said waiting until Shamar left the room before turning to face me. "If Neroon had listened to me from the beginning he would be safe aboard the Ingata right now. Instead, due to your incompetence he may be dead."

"I do not need you to tell me about my culpability in this matter. I am already very much aware of my mistakes, but if memory serves me correctly, three of your men were in the garden as well. What did they do to stop the attack?" I asked staring Maiko straight in the eyes. Although he did not answer me directly the challenge in his manner was clear. After several long second of oppressive silence, in which the hostility between us rose a few degrees, Maiko broke off his unwavering gaze.

"If the Alit is dead, you shall follow soon thereafter! Are we clear?" Maiko asked with deadly intent behind his quietly spoken words.

"As crystal." I responded in an equally deadly voice. "But may I suggest that in the future you make certain of your success before you make idle threats."

With one last angry glance in my direction Maiko made his way out of the Infirmary leaving me behind with my bleak thoughts. It was late into the night before I managed to fall into an uneasy sleep, only to be awoken repeatedly due to my horror-marred nightmares..