greenday_86_no_return@yahoo.com
tempus fugit- apply this to my rate of writing. Crazy ranger
Many hails to jms (aka god) ***************************************************************
David tapped the back of his hand with his index finger. He had rushed home from a patrolling mission on one of the moons of Minbar when he heard about the assassination attempt. Delenn had insisted she was fine, but thus far he was unable to see Susan. She had been in meetings all morning and was practicing the art of being un-seeable.
David, now in his early twenties, was much like his father in build and height. He had also inherited the famous Sheridan smile. He briefly ran his hand through his dark hair and lightly touched his bone, the crown of his Minbari heritage.
Relann, Susan's' aide had approached him three times and said that the meeting would be over soon, but patience was one thing that Ranger training had not helped David with. He paced a few times, then went over and entered the office un-invited. David had always been told by his father that Susan means perseverance.
All eyes turned to David, this consisting of Susan who briefly smiled hello, Relann who looked up and then went on filing paperwork, and three rangers who glanced at him then snapped their heads back half way to whiplash.
"I'm afraid that's all we know." Susan continued her briefing undisturbed by David.
"It's not much of a trail Entil'Zha.," A human ranger began.
"I know. But it's all we have to go on. Now when you find the assassin, I want him brought in for questioning. I'd like to know who he's working for."
"Entil'Zha veni." The three rangers chorused in unison before bowing and exiting. Relann followed them out and gingerly closed the door behind her.
Susan smiled tolerantly at David. "Y'know if this were earth force you'd be in real trouble."
"If this were earth force I'd wonder what the Minbari were all doing here." David retorted quickly in voice similar to his father, but accent of his mother.
Susan crossed the room and hugged him, which David welcomingly returned, grinning in a smile passed down from his father.
She broke away and offered him a seat. He accepted and lapsed back informally, while Ivanova leaned on her desk.
"Have you seen your mother?" Susan enquired, tilting her head slightly as she spoke.
"I just saw Delenn, Yes." He sighed briefly. " I've been trying to see you for two hours."
"Yeah sorry, chaos here at the moment." She replied raising her eyebrows. "Maybe I should clone myself and speed up efficiency."
"Two of you? I think one's enough for this universe." David grinned cheekily before lapsing back into genuine concern. Neither spoke for a moment.
"I suppose you heard." Susan asked.
"Yes, it's given ISN something to report. All they've talked about recently is your new Earth presidents toupee." He smiled lightly.
"Well, in the words of a good friend of mine, their not my government."
David smiled again but lapsed back into silence. Finally he uttered in a voice not far beyond a whisper: "I was worried about you and Delenn."
"You don't need to be. Your mother and I have been through much worse and come out unscathed." Susan insisted. Still it did not set David's' mind at ease.
Susan yawned as she finished her sentence, which at the very least caused David to smile.
" I thought I was gonna get sucked in there." He grinned childishly.
"I can't sleep at the moment." Susan commented, now in serious tones. To be frank, she was exhausted. "It's just not happening."
"C'mon, I'll walk you home." She was about to protest but was interrupted before she could begin. "Just to make sure you get there. If anything an assassin needs protecting from you."
Susan ceased leaning on the desk and straightened. "You really are your fathers child."
David smiled and stood, sweeping the creases from his clothes. "I've heard worse." He commented, almost complimented. ************************************************************
Susan poked her meal with her fork lacking in appetite. The meal was bland, like most edible Minbari food. Bland and nutritious. David was explaining his latest escapades to Delenn, but Susan had not the ear for them tonight.
"It was very embarrassing. I've never known a fighting pike to go off in someone's pocket before." David continued, not noticing Susan's disinterest.
"Were you hurt?" Delenn inquired, not sure if she should be amused or upset.
"No, but I needed a tailor. It went right through my clothes." He mimed with great emphasis, the action of the pike ripping his clothes.
Susan suddenly laughed and smiled, causing David and Delenns attention to quickly shift to her.
"What?" David asked.
"Oh," She recomposed herself quickly. "I just remembered a prank Marcus told me about."
"Prank?" Delenn asked, still finding gaps in her English vocabulary after all this time.
"A practical joke." Susan informed, now realizing she had the attention of the whole table and thus began to explain her source of amusement in relation to David's anecdote.
