See Prologue for Disclaimer.

Part 24 of 36

The alien healing-device!

Susan awakened from her nap and was bathed in sweat.

*What had this to mean. These dreams make me fear. I don't know, what they mean. Why do I see Marcus and me first on Minbar at the house of Jeff, and then gathered in front of the Babylon 5 staff and now in MedLab with this cursed machine. As if she hadn't brought us already enough vexation in.*, Susan wondered, as she looked after William.

As hit by the flash she drove around. She had an idea, how she could help Marcus. But whether it would really work, was another matter. Susan manufactured a connection to Stephen in the MedLab.

„Susan, aren't you feeling well again?" he asked anxiously, as he saw his sweaty looking friend.

„Stephen, I think, I have found the solution. Do you have some time now, so that I can explain it to you?"

„My shift is just over. What do you think if I get us something to eat and meet you in your quarter? There we are undisturbed."

„Okay, I wait for you and hurry up."

As Stephen had closed the connection, Susan manufactured a new one to Mars. She had of course no expectation, whether she was right there, but it was her only chance. In front of her she saw a young woman with long brown hair on the screen.

„ Good day what can I do for you?" the woman asked.

„My name is Susan Ivanova. I have worked long time on Babylon 5. Are you Lise Edgars-Hampton?"

The woman paled. „Yes, I'm Lise Hampton. What can I do for you Ms. Ivanova?"

„I'm in search of a common friend of us. I have hoped that perhaps you know where I can find Michael Garibaldi. It's very important."

„What do you want from Mike? He doesn't want to be ever again in contact with any of you." she said.

„Please, it's very important to me. It has nothing to do with the station, but with a friend of us. If you can report him please, that it's about a ranger and I need urgently his help. He should call me back here. Please, it's only a small kindness for him however it would mean very much to me. Besides that I would see him very gladly again. I miss him. Good-bye."

Susan closed the connection and hoped for the best. Few seconds later it rang at her door. Stephen came in with delightfully smelling meal.

„Therefore, how will you have to free me of my regular guest?" he asked curiously.

„We use the machine. Let us make it as with Michael. Back then it has worked. We must only get enough people together, who are ready to sacrifice some of their life force for him."

„And you are sure, that you find enough persons, who know from that thing and who are ready to help Marcus?"

„Yes I'm convinced of it. If you agree with it, I will immediately begin with it and ask the correct persons. The sooner we begin with it the sooner is he healthy again."

„Okay, it shouldn't be up to me. But I can't promise you, that it will work, Susan."

„I'm sure, that it works. Let us say, I have gotten some discreet references for it."

Stephen saw questioning at her however Susan only laughed and jerked with the shoulders.

„Stephen, would you be ready, to connect you with the machine to help Marcus?"

„Susan, you know, I would do everything, so that Marcus wakes finally up. But only with the condition, that you hold him in next time away from MedLab. He was long enough inside. He should finally get the chance and get happy with you. It has lasted long enough. Besides that I want to see his face, when you tell him, that he becomes father."

„I can't promise you that, but perhaps I make a photo for the posterity. Thank you Stephen."

They enjoyed their meal. Then Susan progressed at the work and drummed all possible candidates together. She would begin with Lillian Hobbs, Stephen's representative. She knew already from the machine and she knew Marcus.

„Good day, Dr. Hobbs." Susan said as she stepped into her office.

„What can I do for you Captain? Mr. Cole is Dr. Franklin's patient."

„I know. I'm here for another reason. I have found a possibility to get Marcus from coma. However for it I need the help of you. Would you be ready, to connect you to the healing devices and to transfer something of your life force to Marcus?"

Dr. Hobbs considered a bit. „Yes, I'm ready to it. I have seen how much this ranger means to you and I have sworn that I help the person. I think this is also a way. Just tell me, when you need me."

