Disclaimers: Babylon 5 and Highlander are not mine. I'm just using the basis to write some interesting ideas down. This is an AU story.
Notes: 1. This takes places just after Phoenix Rising (S5 Ep12).
2. This story is a Crossover with Highlander.
3. The Game has been over for 50 years, revealed as a false feeling brought on by some compounds in the atmosphere (Vorlon tampering).
4. // … // indicates telepathic conversation.
5. italics are thoughts.
Chapter 2 - Approaches
Mars, 3 days later
Lyta glanced around at her companions, this tunnel was starting to cave in, but they did not seem worried. They hadn't asked her to start jamming but she had done so as soon as they entered the tunnel system, this was not on operation she wanted stopped or caught.
As they turned the corner, the tunnel widened into a chamber with several tunnels exiting from it. Seated in the middle of the chamber were two men, seemingly opposites. One was smaller, slight, with a face that seemed cut from a block of granite with a bad chisel, topped with short cut blond hair. The other was taller, built like a linebacker with an attractive, almost handsome, face and his hair long, in a ponytail.
Lyta watched as the man she knew as Adam stepped forward with a smile.
"Connor, Duncan, glad you could make it."
The two rose as he addressed them.
"Aye, old one," replied the blond-haired one, "And who is the goddess ye brought with ya?" The sweep of his arm indicating Lyta.
Zack watched in amusement as Lyta's facial expression showed her embarrassment. Adam ignored it.
"Lyta Alexander meet Conner," the blond-haired one, Conner, stepped forward and gave a short bow, "and Duncan," the darker one nodded, " Everybody else know each other? Good."
As Lyta opened her mouth to ask a question, Duncan got in first, " We're wasting time, old man."
Methos looked at Duncan, almost condescendingly, and replied, "Time cannot be wasted, Duncan," turning towards Lyta he continued, "I believe you wished to say something Lyta."
"Yes," she replied after blinking, How did he know that?, "Do we know where she is?"
"Good question, Conner?" Lyta watched in shock as the Adam diverted the question to one of the two men that had been waiting for them.
"Somewhere in Dome 43. It's a Psi Corps Facility about 10 klicks east of here. The tunnels can get us inside."
Lyta blinked again, They had done recon. This increased, and decreased, their chances. She thought sadly. She opened her mouth to ask another question when Adam cut in.
"Okay," he continued, "Lyta, can you start and maintain the block for that distance? Add in six hours search time."
She nodded, and interrupted as he was about to continue, "What is Marcus going to be doing? And who was the guy that got us past customs without an ID check?"
Lyta watched as the frown faded onto and off of his face.
"Marcus," he answered, "is assisting Nick Wolfe, the man who got us past customs, in acquiring transport off Mars." He smiled and continued, "Zack, your our backup."
Lyta watched as Adam caught the eyes of everyone there, moving onto the next face at their nod, "Let's move out."
Lyta almost flinched as Zack fell into step beside her. She felt confused, strange. She had never felt this way before, not even with Byron. She had been feeling this way ever since he sat down next to her on the shuttle that left the station. She felt… safe. The safety she felt when Zack was around thrilled, and scared, her, but the way he acted indicated that he did not notice anything different. She let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding with a soft, barely audible, sigh.
* * * * * * *
Babylon 5, Medical Bay 1
Doctor Steven Franklin was frowning at the report about the gas balance in Red 15 when his scheduler went off.
"Time for scheduled 10 dash 403 point 6 inspection of…"
Steven groaned at the computer's announcement, and interrupting it, said, "Reschedule for 1600."
"Confirmed." Came the computer's reply. Steven could almost hear it gloating, he didn't like these inspections.
* * * * * * *
Mars, Five hours later, just outside Dome 43
As Adam called a halt, Lyta slumped, and fully expecting to collapse onto the floor in a heap, was surprised when she felt someone catch her. As she was gently lowered to the ground, Lyta turned her head to see who it was that had stopped her undignified collapse. Her eyes widened as Zack's face came into view, an expression of concern covering his chiselled features.
"Tired?" he asked with a grin, as she just nodded, he continued, "then sleep." She started to shake her head but stopped all movement as she felt another telepath slip past her barriers. She readied her defences and was about to try and throw the presence out of her mind when it mapped what she was doing to create the blanket of nothingness over their little group and left as abruptly as it entered. She opened her mouth to shout a warning and started to struggle as a hand clamped itself over her mouth. Lyta froze in shock as Zack's words mode it past her fatigue addled mind.
"Relax, it was just me. Now sleep."
To her brief amazement, the last statement was followed by a telepathic nudge that sent her spiralling into unconsciousness. And she dreamed.
* * * * * * * *
Babylon 5, Docking Bay 15, 3 days previous
Lyta glanced around the bay and frowned, nobody official was there. But this was approved, she knew this because Zack would never have been here if it wasn't.
As she boarded the small vessel, Zack was behind her. She stopped as she saw the face of one of those already on board, her mind unable to accept what her eyes were seeing. He's dead, she thought with shock, he can't be here, he's DEAD. She watched, paralysed as Marcus Cole stood and smiled at her.
"Hello Lyta," he said, the smile widening into a grin, "long time no see."
Marcus watched in amusement as the stunned look that had appeared on her face when she recognised him faded to shock, moved onto confusion and settled into an expression that erased his amusement, fear. He watched apprehensively as Lyta took a step back, the expression on her face showing that she was almost ready to run for her life.