" You see, on earth we have April fools day." She began. "Marcus was on Minbar at the time visiting, reporting back to Sinclair. Marcus had been out done several times that morning. Oatmeal in his pockets, Sirens at three in the morning, all organized by Sinclair." Susan lifted her drink to her lips then feverishly continued. "So Marcus spring loaded a fighting pike. Sinclair was set to welcome some new recruits. A few moments before, Marcus slipped the pike into his pocket. Jeff gets up to make a welcoming speech in front of fifty recruits when the pike opens." She paused a moment to stop herself from laughing. "Tears his pants so badly they fall to the floor. Jeff's left standing in his underwear before the crowd."
David laughed a little, and Delenn merely smiled.
"That wasn't funny?" Susan asked, wondering why the lack of laughs.
"Minbari humour." David quickly reminded her.
"Of course, no physical embarrassment." She sighed at her disappointment in being able to entertain. "Well in human terms its very amusing."
At that moment a female Minbari ranger, one of the house guards entered. Her face carried a look of urgency.
"Entil'Zha. Madame President." She addressed each of them in turn. "We have the assassin."
Susan stood quickly, pushing away her meal. "Where were they found?"
"On the outskirts of the city. A very unusual alien." She commented with utmost seriousness.
"Alright, I'll be along in a minute." Susan informed her. The ranger bowed and left quickly.
David rose from the table, "You're going to talk to the assassin? Is that wise?" He enquired, concerned for Ivanovas welfare.
Susan turned on her heel quickly. "I want to know who they're working for."
****************************************************************** Susan walked briskly to the holding cells in the centre of Tusanor. On her left and a pace behind she was flanked by Relann, who despite her utmost respect for her Entil' Zha had insisted on joining her. Susan suspected David had put her up to it, she knew they were friends and perhaps more. Relann now carried not only her own, but Davids concern. "Entil'Zha, is this wise?" She voiced as they approached the correct room, which was guarded by a single human ranger.
"Look," Susan began. "When somebody breaks into where I live and gets past five house guards, I'd like to know who they are, and why they're doing it."
The Ranger stepped forward and bowed, which Ivanova nodded her head in reply to. "It keeps insisting to see you. I told it not to be so eager." He informed her crisply.
"Don't worry," Susan assured him. "By the time I'm through it'll be eager to see me leave."
With that the ranger opened the door to the cell and stepped inside before Ivanova. Relann remained outside and the door thudded loudly closed.
It took Susan's eyes a few moments to adjust to the change of light in the cell. An alien was leaning over the table, it's shoulders slightly stooped. Suddenly. It pushed the chair it was sitting on backward and jumped in the air with joy.
"Ah the one is here!" It screamed with pure delight." The one come to see Zathras! Zathras knew the one would come! Zathras very pleased to be seeing the one."
Ivanova paused for a minute, trying to let her brain accept what was happening. After a few moments:
"Zathras!" She exclaimed at the rodent like alien. "What the hell are you doing here? And why did you try to break into my house?" She demanded, wanting to know why an alien she knew so little about, but would implicitly trust would try to see her in such an unorthodox method.
"You know him?" The ranger asked incredulously, his eyes widening.
"Yes." Susan replied bluntly. "And I imagine his being here is very important."
"Yes, what Zathras has to say is very important." Zathras nodded his head vigorously.
Susan paused for a moment. Why was he here? What was so important? Susan walked back over towards the ranger and lowered her voice. "Could you step outside?"
The ranger was about to protest against leaving her alone with a potentially hostile alien when she insisted that, "He's harmless." The ranger still looked at the Enti'Zha with skepticism. "If you're not used to him the syntax will drive you nuts." She finally added, hoping that this ranger would understand.
With great reluctance he left, hoping that Ranger one knew what she was doing.
As the door closed Susan turned back to the Zathras. He looked slightly aged, and as he recognized her, was possibly the Zathras she had met when she had visited the great machine. "Why didn't you just come and see me?" She asked, sitting at the table.
Zathras clicked is teeth for a moment and began to explain. "Zathras couldn't."
Ivanova looked at him squarely, as if to say that was not enough.
"Draal tell Zathras not to be seen, so Zathras is not seen. But Zathras fall over pile of paper someone leave. Draal, want to send the one a message, so Draal send Zathras."
That made sense, as much as Zathras did make sense. If Draal had to send a vital message, it would be with one of the Zathrases.Zathrai? Or Zathras, or whatever they where in plural form.
"And the message is." She gestured her hand forward for him to continue.
"That universe is not right." He announced.
