***************************Chapter 17*************************************

We made it to the appointment with my parents with a few minutes to spare. Shannon had been right. Once Kahlen had finished dressing in one of the outfits she had purchased the day before, we met up with Shannon and Marcel in the small eatery on Blue 4. Marcel took one look at us and grunted. The only comment he made was "It's about damn time," before continuing his snack.

It had only taken Kahlen about half and hour to dress, which was very good for her. Shannon had also decided to wear something different that day. After she left my quarters, she had returned to her own to slip into a pair

of slacks and a sweater. She had tossed on a ballcap much like my own except for being specially made much larger, turning the bill backwards to cover her crest.

Marcel was dressed in the same black outfit he always wore. I briefly wondered if it was always the same set or if he dozens of completely similar outfits. Than I remembered his dresser from the dorm and that he only three sets of the strange clothing and that they were nearly impossible to tear and almost as hard to dirty.

When we reached the table where my parents where sitting, they gave only a slight start at few visible bruises on our bodies. I recognized that the lack of reaction meant that they knew of the attack and were curious about what had happened.

"Marcel, what happened to your nose?" my father asked, as he stared at the crooked red lump in the middle of my friends face.

"I ran into a fist." he replied, scanning the food counter.

"We know about the . . . scuffle," my mother said. "But we did not know that any of you had been injured." She turned a questioning gaze on me and I nearly broke out in a sweat. Somehow, I didn't think that this was the best time to inform my parents of the changes in my relationship with Kahlen.

"I, uh, got a scratch on my arm. It wasn't deep and Kahlen helped me clean it and patch it up last night." I threw this out, hoping to distract my mother's probing gaze. My mother is a very perceptive person.

My father spoke up. "Why didn't you call for Security?"

"It wasn't much of a fight, really." Marcel said, answering my father. "There was only fifteen of them. Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Besides, " added Shannon, before my mother could ask something else, "there wasn't time. Davdan handed them a cred slip when they asked for it but the leader, I can't recall his name, was just smart enough to realize that if we were eager to hand over THAT many creds, than it must mean that we had more on us."

"He was called Stark. And he was wrong." I stated flatly. "That was all I had on me. If I had had more, I would have given it to him. It's not like I need a ton of creds."

My parents snorted at the same time. "That's what you think. Even WE carry a few credit slips around, just in case. You never know when you might be need to buy something."

"Are you certain that you are fine, David?" my mother asked, her gaze once again turning to study my face.

I squirmed in my seat. "I'm fine, Mom. My arm's a little stiff, but it's nothing to worry about."

My mother's eyes widened slightly and I knew that she knew. She gave a me look that said 'we'll talk later' before turning to the others. "And what of you? Did any of you receive a wound that should be looked after by a doctor? The MedLab is still one of the best facilities you will find."

Marcel grunted. He had just sat back done after a visit to the food vendor. "I guess I could stand to have someone take a look at my nose."

"I floated above the fight out of reach. None of them touched me." There was a slight emphasis on her words that cause my mother's thin eyebrows to raise slightly. Any doubts that I had held about her knowing were dispelled in that moment.

Shannon sighed. "I have nothing more serious than a few small scratches."

I frowned. There was a hitch in her voice as she spoke, as if she were hiding something. "Shannon, what happened?"

"I told you-"

"Do not lie and do not understate you words, Ranger Hinnonson." I said harshly. Several nearby officers turned to see what was happening. "I gave you an order. Obey or defend yourself."

Kahlen gave a startled squeak. Marcel raise his eyebrow and Shannon paled. Each room was assigned one student who was nomally in command of the others. Their behaviour reflected on that student so it was in the best interest of the chosen student to make sure his roommates were on their best behaviours and obeyed orders. I was the one chosen for our room, though I rarely exerted any authority. *(Woo! Hoo!)*

Shannon took a breath. "Okay. I was sort of stabbed by one of the scum. It isn't too deep and I cleaned it out very well last night, but I couldn't fully close the wound myself."

"Why didn't you say anything?" asked Kahlen. "I would have helped."

Shannon blushed. "I was ashamed that those filthy vermin had been able to score a mark on me. I am a Ranger. Filth like that should not be able to get through my defence."

My mother let out a breath and stood. "Come with me." she commanded. "Both of you." she said, shooting a look at Kahlen, who nodded meekly.

Shannon stood automatically. There was an air of power and authority about my mother that was almost palpable. "Yes, Enthil'za." My mother smiled. Though she had given up that title to take on the mantle of responsibility of the President, most Rangers considered her as still being our leader. She and my father were two aspects of the one, so it did not matter who was the OFFICIAL leader. They were both Enthil'za, just as they were both President, and nothing either of them said was going to change that fact.

The three left for the MedLab while we sat and watched them go.

"How are you going to explain to Security?" my father asked, taking a bite out of a piece toast.

"The truth seems like a good idea." I stated, biting into my toast. "We went for a walk, ended up down below and were attacked. We defended ourselves to the best of our abilities while trying to keep from seriously harming the attackers."

My father sighed. "One of the attackers, a Drazi, has a broken neck. Dr. Tolern thinks that he will never walk again. Another, the one called Stark,

is going to lose the use of his hand."

"Anything else?" Marcel asked before stuffing an egg into his mouth.

