Hello! I'm SO sorry it's been so long since I updated! First my computer died so I had to get a new one. When I finally got it, it was finals week at school. On top of that my muses took an unexpected vacation :) But all in all I finally got part 4 done. Thank-you to all those who have been patient with me, I give you all candy corn and caramels. I promise you that I will have part 5 up and running on or before Feb. 21st Thanks again for your patients.

Don't go out that door, it's part four!!!

Preparation

Susan didn't waste any time getting dressed. She pulled her hair into a tight ponytail and practically ran through the halls. When she finally got to the bridge, she was out of breath.

"Captain Ivanova, your shift doesn't start for another two hours," her second in command said.

"No my shift is 24-7 commander," Susan said walking up to the main viewer, "I just take breaks. What is our present location?" She turned quickly looking her second strait in the eye.

"Well," he said, looking at a small screen that was embedded in the arm of the captain's chair. "Sector 54 by 9 by 24."

"Good, I want to change course. And one more question, Why are you still in my chair?" The commander, Brenden, jumped up and scurried over to navigation. "Set course for Babylon 5 Brenden," Susan called, reclaiming her chair.


When Saffire opened her eyes, the Med-lab lights had been dimmed. She looked around and saw that, at the moment, two or three people staffed Med-lab. Night shift, she thought How long have I been sleeping? She looked at the chair next to her bed and couldn't help but laugh inwardly. Apparently Galen had come back and gotten bored. He was leaning back against the glass with his head tilted back exposing his neck. Saffire inwardly giggled when she saw that his mouth had fallen open and giggled harder when a loud snore filled the small iso-lab.

~Galen~ she sat up and licked her paw, ~Galen, wake up or I may be forced to go to the Excaliber and steal your ship~ She could hardly keep the laughter out of her telepathy as Galen snored again. When he didn't wake up, Saffire lightly smacked him with her tail as she continued to clean her paw.

"Just drift through them…" he sighed heavily, "I'm never heard of them consuming a whole ship."

Saffire cocked her brow and tilted her head to one side. ~What?~ She sat for a moment with her paw in the air before she remembered the Excaliber's trip to the well of forever. ~Ok then~ She jumped off the table, walked to Galen's chair and grabbed his cloak in her mouth.

~Sorry, my friend~ She said before tugging the cloak so hard that Galen slid out of the chair and landed on the floor with a thud.

"Ah…What the-?!" he looked at his feline friend, his breath came in short, sharp gasps. He stood up slowly, resisting the urge to rub the sore spot that had developed near his tailbone. "And what gave you the want to do that?" he asked her, leaning on the table.

~Well you were snoring, and talking about those critters you guys found in hyperspace. I thought I'd wake you up before you embarrassed yourself~

"Me, embarrass myself? Nonsense. Besides, I don't talk in my sleep…and I most definitely don't snore." Galen watched as Saffire jumped back onto the table. "But, if I did, I guess it would be a good thing to know…for future use." Saffire gave him a look that was of pure friendship before she smacked him playfully. "Hey! I'm still recovering from being pulled out of my chair onto a very hard floor." He smiled and backed out of her reach and she gave a playful growl.

~How long was I asleep?~ Galen looked at the clock behind Saffire.

"Well, you were asleep when I came back, and it's been about three and a half hours since I looked at that clock…so I would say about six hours."

~Six hours? Wow. So what time is it now? I've never been very good at telling time~ She shrugged.

"About three a.m."

~When will we start?~

"As soon as enough people are here to pull him out of Cryo…Are you sure you want to do this?"

She cocked her head at him and raised an eyebrow. ~It's not like it's going to kill me, Galen~ She studied him a moment more, a longing seeped into her eyes before she looked over to the Cryo-units. ~Besides, I can't let him down again, and I can't let Susan run around as sad as she is~ Saffire looked at her paws then looked toward the door. ~I'm going for a walk, call me when there are enough people here~

Before he could respond, she was off the table and half way to the door. As Galen watched her go, he noticed how uncertain her posture was and how her shoulders slupped with an unseen weight. He almost felt sorry for her as he sighed and sat back down. He had often wondered what it was like to be a Guardian.

"Hmm," he chuckled, "You're very observant that's for sure." He sighed again and leaned back to review and practice his role in bringing the fallen ranger back. After an hour, he decided to meditate to get full concentration. He stood up and walked to the drapes, as he pulled them closed, it occurred to him that a lot had in almost six years. The ranger would a small case of culture shock. When the drapes were closed, Galen sat on the examining table. He reached into the deepest folds of his cloak and pulled out a softball sized, glass ball. He concentrated on the ball and, in his mind's eye, formulated the equation that would make the ball float. His part would entail him standing between the Iso-bed and the gurney that Saffire would be on monitoring life signs of both Guardian and guardianee with this ball.

After about an hour of meditation, Galen realized that Med-lab had started it's daily routine and decided it was time to stop and call Saffire. When he knew she was coming, he found the lead doctor and was very convincing in getting her to bring the frozen ranger out of Cryo.

"How much longer?!" Susan yelled to her second. It was perhaps the hundredth time she had asked today and she was starting to get a little 'cabin-fever.'

"Four hours, Captain," Brenden answered coolly. He had grown quite annoyed at the constant questioning, but obviously something very important was happening on at Babylon 5.

"This must be how Steven felt when he rushed back to try and stop Marcus," Susan said to herself. "I'll be back, you have the bridge commander." She walked out to make, perhaps, her fortieth round of the ship.


Saffire walked into Med-lab carrying a small bag in her mouth. She stooped just inside and sat down. After setting her bag down, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After so many years of looking for a way to bring a man, that she was personally responsible for, back from a state of vegetation she had finally found it. Yes, it was a happy thing but, at the same time, she would have to face him…him and the fact that she had (in her own mind and no one else's) failed him.

She was looking at the floor in front of her when she noticed the telltale black boots and long coat.

~Hello Galen~

"Hello," he replied cheerfully, "What's in the bag?"

~His clothes and Denn'bok~ She looked around Med-lab and spotted the ranger in the same Iso-lab that she had slept in earlier. ~Is he ready?~

"They say he is as ready as he'll ever be, but are you ready?" she read concern on his face and sighed a heavy sigh.

~I, like our friend, am as ready as I will ever be, what about you?~

"All I have to do is get your life signs plugged into this," he replied pulling out the glass orb.

~Then let us begin~


It was Zak's turn in customs. He really liked this part of his job, getting to see people happy at the arrival of loved ones, sad at the departure of them. This day seemed different though. Zak looked at the next person in line. Faint recognition ran through his mind at the face, but he didn't get a good feeling. He swiped the man's identi-card, still no help. He had no idea why this man was so familiar.

"Have a good day sir," Zak commented, handing the card back. He really didn't have a good feeling about that man.

HAHAHAHA I have finally finished typing this!! Well here you go. What do you think? Who was the strange man at customs? What will bring Marcus back? dramatic music sorry...I've always wanted to do that. In the next installment, We find out about this mysterious stranger in customs, and we get Marcus back, and we find out about Saffire's former glory. By the way, during school I have been working on this and I am happy to say that I have gotten the next TWO parts done. They will be posted over the next few days. (It took me two nights to type this.) Usual request please R&R…I'm thinking on not posting part 5 until I get, oh…let's say…5 to 10 reviews. I will give everyone that does a guard tiger :)