"That's it?" Susan asked a tad incredulously. Since when had the universe ever been right? And what the hell was she supposed to do? "Well. what do I have to do with that?"
"Zathras not know." He sighed, finding as much logic in this as she did. "Zathras just sent to tell the one, the one must save the one." He paused a moment in thought. "No wait, you must save the one. No, you are the one." He paused again to try to see if there was any of salvaging his last few sentences. He resigned, shook his head and shut up with: "Oh Zathras confoozed."
Susan considered the sparse information Zathras had given her. "So, by saving one person, the universe is put right?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Yes. Draal tell Zathras, to bring the one back with him to great machine. Draal will tell the one more. More than Zathras can explain."
***************************************************************** Susan tossed and turned in bed. She couldn't sleep again. This was getting beyond insomnia. The bed was ok, the temperature was fine, but her mind was plagued with so many thoughts her brain wouldn't shut down. God she was so tired.
Eventually she gave up and rose out of bed, believing that maybe standing for a few moments could render her somewhat more tired. Folding her arms and raising her shoulders slightly, she walked over to the window. She stared out the window into the night sky. The sky was clear and full of stars. She inhaled and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there were stars all around her.
She was no longer on Minbar; she was standing in the observation dome on B5. Her brain tiredly refused to acknowledge what appeared to be happening. She didn't realize the change until a voice stirred her.
"It always leads back here, doesn't it?"
The voice rang in her ears, low, masculine. Familiar. Realizing the sudden change, she turned sharply on her heel. There, on the other side of the dome, stood Marcus, appearing as living as the day she met him.
"Marcus," she murmured in confusion looking around. "What's going on? What is this?"
"You tell me." He commented stepping forward and folding his arms. Then he smiled lightly and spoke. " I personally have three ideas, you're hallucinating from lack of sleep, you've gone completely mad, or, this is a residual piece of my consciousness' left over from the alien healing device. Take your pick." He added staring back out at the stars.
"What am I doing back here?" Susan asked, finding her eyes also drawn to the stars. He was standing so close she could almost feel his breath.
"Finding a parallel to your situation now. Was it so different when we where here?" His voice seemed to echo and suddenly the room changed again. Now she knew where she was, or more accurately, when she was.
"I can't do this." She heard her younger self say. "How do I hold them together? Delenn's gone to pieces, Sheridan are Kosh are dead, Garibaldi's missing and the league's split up. What can I do against the entire Galaxy?" Susan's younger self wept for a moment, before hauling herself together. "I wish this hadn't fallen on me."
Marcus raised his head from thought, as if he had been trying to conjure up something comforting to say. "If not you, then who?" He asked objectively. "Sheridan had faith in you, he knew what you can do, even if you don't." He stepped beside her, almost unsure if his proximity would be too much. "Faith in others is easy, faith in yourself is difficult, especially when you go it alone."
Marcus gently raised his hand, and touched her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.
"But you'll never have that problem."
Her younger self faded away and Susan sat on the floor, resigned.
"I don't even know what Draal wants with me. How can one person change the universe, and how can I be involved?"
Marcus sat beside her, his clothes flowing on the floor. "Draal has his reasons. Even if you don't."
Ivanova turned to look at him. He wasn't real. He was twenty-five years dead. "Why are you here Marcus?" She breathed out.
"Why are you?" he retorted, his green eyes so vivid. So close.
"I don't know." Susan replied rubbing her eyes then standing. "I don't know anything anymore. I'm so tired of everything."
Marcus stood behind her, and lay his hands on her shoulders. "Then sleep."
The dome seemed to fade away, Susan was back on Minbar- but he remained.
She walked over to the bed, away from his hands, and laid herself down. Her eyes darted back to the other side of the room, where Marcus still stood. "Will I see you again?" She asked, not wanting to let go of whatever this was.
"Sleep." He simply replied. He could do nothing else.
Susan closed her eyes. She was so tired; she didn't want to let go. "Will you go again?" She whispered, almost sleeping
"I was never gone." **************************************************************
Susan was awake again by five the next morning, despite that being the best nights sleep she'd had for a lengthy period of time. She could find no explanation for last night, but the voice of Marcus still rang in her ears for several hours after she awoke.
She had thought long and hard about what Zathras had said. She had made a decision, but as she had learned in life, plans often never proceeded exactly as they are intended.
