Drake was sitting alone in the busy mess hall, still in shock over his introduction to the new XO of the Excalibur. Ivanovas First officer—her only first officer—he pondered on those words. For all that the man had kicked him hard in the ass, Marcus Cole intrigued him. After their meeting he had tried to find out something about the man, but every data base he went into had the same message, Access restricted. Forward any queries to the ISA security headquarters.

He had to have very powerful friends in very important jobs to have the clout to have got that done.

But he's a Ranger.

"Drake… Hey Drake! You in there?" a gruff voice intruded on his turbulent thoughts.

Drake looked up to find Connelly, the Chief Engineer/ mechanic standing over him with the usual loaded tray. Connelly was a gruff bear of a man who had strangely enough befriended Drake on his arrival. Drake had at first, not known how to respond to these overtures, but in the short time they had worked on board, he had found himself liking and respecting the older man.

"Yeah, Donald just about,"he said with a slight grimace. Then he quietly asked, "Donald you've been about a bit. Where were you when Babylon 5 went independent?"

Connelly looked intently at the younger man trying to work out why he was asking this. "I was onboard one of the ships Clarke sent to take over the command of B5. Why?" Then his normally open face closed over as a dark thought crossed his mind.

"And the Captain knows all about it!"

"For heaven sake Donald. It's nothing like that I swear," Drake quickly said to reassure his friend, "It's just…Well…Have you ever heard of a Ranger by the name of Marcus Cole…Connelly! Whatever is the matter?"

Connellys face had gone extremely pale, a very unusual event for the florid man.

"What in god's name are you asking about him for?" he questioned loudly as he began to stand. "I am NOT discussing Ivanovas private life with anyone. I've seen the damage that woman can do when she is pissed of with someone,"he hissed.

"Donald will you calm down. I don't what to know about Ivanovas private life…you think I've got a death wish. All I want to know is the story about Cole," Drake insisted, wondering what was so special or should that be scary about this Ranger.

Connelly sat back down again, realising that his friend honestly didn't know what he was asking.

"Tristan from what I remember of that time, and have heard since, Cole WAS Ivanovas private life," the big man quietly reported, while scanning the room to make sure no one was listening in.

"Was?" Drake enquired quietly, confused by the tense.

He sure didn't look like an ex from what saw earlier. The heat between those two would have melted the bulkheads. No! Definitely not an Ex.

"Yeah, WAS. He's in Cryo back on Babylon." Connelly reported sadly.

"CRYO!" Drake exploded, "What the hell for?

"Drake will you sit back down, and BE QUIET." The big man spat out worried once again about whom was listening. "I don't know all the facts, but scuttlebutt has it that he was really badly hurt saving her life. So badly, that they put him in cryo till they can help him. Then again you have the others that say he actually did die for her, but she won't let him go."Connelly explained in between mouthfuls of some kind of stew.

Don't think Ill ask what kind of wondermeat it is. Why is he all het up about Cole?

Drake sat back in silence processing what he had been told, the caff in his mug growing cold unnoticed.

Then he grinned at his friend as he said, "Well he is definitely not Dead. Not unless I'm now seeing ghosts."

Connelly was now the confused one, and it showed.

Drake continued in a whisper, "Cole is the new XO for this ship. I just met him with the Captain."

"BLOODY HELL!" Connelly coughed out choking on his dinner.

"Yeah! Quite," Drake laughed handing the other man a napkin. "So now you can see why I was curious about the man." Drake added with a lop-sided grin at the state of his friend.

"Yeah, I suppose…Let me think, he replied looking about the slowly emptying mess as he racked his memory for information of the man in question.

"Right, he had a reputation for being one tough bastard, and an intelligent one too. Was…or I should say IS one of Delenns elite. There were lots of wild stories about him taking on the really tough missions, you know the ones your not supposed to come back from…OH, and I know for a fact that he was Sheridans XO at the liberation of Proxima 3."

Drake had listened intently to his companion, building up a picture of the kind of man Marcus Cole was. To him it seemed pretty obvious that both Cole and Ivanova were both tough leaders. But how the hell would that work here? They couldn't both be top dog.

Connelly had started on his desert when he added, "But he was supposedly Ivanovas right hand man and more during that Shadow war thing and later during the Clarke scandal. His being in cryo was rumoured to be the reason that she left B5, instead of taking command when Sheridan resigned from Earthforce."

He watched Drakes face as he took this in, then he saw his friend's expression cleared as if he had found enlightenment.

"That's it, that's bloody well it. There won't be any tug of was for power because they are a unit. God, I've heard of such commands but I've never seen one in practice.

Drake knew that although the Captain and XOs worked together, there were nearly always ego's and ambitions dividing them.

"Well Donald, with Ivanova and Cole in place I would say that Excalibur is ready to go. And I'm willing to bet it's going to be a turbulent, but interesting tour of duty." Drake announced as he got up from their table. "Ill catch up with you later Donald. I have to attend this briefing by Sheridan. And thanks for the info it really did help."