Susan was happy. She tried also her luck with David Corwin, which bristled first a bit however Susan brought him to it that he agreed. Somewhat more easily went it with Lennier. He was immediately ready to it. She had also no problems to inspire Lyta and Zack of her project. Vir and G'Kar were also easy to convince. As last she wanted to bring Elizabeth Lochley to it, but she would have to tell her first the whole story.

„Captain, what are you doing here? I have thought, today is your day off." Elizabeth said surprised.

„I'm here from a personal occasion. I would like to ask you for a large kindness, but previously I must tell you the story to it."

„Then you better begin."

„I don't think, that you know, what has happened in the last battle, do you?" Susan inquired.

„I have heard some rumours about it, that you were hurt with difficulty and have been cured ghostly, although there were no chances for it."

„The rumours are right. I had been difficulty hurt and I'm cured. And there is also an explanation for it. Our ranger, Marcus Cole has saved me with an alien healing device. He has transferred his life force to me. For that reason he lies now in coma. He was in love with me, but I was always only cold to him. First through this deed I have become clear over his feeling for me and my own feelings for him. I love him also and want to spend the rest of my life with him. I have found now a way, how I can help him. Stephen connects him again to the machine and all our friends, who know from the machine, transfer something of their energy to him. It will extend, so that he wakes up again. Up until now I have already eight persons together. Would you be also ready to it? It isn't dangerous and it doesn't hurt."

„Yes, I will help you. You have helped me in the last days so much, that this you demanded from me is only a trifle. Besides that I think, you are happy to have your boyfriend finally with you."

„Thanks Commander. It's very nice of you. I tell you, if it's so far."

As Susan came again in her quarter, she put William in his bed and examined her news. She was surprised; a message from Mars was among it. Susan read it. She wasn't from Michael, but from Lise. However she said that she had spoken with Michael and he would report to her in the course of the evening.

Susan progressed full anticipation something to eat and waited for the call. It was after ten, when William woke up from his sleep. She went to him and took him from his bed. Exactly in this moment the BabCom cheeped

„Ivanova here." she reported with William on the arm. It was Michael Garibaldi, former security chief of Babylon 5.

„Hello Susan. It hasn't been this long since we saw last time. Is there something you want to tell me?" Michael looked on the child that had calmed down again.

„Hello Michael, it's beautifully to see you. This here isn't my child. It is the son of the Marcus' brother. I worry at the moment about him."

„Why? And about what wanted you to speak with me?"

„I assume you know nothing about the last battle? Well, I have been wounded and was on that best way to bless the temporal. Marcus has saved me with the healing device you also owe your life. Marcus lies now in coma and it will last still rather long, until he is the same again. Perhaps we won't have such a long time and for that reason have I found a way to help him."

„ Aha and for it you need my help. I assume you want to connect him again to the machine. What has helped me, can't harm him, can it?"

„Exactly. It's perhaps the most only chance that he comes ever again to consciousness."

„If I may ask, why do you want to that to you? It's no mystery, that you aren't his biggest fan. From where does the change of mind come? Really you might be however gladly about it, to get finally rid of him."

„Michael, it has happened much, since you have gone away. I love Marcus and he loves me. We have a common future. That has Jeffrey promised me!"

„Whoa whoa whoa. You have spoken with Jeff? How is that possible? Can I do that also?"

„If you promise me, that you think about it to help Marcus and me, I will perhaps arrange an encounter between you and Jeff. But not sooner. Besides that I would like to see you again. There is much to tell. However come with Lise for a short visit to Babylon 5."

„I don't know. I have sworn that I will never be on the station again. After everything what has happened. I don't think that I can look Sheridan and Delenn ever again in the eyes. I'm happy here."

„Give it a shot, Garibaldi. You miss the station and us. I have felt the same when I was on Minbar for a short time. Please come, only for a couple of days. Besides that it isn't even sure if you will meet John and Delenn. They don't need to know that you are on the station."