She started as a hand rested on her shoulder in comfort. Zack, she recognised him, how she didn't know.
"It's okay," Zack stated in a whisper to her, "I'll explain on the way."
Lyta nodded jerkily and slid into the seat furthest from the one that Marcus was lowering himself back into. Zack sat next to her, and smiling a strained smile said, " I guess we owe you an explaination."
* * * * * * * *
Mars, present
Lyta woke with a start. Her eyes snapping open to see Zack smiling above her.
"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. Time to move." He said as his eyes traced over her body. Upen seeing her eyes open, his gaze left her and fixed to a part of the rocky floor about two meters to her left, as his face coloured slightly with embarrassment.
"I'll rise," she replied, with a grin, "but I refuse to shine on less than an hours sleep." She studied him for a few seconds, then getting to her feet asked, "When you told me about immortals, why didn't you mention your abilities?"
With an innocent look on his face, he replied, "What abilities?"
Lyta glared at him, and with a hefty mental nudge, sent, // These abilities, you numbskull. // Her glare turned into a grin as she saw Zack flinch and smile apologetically.
// Sorry, // he returned, // don't really think about them much. And I disagree with the idea that telepaths are separate from the rest of humanity. They're just humans with a gift. //
Lyta felt his embarrassment and could pick up the defensive tone in his reply. Mentally reaching out and probing, she felt his shields, their strength stunned her. Lyta stepped to Zack, and placing one hand on his arm and the other on his shoulder, she whispered, "Let me in Zack."
Zack took in the earnest look on her face and sent, // Only if you return the favour. //
Lyta smiled and answered // Certainly //
She felt his shields drop, and lowering her own, started to scan. She stopped as words slammed into her brain, // Don't scan, merge. //
// What? // Lyta was stunned, the sheer strength of his presence making it hard to concentrate, // Merge? How? //
// Accept. //
Lyta looked at him. Zack could see the doubt that flickered in her eyes. He cupped her face and continued in a whisper, "I'll show you, relax."
Lyta tensed as she felt Zack slip into her mind. She relaxed ever so slightly, as the expected pain did not materialise. Lyta felt Zack guide her into dropping barriers she didn't even realise she had.
Zack almost winced as he threaded his mind into hers. The anger that she kept pinned up, hidden behind a shield of her making. He didn't think she knew just how destructive that anger could get if it wasn't dissipated soon. It was battering him, smashing at the shield she had around it. This is not healthy, he mused, I'm going to have to find a way to release that before it breaks her mind into pieces.
As their minds merged, they each found in the other, hidden deep within the mind, an area walled off.
// Shall we? // sent Lyta in a query.
Zack nearly frowned, he knew what he kept bottled away, his love for her. What did she hide? he wondered, What was so contained that she did not even realise the area was there until they merged?
// If you wish, // he returned, leaving the decision in her hands.
// Lets, // she continued, the mental equivalent of a smile accompanying the thought.
As he forced the barriers to drop, he felt her doing the same.
Lyta dropped the barriers, wondering, What do I keep locked up so tight? As emotions flooded out, Love, she recognised, for who? Zack. The realisation stunned her, she had never even known it was there. She felt the feelings flow through the merge, her fear suddenly spiked. What if Zack doesn't feel the same? The question, and her fear, were answered a heartbeat later. She felt the thoughts and feelings that Zack had kept bottled up for years. She felt love sing through the merge. For who? she wondered, for me, she realised with a sense of relief.
Methos felt a chill, and turning, saw the two telepaths locked together. He mentally winced, now is not the time for those two to meld. Mentally cursing in every language he knew, he moved towards them.
Zack felt his love for her flow through the merge and he felt an emotion flow back towards him. At first he thought it was just an echo of his, when the knowledge struck him like a lightening bolt. It wasn't an echo, they were her feelings for … him.
A voice cut through the merge.
"Not that I don't appreciate a good romance, but we need to go."
Adam's voice cut through the intense emotion, flowing through the merge like ice. Lyta sighed as the link dissolved. Zack's voice sounded in her mind, // Later? //
// Yes, // she replied, // and I will resume the blanket. //
Methos watched, amused, as his words caused the two to slump apart, a slight flush on both faces showing their embarrassment.
Zack let his projection lapse after he felt Lyta's gain enough strength to hide their presence.
The team moved out, Duncan and Conner in the lead.
Ten minutes later, they approached the foundations of Dome 43. A hatch had been set into the wall to allow access to the tunnels.
// Zack, // sent Lyta, // can you take over. //
// Sure // he returned.
As Duncan reached out to open then hatch, Lyta placed a hand on his arm to stop him.
"Wait," she said, "let me mind-walk and see if anyone is on the other side." She placed a hand to the hatch and closed her eyes.
Two seconds later, she opened her eyes and said, "Two on the other side, no one else close."
Conner nodded and looked at Duncan. Duncan, his face somber, nodded slowly in return.
Conner's brogue cut through the air, "Can ye mask their death cry lass?"
"There's nobody else there," she replied, confused.
"The telepathic one," Conner clarified.
"How do you… Yes," Her initial reluctance dissolving under Conner's steady gaze.
"Do so please." Adam's comment seemed to remind them all that he was the one in charge of this recovery.
Lyta held her breath, then, letting it out with a rush, nodded. Duncan swung the hatch open. Conner, katana in hand, stepped softly through. Two fast strokes, four soft thuds and it was over. They were in.