Relann had noticed Ivanovas odd mood the moment she had emerged from the cell with Zathras. Relann had undoubtedly reported back to David and Delenn and would probably be keeping a close eye on Ivanova. This would only enhance the difficulties, however well intended Relanns actions were.
Susan sighed heavily. If she were to make a break for it, it would have to be soon. She couldn't tell anyone where she was going, or what she was going to do. The former for the impression of utmost secrecy Draal had given her via Zathras, and the latter because she had next to no idea what would be required of her. But she couldn't leave without talking to someone. Someone had to know she was alright.
*************************************************************** After half an hours work of re-patching and waiting, the stellar-com logo finally blinked off and was replaced by the tired face of Stephen Franklin. Damn, she'd woken him.
"Susan!" He smiled cheerfully with an overtone of grogginess in his voice.
"Stephen," She half murmured, momentarily forgetting what she had planned to say. "I'm sorry," She finally stammered. "I forgot about the time difference."
"No it's fine," he insisted. "I've been meaning to call you, just couldn't find a spare minute."
Susan smiled, knowing Stephens workaholic tendencies. "Still working hard?"
"They want me to retire," he snorted at the very idea. "I heard about the assassination attempt on ISN, is everything O.K?"
Ivanova should have known he'd change the subject onto her. How could she even think about a feasible lie about the situation? Maybe it was best not to. "Yeah, everything's fine," she splurted out much too fast.
"Well, good." Stephen replied hesitantly, he may be onto something being wrong. Damn.
"Look, erm," Susan began. "I haven't got long before I go to work, I just wanted to say hi, speak to someone in English for a change."
Stephen hesitated, then chuckled as if dismissing any suspicious thoughts he had. "I'll just be glad you didn't call me to speak Russian."
Susan had problems smiling, but forced herself. She couldn't break down. Not now. She couldn't let him know this was goodbye. Say something, quickly. "If you see Michael, say hi from me."
"Will do." Stephen yawned.
"Take care."
The screen went black, then back to stellar-com. For a moment, Susan wept.
************************************************************* Relann watched the Entil'Zha and the odd alien walk briskly away from the compound. For a moment, she considered informing David, but her loyalties lay with the Entil'Zha. As she lost sight of Ivanova in the darkness of the dawn, Relann had the strangest feeling she would not see her again.
tempus fugit- apply this to my rate of writing. Crazy ranger
Many hails to jms (aka god) ***************************************************************
David tapped the back of his hand with his index finger. He had rushed home from a patrolling mission on one of the moons of Minbar when he heard about the assassination attempt. Delenn had insisted she was fine, but thus far he was unable to see Susan. She had been in meetings all morning and was practicing the art of being un-seeable.
David, now in his early twenties, was much like his father in build and height. He had also inherited the famous Sheridan smile. He briefly ran his hand through his dark hair and lightly touched his bone, the crown of his Minbari heritage.
Relann, Susan's' aide had approached him three times and said that the meeting would be over soon, but patience was one thing that Ranger training had not helped David with. He paced a few times, then went over and entered the office un-invited. David had always been told by his father that Susan means perseverance.
All eyes turned to David, this consisting of Susan who briefly smiled hello, Relann who looked up and then went on filing paperwork, and three rangers who glanced at him then snapped their heads back half way to whiplash.
"I'm afraid that's all we know." Susan continued her briefing undisturbed by David.
"It's not much of a trail Entil'Zha.," A human ranger began.
"I know. But it's all we have to go on. Now when you find the assassin, I want him brought in for questioning. I'd like to know who he's working for."
"Entil'Zha veni." The three rangers chorused in unison before bowing and exiting. Relann followed them out and gingerly closed the door behind her.
Susan smiled tolerantly at David. "Y'know if this were earth force you'd be in real trouble."
"If this were earth force I'd wonder what the Minbari were all doing here." David retorted quickly in voice similar to his father, but accent of his mother.
Susan crossed the room and hugged him, which David welcomingly returned, grinning in a smile passed down from his father.
She broke away and offered him a seat. He accepted and lapsed back informally, while Ivanova leaned on her desk.
"Have you seen your mother?" Susan enquired, tilting her head slightly as she spoke.
"I just saw Delenn, Yes." He sighed briefly. " I've been trying to see you for two hours."
"Yeah sorry, chaos here at the moment." She replied raising her eyebrows. "Maybe I should clone myself and speed up efficiency."
"Two of you? I think one's enough for this universe." David grinned cheekily before lapsing back into genuine concern. Neither spoke for a moment.
