*************************Chapter 4******************************************

A few hours later, we sat at a table in the 'mess hall', as my father called it. He had told me about what was happening at home and with our friends. I told about what had been going on here and how I was doing in the training. He already knew some of it, but I explained about my unique friends and my thoughts on why we four had been grouped together.

He agreed that I was probably right. As Ranger One, it was his duty to make sure that all the rangers finished their training with a clear understanding and tolerance for the differences of others. Each Ranger had to become fluent in at least two languages not native to their species. My father spoke fluent Minbari, Narn, and Brakiri. He also had a solid grasp on the languages of a dozen other league worlds.

Me, I spoke Minbari, English, and Narn. I had a small understanding of most of the languages used by the Alliance. Marcel was teaching me the language of the people he had grown up with, and Kahlen was teaching me an alien dialect from a race in her universe that did not exist here. I hoped to one day speak fluent Drazi and Tuchanq. They were such interesting languages.

There were a few other people in the room, throwing furtive glances towards me and my father. Since he was ignoring them, I followed his lead and didn't acknowledge their presence.

My father had changed out of his formal robes and was sitting across from me wearing a black jacket of a material he called leather, a blue shirt, a pair of dark brown pants. I had also changed out of my ranger uniform and was wearing an outfit Kahlen and Shannon had picked out for me when we had our last leave.

It was black. The material of the shirt was soft and smooth. It felt cool against the skin, yet it was quite warm. My pants were also black, but were made of a material I had not recognized. Kahlen called them jeans, while the vendor had said they were denims. I later learned that the material was called denim, but the style was called jeans. A pair of comfortable black shoes and a pair of socks completed the outfit. They had agreed that it was a good look for me, and since they were paying, and the material did feel quite nice, I agreed to wear them. I now had several such outfits, not all of them black.

"So when's your next leave? Your mother wants you to come home for a while. She's even offered to clear her schedule for a week, if you can come by." He said while sipping at his caf‚.

"Well, I have a week free in two weeks. My friends and I were planning on trying to get to Babylon 5. I wanted to see the place where you and mom met. My friends also want to see the place. We keep hearing about it, but we've never been there." I leaned forward conspiratorially. "There's a rumour going around that the place is practically deserted. Ever since the new lanes opened up, people have stopped sending shipments through."

My father sighed and placed his cup down. "It's true. Ever since Earth found a cheaper way to ship things, they've been able to cut back on the old girl. Oh, there are still people going there. Most of them for the same reasons you and your friends want to go. They want to get a sense of history. They want to see the place which was at the center of so many important events."

"Well, I hope there won't be too many sightseers when we get there. I wouldn't want anyone to recognize me while I'm on vacation." I said.

He looked me over. "Is that why you've let your hair grow out? So you can cover your crest when you don't want to be recognized?"

"Yes. I got tired of everyone staring at me whenever I turned my head or left the room. Once my hair was long enough to cover my crest, people started to treat me like I was one of them."

"Except Lucas." My father had always had a way of doing that.

"Yes. I didn't know why until a few weeks after we met. His father was the Captain of one of Clark's ships during the war. He was one of those who WANTED to do everything Clark ordered. His was also one of the first ships destroyed. After the news reached his mother, she hung herself in her room. Lucas found her when her came home from school."

"And he blames me and your mother." My father finished. "I've met people like him before. How he ever got approved for Ranger Training, I'll never understand. He must have done something to pass all the psych tests."

"What's going to happen to him now? And what about me? The fight today was partly my fault."

He shook his head. "Not from where the trainees stand. They've all been interviewed. They all agree that Lucas started the fight and that it was not the first time he had done so. He is going to be sent back to Earth, or wherever he wants to go, with the next available shuttle. The Rangers have no room for people with his prejudices."

"You'd expect me to be happy that he's gone. And I am. But it's more of a relieved kind of happy. I'm sorry that he couldn't put his prejudices aside and try to get along with us. He seemed genuinely happy to be here. Except for the fact that he was roomed with three aliens. He doesn't like non- humans."

