The darkness and confines of the alley may have hampered a lesser-trained fighter, and it was certainly the case with the thug. He never saw the blow that hit him on the side of the head. As he crumpled to the ground, the girl calmly stepped over him.
"You were saying?" She addressed the first thug who was still holding the young man against the wall. The ruffian took one look at the long metal pole as it reflected the streetlight, then his friend on the ground, and fled.
"Are you all right?" she asked the young man who was now shaking with fear.
"Y..yes." he stammered.
"Then we should leave before our friend comes back with reinforcements." She moved away, pulling the man with her.
"But you could fight them off again, with that?"
"Not if there were many of them. I was lucky; they were unprepared. The battle is half won before you begin to fight if you have surprise on your side."
They were back in a safer district now and the girl closed up her pike and returned it to an inside pocket of her jacket.
"Is that an actual Minbari fighting pike?"
"Yes."
Now that he was no longer in danger of being attacked, the man's brain began processing the events of the evening, but still came up confused. He looked at the girl, calmer now that they were closer to the campus. She wore jeans, T-shirt and boots; the usual student fare. Over that, she had on a gropos jacket. She was obviously too young to have fought in any wars so it must have been army surplus. Where did the pike come from? That was the one thing that didn't fit in with the otherwise perfect image of a pretty blonde student.
Then something caught his eye. Hidden amongst the various pin badges that adorned the front of the girl's jacket, was a large ornate one with a green stone. That he did recognise.
"Hold on." He caught hold of the girl and made her stop and face him. "That's a Ranger pin you're wearing. Are you a Ranger?"
"No." She shifted uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to answer any more questions.
"I'm sorry," the man said, "I'm still unnerved over tonight. I haven't even thanked you yet. I wouldn't have got away if it hadn't been for you. I'm Tim Midnight."
He held out his hand. The girl cautiously shook it.
"Marie Cole."
He smiled, and was rewarded by a small smile in return.
"Oh. You're hurt!"
Tim looked down at his grazed knuckles, probably from being held against the wall. He hadn't even known he had done it.
"It's nothing."
"You should still have it cleaned. Come with me."
OoOoOoOoO
A few minutes later, Tim followed Marie into her room at the college. She threw the bag she had been carrying onto the bed and ushered him into the bathroom. As she quickly and efficiently bathed his hands with disinfectant, he tried to find out more about her.
"So you're not a Ranger?"
"No"
"Where did you learn to fight?"
"The Rangers trained me."
"But the pike and pin?"
"Were gifts when I left."
"But.."
"Do you want my life history?" Marie spat at him.
"I…" Tim faltered. He realised he had gone too far. "Sorry. I'm taking journalism. I sometimes forget when to stop asking questions."
Marie gave him a stony stare, then handed him a towel.
"I'm a first year student taking Xenogeology. I don't give interviews." That last part was final.
Tim slowly dried his hands, then returned to the main room. Marie was unpacking her bag and didn't look at him. He used the silence to look around. The room was sparse, even for a student. There were a few Minbari style decorations, a few books and three framed photos on the desk. Two were of people he didn't know, but the third had two of the most famous people in the universe.
"You know the Sheridans?" he blurted out in astonishment, and was rewarded with another angry glare.
"Sorry." Tim held up his hands in defeat. "No more questions about you." He put on his best hang dog expression.
Marie sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to snap. It's just that at the beginning of the year, whenever I told anyone where I came from, they kept asking questions; about the Rangers, Sheridan, Delenn, the civil war, the battle with the Drakh. I got tired of telling the same stories and I felt that people only wanted to know about who I had met and not about me. I did not have the happiest of childhoods and all I want now is to be a perfectly ordinary student and enjoy university life. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Nothing." Tim kept his hands up. "Shall we start again? This time you can ask the questions."
Marie laughed at his posture. "You can put your hands down. Would you like some tea?"
OoOoOoOoO
"So how come you needed to be rescued?"
They were sitting at the table in the kitchen of the student's accommodation. Marie held her mug in both hands, savouring the warmth before she drunk the beverage. Tim sipped at his tea before answering.
"The truth, if you promise not to knock me out, is that I followed you."
Marie frowned slightly, but continued her questioning.
"Why?"
"I was curious. I wanted to know where you were going in such a hurry." Tim paused, "And I have to write an original piece of journalism for my final project and I'm completely stumped."
Marie studied the man sitting across from her. There was nothing obvious in his attitude that warned her off. She still didn't know enough about him to trust him completely, but his actions that night had shown some courage. They could probably help each other out.
Plus, he had a nice smile.
"I might have a story for you." Marie began. "I have been helping a family, the Walkers, Mother and two children. They live next to that alley. When the Drakh attacked Earth they had been here on holiday, whilst the husband remained at home. After the quarantine, they were stranded. With no relatives and little work, they have been reduced to living in a single room without power."
"What about the husband. Can't he help?" Tim wasn't convinced, but he was interested.
"Earth is almost bankrupt itself. He cannot afford to send any credits. I caught one of the children when they tried to steal from me. Since meeting them, I've tried to help by taking the mother clothes to mend from some of the students here. They earn enough money that way to buy food. I would do more, but she won't except charity."
"Won't the Mars government do anything?"
"They did at the beginning, when it was big news. But after fighting to be independent, they would have riots if they raised taxes to support Earth's refugees. This family really is on their own."
"And this would be a good story because?" He knew he was baiting her here.
"They are only one of possibly hundreds of families in the same position. If we can bring their plight to the notice of the ordinary Martians, then perhaps with some pressure from some other quarters, we can get something done for all of them."
"What other pressure is that?" Tim asked, aware that he might be treading on dodgy ground again.
"I happen to know some important people."
"Like the President of the Interstellar Alliance."
Marie actually grinned a little. "He is one of them." She turned serious again. "The Alliance has wanted to help, but Mars Gov is too pig headed to take it. They prefer to ignore the problem."
Tim sat back and thought for a moment, considering the prospects.
"Well?" Marie asked after a full minute had passed in silence.
"You may well have something there. When can I meet this family?"
Marie gave him a genuine wide grin. "Tomorrow night."
OoOoOoOoO
Tim really didn't want to go back to that alley, even with the expert fighter that Marie obviously was. But the story did sound good, and he did owe her for rescuing him.
He kept glancing around nervously as Marie stepped silently into the darkness.
"Where did you come from last night?" Tim asked. He still couldn't see a door.
"Look up."
He did so. Five feet above him was a dark window.
"Is that where they live? Isn't there another way in?"
"There is a front door," Marie answered, "But this way attracts far less attention, which is best for everyone."
"How are we going to get up there?"
Marie just put her hands to her mouth and blew an owl hoot.
"That's not going to attract attention then." Tim said with just a touch of sarcasm.
"It's our signal. They'll drop a ladder down to us."
When nothing happened, Marie repeated the signal, the hoot echoing ominously between the buildings.
"That's strange." Marie muttered.
"Perhaps they're not in."
Marie shook her head. "They never go out after dark. There's too many gangs around."
Tim was getting very nervous. "Look, there's nothing we can do. Can we go?"
"Give me a push up."
Before he knew what he was doing, Tim found himself with his back against the wall, fingers laced, letting Marie climb up on his shoulders. Seconds later, she had the window open and had scrambled through. Tim waited for the aforementioned ladder to be dropped down. It didn't appear.
"Marie!" He hissed. He knew this was a bad idea. "Marie! What's happening?"
A blonde head looked out of the window above him.
"They're not here." Marie hissed back. "They've gone completely."
To be continued...