"I suppose you heard." Susan asked.
"Yes, it's given ISN something to report. All they've talked about recently is your new Earth presidents toupee." He smiled lightly.
"Well, in the words of a good friend of mine, their not my government."
David smiled again but lapsed back into silence. Finally he uttered in a voice not far beyond a whisper: "I was worried about you and Delenn."
"You don't need to be. Your mother and I have been through much worse and come out unscathed." Susan insisted. Still it did not set David's' mind at ease.
Susan yawned as she finished her sentence, which at the very least caused David to smile.
" I thought I was gonna get sucked in there." He grinned childishly.
"I can't sleep at the moment." Susan commented, now in serious tones. To be frank, she was exhausted. "It's just not happening."
"C'mon, I'll walk you home." She was about to protest but was interrupted before she could begin. "Just to make sure you get there. If anything an assassin needs protecting from you."
Susan ceased leaning on the desk and straightened. "You really are your fathers child."
David smiled and stood, sweeping the creases from his clothes. "I've heard worse." He commented, almost complimented. ************************************************************
Susan poked her meal with her fork lacking in appetite. The meal was bland, like most edible Minbari food. Bland and nutritious. David was explaining his latest escapades to Delenn, but Susan had not the ear for them tonight.
"It was very embarrassing. I've never known a fighting pike to go off in someone's pocket before." David continued, not noticing Susan's disinterest.
"Were you hurt?" Delenn inquired, not sure if she should be amused or upset.
"No, but I needed a tailor. It went right through my clothes." He mimed with great emphasis, the action of the pike ripping his clothes.
Susan suddenly laughed and smiled, causing David and Delenns attention to quickly shift to her.
"What?" David asked.
"Oh," She recomposed herself quickly. "I just remembered a prank Marcus told me about."
"Prank?" Delenn asked, still finding gaps in her English vocabulary after all this time.
"A practical joke." Susan informed, now realizing she had the attention of the whole table and thus began to explain her source of amusement in relation to David's anecdote.
" You see, on earth we have April fools day." She began. "Marcus was on Minbar at the time visiting, reporting back to Sinclair. Marcus had been out done several times that morning. Oatmeal in his pockets, Sirens at three in the morning, all organized by Sinclair." Susan lifted her drink to her lips then feverishly continued. "So Marcus spring loaded a fighting pike. Sinclair was set to welcome some new recruits. A few moments before, Marcus slipped the pike into his pocket. Jeff gets up to make a welcoming speech in front of fifty recruits when the pike opens." She paused a moment to stop herself from laughing. "Tears his pants so badly they fall to the floor. Jeff's left standing in his underwear before the crowd."
David laughed a little, and Delenn merely smiled.
"That wasn't funny?" Susan asked, wondering why the lack of laughs.
"Minbari humour." David quickly reminded her.
"Of course, no physical embarrassment." She sighed at her disappointment in being able to entertain. "Well in human terms its very amusing."
At that moment a female Minbari ranger, one of the house guards entered. Her face carried a look of urgency.
"Entil'Zha. Madame President." She addressed each of them in turn. "We have the assassin."
Susan stood quickly, pushing away her meal. "Where were they found?"
"On the outskirts of the city. A very unusual alien." She commented with utmost seriousness.
"Alright, I'll be along in a minute." Susan informed her. The ranger bowed and left quickly.
David rose from the table, "You're going to talk to the assassin? Is that wise?" He enquired, concerned for Ivanovas welfare.
Susan turned on her heel quickly. "I want to know who they're working for."
****************************************************************** Susan walked briskly to the holding cells in the centre of Tusanor. On her left and a pace behind she was flanked by Relann, who despite her utmost respect for her Entil' Zha had insisted on joining her. Susan suspected David had put her up to it, she knew they were friends and perhaps more. Relann now carried not only her own, but Davids concern. "Entil'Zha, is this wise?" She voiced as they approached the correct room, which was guarded by a single human ranger.
"Look," Susan began. "When somebody breaks into where I live and gets past five house guards, I'd like to know who they are, and why they're doing it."
The Ranger stepped forward and bowed, which Ivanova nodded her head in reply to. "It keeps insisting to see you. I told it not to be so eager." He informed her crisply.
"Don't worry," Susan assured him. "By the time I'm through it'll be eager to see me leave."
With that the ranger opened the door to the cell and stepped inside before Ivanova. Relann remained outside and the door thudded loudly closed.