"And how will you do this? Sheridan is the commander of Babylon 5. He's informed about each ship which docked. Not even you are going to hid this for him. And I'm sure he has told Zack to inform him the second I place my feet onboard. There won't even a false ID-card help." Michael tried to get rid of the idea to come on the station.

"John won't know something about your presence because he isn't any longer the commander of Babylon 5. Our new commander is named Elisabeth Lochley. She doesn't know you and if I ask her she won't tell John anything."

"Have I got that right? Sheridan isn't the commander of Babylon 5 any longer? What is he doing now?"

"That will I tell you when we met. And there is a further reason to pay us a visit. I would like to meet Lise. She must be a hell of a woman if she endures it with you this long." Susan laughed when she saw his expression.

„What should this mean?" As Susan didn't answer, he spoke further. „I will think about your offer to come to the station and also about your request to help Marcus. Really I owe him still a kindness. But whether I do myself and the remainder of the station a kindness with it is another topic. I report again to you. Good-bye Susan."

Susan hoped, that Michael would decide on a positive way. With this hope she put William again in his bed and went in her own.

In the next morning after the breakfast she went with William to John and Delenn.

„Hello Susan, what can we do for you?" John asked when he opened the door.

„Nothing this time. I'm only here to give you some news. I have found a way, how we can help Marcus. We connect him to the machine again and make it like with Garibaldi. Yesterday I have already spoken with Stephen. He has agreed and he is also ready, to hang himself on the machine. I have also spoken with Dr. Hobbs, Commander Lochley, Lyta, Zack, Corwin, Lennier, Vir and G'Kar. They all want to help Marcus. For the decision of one person I still wait and I'm not sure, how it will fall out."

„Susan, who is this person?" John wanted to know, because Susan had enumerated already all persons, who knew Marcus and knew about the machine.

„It's Michael Garibaldi. Yesterday I have spoken to him. I have invited him and his girlfriend to the station. I miss him and would like to see him again, even if you aren't."

„I have said nothing at all. I would also like to see him again. I had still no chance to thank him. He could nothing for it Bester and his damned PsiCorp had done to him. He has even helped to free me. Without his help I wouldn't sit here now. I would be very happy, if he would assume your invitation. And I'm also ready, to support Marcus with the transfer. That is the least I can do for you."

„I will support you also. He has sacrificed so often his life for me, there is it obvious that I help him."

„Thanks, you are genuine friends. I think I have now enough people together. Let us still wait a day for news of Michael. If he doesn't report, we make it without him."

Susan went back in her quarter, where she settled some work for the dream- chancer. In the evening she examined her messages. She was surprised. Michael had already answered her.

„Hello Susan. I have thought about everything and you were right. I miss the station and you all. I will come and I bring Lise along and I will participate in your rescue operation for the ranger, if you promise me, that you hold him then for the remainder of my stay of my throat. And you think also about your promise, to arrange an encounter with Jeff. I would like to see him again. We fly tomorrow immediately with the first ship. Until then."

Susan was surprised. Really she hadn't calculated with the help of Michael.

In the next morning the representation for Corwin arrived. Susan worked him in in everything with William on the arm. She spent the remainder of the day with Delenn. Together they were shopping for William. Just as they wanted to go into Delenn's quarter, Susan's ComLink cheeped.

„I knew that it was an error to keep that thing." she said to Delenn.

„Ivanova go. What's the matter?"

„Captain Ivanova. We have here a ship that insists on speaking to you." said the duty officer on the bridge to her.

„Who is it and where comes it from?"

„They don't want to give us this information. It insists on speaking with you personally."

„Okay, I'm on my way."

Susan turned to Delenn. „It appears that the Galaxy doesn't know that I don't work any longer."

Delenn took the child off Susan, so that she could worry about the ship. Susan went to C&C and took over her old post.

„This is Susan Ivanova of Babylon Control. Please identify you."

What do you think so far? Please R&R.