"It's not just that. He has a problem with anyone who isn't Earthborn or who was on the Alliance's side during the Wars. He has problems dealing with the Mars-born and people born on other colony worlds. You just happen to fit all of his criteria for those he hated."

"Really? I never thought of it. I thought it was only because of you and mom."

"It was worse than that. That is a large part of it. He also hated you because you aren't human, you aren't from Earth, and, although it sounds odd, you are the embodiment of what the Alliance is about. Your birth was the ultimate joining together of two races that had once been enemies."

"I see your point. And it does sound odd. I don't feel like the embodiment of anything. I mean, how am I supposed to feel? I'm just myself. Just because you and mom are from different races and mom went through that change I'm supposed to be special?"

"Son, you ARE special." He whispered. "You're special because you're the child of two people who love each other very much and never thought that they would be able to share something so . . . common as a child. I knew the moment I saw her that your mother would play a large role in my future. It took me two years to admit that to myself. To admit that I loved her and to open my eyes and see that she loved me." He shook his head hard, once.

"But we're getting off topic. Your mother wants you to come home. I want you to come home. You can bring your friends. I'm sure they wouldn't mind seeing Minbar."

"I don't know, Dad. Marcel on Minbar? With all the Warrior cast around? And how would people react to Shannon? She's more human than I am. Then there's Kahlen. She'd probably go flying around, dive bombing pedestrians."

His cheeks pulled up in a smile. "That would be hilarious. But I'm sure you can keep them in line."

"I'm not sure. . . ." Actually, the idea of showing my friends my childhood home was intriguing. In fact, I had already decided to ask them if they wanted to come. I just had to pretend to be reluctant, for my father's sake. It was obvious that he was looking forward to the challenge of convincing me to return home. And since we had so little time left to enjoy the game, I figured that it was only fair to give him what he wanted.

"Oh come on, David. You can't seriously think that you mother would allow me to return home without you, do you? She wants you home so that we can have a nice family vacation, with no interference from the outside world. Before I left, she told me that you would have plans with your friends. She also made it quite clear that she did not mind if you brought them home with you. In fact, she insisted that you convince them to come. She wants to see what kind of people you're hanging out with."

"Why?" I asked, confused by my mother's sudden interest in my companions.

"She didn't tell me, but it wasn't hard for me to guess." He finished the last of his drink before continuing. "She wants to make sure you'll have the kind of people in your life who will help you through your grief when I . . .stop." He let a small laugh escape. "You saw the message. She has everything planned out already."

The tears threatened to rise again, but I pushed them down. My father had just destroyed the game by mentioning the time limit. "I'll ask them if they want to come. Are you sure a week will be enough?" I asked.

"No. If they agree, I'll cancel you classes for an extra week." He laughed sharply. "It's just a coincidence, but your mother also wants to return to B5. That's what the extra time will be for. She wants to share her memories of the place with you. It's going to be decommissioned next year."

I felt a chill go down my spine at his words and had a flash. I knew how my father would die. I was SEEING it.

"Are you okay, David? You seemed to be far away for a minute there." He asked.

I blinked and the vision dissolved. It was the longest lasting vision I had ever had. It had also been the furthest into the future. What I had just seen was more than a year away.

"I'm just tired. Those fights today really took it out of me." I hoped that my voice was steadier than my heart. My father's death would secure his name in the history books to the end of time.

He nodded thoughtfully. "I guess you should be getting back. Your friends should be back by now and it is kind of late. I still have some official business to do before I can get to bed. You go get some sleep. You have a long day ahead of you."

"Thank you, Dad." I said, rising to my feet. He stood and we hugged, ignoring the people staring at us. "Isthil'za veni, Enthil'za. In Valen's Name."

"Isthil'za veni, Ranger Davdan. In Valen's Name." He gave my shoulders a quick squeeze before letting me go. He nodded to a few of the people in the room, who had the grace to look embarrassed at being caught staring. With a final smile to me, he left, heading in the direction of the main office.

I sighed and turned to walk down the corridor that leads to my room. On my way out, I was stopped by a hand reaching out and grabbing my arm.

"Was that really HIM?" the huddled figure asked in hushed tones.

"Yes, it was." I said, gently removing their hand from my arm and continuing on my way.