It took Susan's eyes a few moments to adjust to the change of light in the cell. An alien was leaning over the table, it's shoulders slightly stooped. Suddenly. It pushed the chair it was sitting on backward and jumped in the air with joy.
"Ah the one is here!" It screamed with pure delight." The one come to see Zathras! Zathras knew the one would come! Zathras very pleased to be seeing the one."
Ivanova paused for a minute, trying to let her brain accept what was happening. After a few moments:
"Zathras!" She exclaimed at the rodent like alien. "What the hell are you doing here? And why did you try to break into my house?" She demanded, wanting to know why an alien she knew so little about, but would implicitly trust would try to see her in such an unorthodox method.
"You know him?" The ranger asked incredulously, his eyes widening.
"Yes." Susan replied bluntly. "And I imagine his being here is very important."
"Yes, what Zathras has to say is very important." Zathras nodded his head vigorously.
Susan paused for a moment. Why was he here? What was so important? Susan walked back over towards the ranger and lowered her voice. "Could you step outside?"
The ranger was about to protest against leaving her alone with a potentially hostile alien when she insisted that, "He's harmless." The ranger still looked at the Enti'Zha with skepticism. "If you're not used to him the syntax will drive you nuts." She finally added, hoping that this ranger would understand.
With great reluctance he left, hoping that Ranger one knew what she was doing.
As the door closed Susan turned back to the Zathras. He looked slightly aged, and as he recognized her, was possibly the Zathras she had met when she had visited the great machine. "Why didn't you just come and see me?" She asked, sitting at the table.
Zathras clicked is teeth for a moment and began to explain. "Zathras couldn't."
Ivanova looked at him squarely, as if to say that was not enough.
"Draal tell Zathras not to be seen, so Zathras is not seen. But Zathras fall over pile of paper someone leave. Draal, want to send the one a message, so Draal send Zathras."
That made sense, as much as Zathras did make sense. If Draal had to send a vital message, it would be with one of the Zathrases.Zathrai? Or Zathras, or whatever they where in plural form.
"And the message is." She gestured her hand forward for him to continue.
"That universe is not right." He announced.
"That's it?" Susan asked a tad incredulously. Since when had the universe ever been right? And what the hell was she supposed to do? "Well. what do I have to do with that?"
"Zathras not know." He sighed, finding as much logic in this as she did. "Zathras just sent to tell the one, the one must save the one." He paused a moment in thought. "No wait, you must save the one. No, you are the one." He paused again to try to see if there was any of salvaging his last few sentences. He resigned, shook his head and shut up with: "Oh Zathras confoozed."
Susan considered the sparse information Zathras had given her. "So, by saving one person, the universe is put right?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Yes. Draal tell Zathras, to bring the one back with him to great machine. Draal will tell the one more. More than Zathras can explain."
***************************************************************** Susan tossed and turned in bed. She couldn't sleep again. This was getting beyond insomnia. The bed was ok, the temperature was fine, but her mind was plagued with so many thoughts her brain wouldn't shut down. God she was so tired.
Eventually she gave up and rose out of bed, believing that maybe standing for a few moments could render her somewhat more tired. Folding her arms and raising her shoulders slightly, she walked over to the window. She stared out the window into the night sky. The sky was clear and full of stars. She inhaled and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, there were stars all around her.
She was no longer on Minbar; she was standing in the observation dome on B5. Her brain tiredly refused to acknowledge what appeared to be happening. She didn't realize the change until a voice stirred her.
"It always leads back here, doesn't it?"
The voice rang in her ears, low, masculine. Familiar. Realizing the sudden change, she turned sharply on her heel. There, on the other side of the dome, stood Marcus, appearing as living as the day she met him.
"Marcus," she murmured in confusion looking around. "What's going on? What is this?"
"You tell me." He commented stepping forward and folding his arms. Then he smiled lightly and spoke. " I personally have three ideas, you're hallucinating from lack of sleep, you've gone completely mad, or, this is a residual piece of my consciousness' left over from the alien healing device. Take your pick." He added staring back out at the stars.
"What am I doing back here?" Susan asked, finding her eyes also drawn to the stars. He was standing so close she could almost feel his breath.
"Finding a parallel to your situation now. Was it so different when we where here?" His voice seemed to echo and suddenly the room changed again. Now she knew where she was, or more accurately, when she was.