And he was gone.

Connelly looked at the empty doorway, before returning to his plate muttering.

"That must have been one hell of a meeting."

"…so that is Excaliburs mission people. We have nearly a five-year window, but I am told by the expert, that sooner is definitely preferable to later. Any questions?" President John J Sheridan asked as he sat down beside Susan. They had just showed the command and medical staff the recording of the Drakh attack, all the information that they had on their enemy. Which he had to admit was next to nothing.

He saw a small hesitant hand raised, "Yes Lieutenant ?"

"Lt Orana sir. I was just wondering who our governing body is? I mean…well sir we have Earthforce officers and civilians on an ISA ship. And now we have a unit of Rangers as well." She declared while glancing hesitantly at the Ranger standing silently against the wall.

Sheridan grimace mentally. He knew that someone would ask this question, he had just hoped that it would be later rather than sooner…much later.

God how I hate politics. Give me a good dogfight any day. Oh well! Time to dance Mr President.

"A very good question. Yes Excalibur is going to be rather a melting pot, but it is necessary. You are all equipped with differing skills that will be needed if this mission is to work. And it MUST work people , there is no other option. As to the governing body it is split between Earth's temporary government on Mars and myself."

He informed them immediately picking up the increase in tension

He even understood were it was coming from. These officers only knew him as a president a politician; they had never served with him. So they didn't know anything about him, apart from the clips on ISN and the stories that the older officers told.

And some of them still class you as a traitor Johnny boy.

Susan's clipped voice broke into his meanderings.

"But you do not have to worry about that Lt Orana. That is my job. Your job and the job of every single member of this crew is to give 200. Then we will all be able to get back home sooner rather than later. Understood?"

"Yes captain."

Sheridan smothered a chuckle at hearing that slight and very familiar edge of panic in the young Lieutenants voice.

Well she's certainly not lost her touch. And with Marcus beside her…well they always were an outstanding team. I wonder how she reacted to seeing him again,alive. Probably spat and snarled, but I don't see any marks on him. Marcus is not saying a word, being bloody Minbari about it. Well seen that he was…is my wifes protégé. But it is so good to see them together again…Hope they make it this time.

"This is Doctor Max Eiverson, he on loan to us from IPX. He is a historian, archaeologist and linguist. As you know IPX is a private company, but get it straight right now. Dr Eiverson IS a member of this crew…Understood?" at the slight nods Ivanova said, "Good. Right any other questions?"

After twenty more minutes Marcus was sure he was going to die if he didn't laugh soon. He was pretty sure that if he whispered Boo unexpectedly, the room before him would be cleared in about ten seconds. But Sheridan was in an even worse state than he was.

Sheridan had just snorted which had gained him the Ivanova LOOK. Which made Marcus urge to laugh even more intense. He thought he had managed to get away with it, until Susan stood up once more.

"one final matter before we call it a day. I wish to introduce you to Ranger Marcus Cole…the Executive officer of this ship."

At this announcement there were quite a few gasps of amazement and surreptitious glances at Drake to gauge his reaction to the news.

Drake sat wondering what Cole was going to say. He had been watching the man and had realised that Ivanova had just dropped this on him with no warning.

As Susan sat back down again Cole whispered something in her ear, which caused her to grin and shake her head.

Cole stood balanced on his sticks and looked around the room before he started to speak. "Normally we would have a honeymoon period of getting to know each other and our new ship. NOT TODAY… today we are going to have to jump straight into the stinky messy stuff immediately. Because we don't have the luxury of being politically correct to each other's faces, while reaching for the knives to stab each other with. there is a world down there that is dying and it expects US to save it."

He paused and once again looked round the briefing room

God, was I ever as young as them. They have no conception of how dark and nasty this will get.

He also realised that a lot of these people would question his, and the other Rangers commitment to this mission.

"How many of you have people on Earth now?"he asked. Slowly hands rose all around the room including two of the Rangers. "Well so do I. MY best friend is in Geneva right now, working on finding a cure for this damn plague." Marcus felt his throat seize up thinking of Steven down there. But he had to finish this.

"That man has saved my life, and the life's of countless others, time and time again.

His name is Dr Steven Franklin, and I will be damned if this ship is going to let him, or any of the others die without a bloody fight… So it comes down to this, if you cant or wont give that 200…GET OFF NOW. You will be replaced by someone who can."

With that he sat back down. There was total silence in the small room.

Ivanova didn't dare look at him, she knew if she did she would have to kiss him right now in front of everyone.

He's got them. They don't know it yet but he's got them.

"Very well..Dismissed," she announced pleased that her tone remained the same. "Lt. Commander would you please escort the Dr to his quarters and issue him with his security pass, etc."

"Yessir"

"Drake…Captain or Ma'am will do just fine."

"Yess…eh!…Maam,"he stuttered as Eiverson came over to the doorway.