"Some broken bones, a few concussions. Nothing else serious." My father took a sip of his drink and shook his head. "I just don't understand why you went DownBelow? And don't give me that line about 'just happen to get there'. I don't believe it for a second and neither does your mother."

I had never heard that tone of voice from my father and hearing it now, a chill went down my spine. I could now understand why so many people had come to be afraid of my father's temper. "The tour you and mother planned was great and we enjoyed it. But we wanted to see more. We wanted to see the REAL station, not just the tourist traps. We didn't look for trouble, but it found us anyway."

Instead of a lecture on the hazards of foolish reasoning, my father chuckled. "I guess your mother did plan a rather . . . dry trip. But that is understandable given what all of us have been through in our lives." He reached over and slapped my shoulder. "And you are still young so you would

want a little excitement in your lives. At least the four of you are able to take care of yourselves. It's just that this station had such a big impact on our lives, and we wanted to share some of it's meaning with you before . . . . " He trailed off and looked away.

"Before the end." I finished. I watched him as he jerked his head in a quick nod.

"Your mother wanted to show you all the places that meant so much to us and

held such good memories for us. From the council chamber where we first met, to the garden where we would sometimes meet to talk, to the restaurant where we had our first 'date'." His voice tightened and I could here the underlying sadness. "So many of those places no longer exist. But as a dear friend said to us 'When we leave a place, a part of us remains behind, like fingerprints and a part of it comes with us. Echoes of all that we were, all that we are and all that we might become.' I have come to believe that statement a great deal."

Marcel blinked. "That sounds like something G'kar might have said." he stated.

My father looked at him in surprise. "How did you know that?"

My tall friend shrugged. "The book of G'kar is required reading for trainees, along with a large portion of religious texts from several dozen races."

This time my father blinked. "I had forgotten all about that." he said mildly.

"Father, should we head to Security?" I asked. "Surely they are awaiting our arrival and Kahlen said that we were expected at 10:30. And it's now . . . " I glanced down at my wrist before remembering that I didn't have a chronometer on. I shook my head ruefully before glancing up at the large crystal chronometer posted on one of the walls. "It's 09:35."

"Let's wait until you mother gets back with your friends." my father suggested, finishing his odorous drink. A waiter, one of a very few, passed by and my father passed him the cup for a refill.

A call came from behind me and I turned to see Uncle Mike, Aunt Lise, and Mary.

I grinned as they pulled up seats to the table. If I knew uncle Mike, the first thing he was going to say would have something to do with last night.

The only question was which event he was going to remark on.

"Good morning, all." he said cheerfully, casting me a glance. "How was your night?" he asked.

Marcel lifted the corner of one lip in a tiny lopsided grin. "A lot of fun. Wouldn't you say so, Davdan?" he asked, a twinkle in his eye. I fought the urge to strangle him, and only barely restrained myself. Why did he pick now to start acting like a human being and devolop a sense of humor.

"Certain parts of it were very interesting. Others were . . . regrettable."

I stated, my eyes shooting daggers at Marcel.

"Oh? What happened?" Mary asked.

I raised one of my thin eyebrows and looked at Uncle Mike, who shook his head. *So he hasn't told Mary about our little adventure last night. Good.*

"We went for a walk and got into a bit of a fight." I told her. My sensitive ears heard her father mutter that it had been more of a pier six brawl than small scuffle, but I ignored him.

"Did any of you get hurt?" she asked, her voice holding a note of concern for us.

"Not really. I scraped my arm, Marcel was cut on the palm, and his nose might be broken. Shannon is gone with Kahlen and Mother to get a small wound seen too that she couldn't stitch herself." I glanced at Marcel who smiled and nodded. "Well, nothing serious anyway." I amended when I noticed my mother returning with Shannon and Kahlen. Behind them, the waiter returned my father's cup and three others, two of which I could tell contained the same dark liquid of my father's and the third of which contained orange juice.

"Good morning, Micheal, Lise, Mary." my mother stated as she smoothly slid into the seat beside my father.

"'Morning, Delenn." They replied, each around a small mouthful of food.

Mary turned to Shannon, who had returned to her seat next to Marcel. Kahlen

sat down across from me and was blushing faintly. Briefly I wondered asking

her what they had talked about while the doctor was taking a look at Shannon, but remembering my mother's frankness when she had explained certain things to me, I decided that it was best for me not to know.

"How bad was your wound, Shannon?" Mary asked.

"Not overly so. A few minutes with a cauterizer to seal the edges after a disinfectant and cleansing were all that were required." Shannon smiled. "It was in an awkward place, which is why I could not tend it myself.

While they continued to talk, I noticed that my mother was whispering something in my father's ear. From his startled reaction and the quick glances he shot at me and Kahlen, I knew what he was being told. I looked at Kahlen and she shrugged and grinned weakly.

I glanced up at the chrono and felt a sense of relief. "I'm sorry, but I just looked at the time and we have to get going if we're to make it to Security in time." Standing before anyone could protest, I pulled away from the table and started forwards. My friends followed along, a stuned look on their faces. I heard my mother call out just as I reached the door and cringed.

"David, do not forget to meet us in C&C when Chief Allan is finished with you."

I agreed and hurried through the door before she said anything else.