"I can't do this." She heard her younger self say. "How do I hold them together? Delenn's gone to pieces, Sheridan are Kosh are dead, Garibaldi's missing and the league's split up. What can I do against the entire Galaxy?" Susan's younger self wept for a moment, before hauling herself together. "I wish this hadn't fallen on me."
Marcus raised his head from thought, as if he had been trying to conjure up something comforting to say. "If not you, then who?" He asked objectively. "Sheridan had faith in you, he knew what you can do, even if you don't." He stepped beside her, almost unsure if his proximity would be too much. "Faith in others is easy, faith in yourself is difficult, especially when you go it alone."
Marcus gently raised his hand, and touched her shoulder in a gesture of comfort.
"But you'll never have that problem."
Her younger self faded away and Susan sat on the floor, resigned.
"I don't even know what Draal wants with me. How can one person change the universe, and how can I be involved?"
Marcus sat beside her, his clothes flowing on the floor. "Draal has his reasons. Even if you don't."
Ivanova turned to look at him. He wasn't real. He was twenty-five years dead. "Why are you here Marcus?" She breathed out.
"Why are you?" he retorted, his green eyes so vivid. So close.
"I don't know." Susan replied rubbing her eyes then standing. "I don't know anything anymore. I'm so tired of everything."
Marcus stood behind her, and lay his hands on her shoulders. "Then sleep."
The dome seemed to fade away, Susan was back on Minbar- but he remained.
She walked over to the bed, away from his hands, and laid herself down. Her eyes darted back to the other side of the room, where Marcus still stood. "Will I see you again?" She asked, not wanting to let go of whatever this was.
"Sleep." He simply replied. He could do nothing else.
Susan closed her eyes. She was so tired; she didn't want to let go. "Will you go again?" She whispered, almost sleeping
"I was never gone." **************************************************************
Susan was awake again by five the next morning, despite that being the best nights sleep she'd had for a lengthy period of time. She could find no explanation for last night, but the voice of Marcus still rang in her ears for several hours after she awoke.
She had thought long and hard about what Zathras had said. She had made a decision, but as she had learned in life, plans often never proceeded exactly as they are intended.
Relann had noticed Ivanovas odd mood the moment she had emerged from the cell with Zathras. Relann had undoubtedly reported back to David and Delenn and would probably be keeping a close eye on Ivanova. This would only enhance the difficulties, however well intended Relanns actions were.
Susan sighed heavily. If she were to make a break for it, it would have to be soon. She couldn't tell anyone where she was going, or what she was going to do. The former for the impression of utmost secrecy Draal had given her via Zathras, and the latter because she had next to no idea what would be required of her. But she couldn't leave without talking to someone. Someone had to know she was alright.
*************************************************************** After half an hours work of re-patching and waiting, the stellar-com logo finally blinked off and was replaced by the tired face of Stephen Franklin. Damn, she'd woken him.
"Susan!" He smiled cheerfully with an overtone of grogginess in his voice.
"Stephen," She half murmured, momentarily forgetting what she had planned to say. "I'm sorry," She finally stammered. "I forgot about the time difference."
"No it's fine," he insisted. "I've been meaning to call you, just couldn't find a spare minute."
Susan smiled, knowing Stephens workaholic tendencies. "Still working hard?"
"They want me to retire," he snorted at the very idea. "I heard about the assassination attempt on ISN, is everything O.K?"
Ivanova should have known he'd change the subject onto her. How could she even think about a feasible lie about the situation? Maybe it was best not to. "Yeah, everything's fine," she splurted out much too fast.
"Well, good." Stephen replied hesitantly, he may be onto something being wrong. Damn.
"Look, erm," Susan began. "I haven't got long before I go to work, I just wanted to say hi, speak to someone in English for a change."
Stephen hesitated, then chuckled as if dismissing any suspicious thoughts he had. "I'll just be glad you didn't call me to speak Russian."
Susan had problems smiling, but forced herself. She couldn't break down. Not now. She couldn't let him know this was goodbye. Say something, quickly. "If you see Michael, say hi from me."
"Will do." Stephen yawned.
"Take care."
The screen went black, then back to stellar-com. For a moment, Susan wept.
************************************************************* Relann watched the Entil'Zha and the odd alien walk briskly away from the compound. For a moment, she considered informing David, but her loyalties lay with the Entil'Zha. As she lost sight of Ivanova in the darkness of the dawn, Relann had the strangest feeling she would not see her again.
