Chapter 8

Facing the truth

Captain Ivanova had arrived at Babylon 5 some time ago and could not be found anywhere on the station. At least she could not be found by Katie. The young woman strolled along some corridors and headed to the President's office where she hoped to get an interview date with Susan Ivanova.

Already in the hall she could overhear a heated discussion.

"Why would I want do meet with a journalist?", asked a woman's voice.

"She's his cousin…give her a chance. She doesn't appear like the reporters we've met before." the president's voice answered.

"So what…she claims to be his cousin. Why should I feel obligated to meet his family? Why should I talk about – this?" her voice was full of anger. "I didn't come here to chitchat with some teenage reporter who spent half her life in a library crying over her oh so bad life."

"Susan, you're a bit too sarcastic here. I checked her story – twice. Even the Rangers approved of her and her history."

"Okay, the Rangers approved of her? I don't give a damn to their approval…", the female voice broke.

"It's okay, Susan. You don't have to talk to her if you don't want to. I just, well, I kind of already promised it to her," the president answered.

"You what?" The woman quickened her pace as she walked around in the President's office. "I can't believe you really did this."

Before the argument could go any further, Katie decided to enter the office. She simply stood in the doorframe and cleared her throat. The young woman was a little intimidated by what she had heard.

"I'm sorry to interfere, Mr. President. But I thought we had an appointment." she said and watched the other woman curiously. "She's not really red headed. But I guess that depends on the light…" she thought, but quickly looked at President Sheridan.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Anderson. I forgot about that particular appointment." He lied, and both women knew it. "Well, as you're both already here…I'd like to introduce you to Katie Anderson." he said to the other woman. Then he pointed at her and told Katie. "Miss Anderson, this is Captain Susan Ivanova. "

Katie nodded with a smile but was answered by an unfriendly frown. "Miss Anderson, I truly accept your work and interest in the war. But I won't talk about my personal life with you – or any other journalist or historian for that matter," she declared.

Katie nodded, slightly disappointed. "Well, I understand your motives, considering the nature of your relationship."

Susan watched the young girl curiously. "What are you implying?", she asked with a threatening undertone.

"I don't imply anything, ma'am. I only did my research and I wanted you to have the chance to tell your side of the story." Katie answered and withstood Susan Ivanova's stare. "I have some personal recordings of Marcus Cole which – I think – could be of interest for you." She turned to leave. "If you want to have them back, I live in sector green. The name is Katie Anderson." With these words she left the office.

She had a bad feeling about this. Would Susan Ivanova agree to the interview? She didn't think she would. She had been too bold, way too bold.

A little later, Katie sat in her room, playing with a data crystal. One of those crystals she wanted to give back to the Captain. "If they really belong to her, I have to give them back."

Nevertheless did she have to finish her report and so she continued to work at her manuscript. She had to meet her deadline and still an important part to the puzzle was missing. She skipped through her files and notes and started to write a concluding chapter that kept her glued to the computer screen for quite some hours.

"I've spent the last few weeks on Babylon 5, the great mysterious and somewhat cloaked in secrecy space station my family told me about when I was small child.

Coming here wasn't only for research reasons, but I wanted to feel the mystery and hope and spirit that always mingle with rational reports. This is not only a space station, it is a symbol for what the Interstellar Alliance is, what mankind could be and what we ourselves bring with us when we arrive."

"God, this sounds so cheesy." Katie said to herself, but saved the copy anyways. "Perhaps the readers like such stuff. I'll leave it that way for the moment. Perhaps I come up with something better in the future."

She got up from the desk and walked over to the kitchenette where she wanted to prepare some coffee – although it wasn't the real stuff.

"Maybe I should meet David again, soon. I ran out of coffee." She mumbled when she tasted the fake coffee. She stared into her coffee mug when suddenly the doorbell chimed.

"Enter." She said curiously and wondered who could want to see her at this relatively late hour.

The door opened and a stern looking Susan Ivanova walked in.

"Captain Ivanova, what a surprise." Katie did greet her surprise visitor.

"This won't take long, Miss Anderson." Susan answered and watched Katie curiously. "You do bear some resemblance with Marcus." She admitted with only a hint of a smile.

"Thank you, Captain. I guess I could take this as a compliment." Katie answered smilingly and added "Although I have to say, I thought you were a redhead judging from Marcus' data files. He described you as one."

"Really? I have no idea why he would think such a thing." Susan stood still in the middle of thee room, her only motion were her wandering eyes taking in all details of Katie's quarters. "Well, I didn't come here for a little chitchat. I wanted to inform you, that I still won't contribute my personal view on Marcus to your report. I'm not willing to let others know what I think about the Rangers for a security reason." The captain explained.

"Well, I could leave out your name and just include the information without mentioning the source." Katie offered.

"This doesn't sound very professional to me, Miss Anderson."

"Oh no, it's very common not to name your sources for their own privacy and security, Captain."

"But still, at least my friends and colleagues would know that this information came from me. I don't want that. I'm sorry; Miss Anderson, but I really can't help you here." Susan said.

Katie sighed reluctant to give up so easily. She was impressed how calm and collected this Susan Ivanova appeared. After all she heard about this woman she had expected her to be a little more vivid and agitated. The woman she saw standing in her quarters appeared to be absolutely indifferent to what she planned to publish.

"Well, I guess, you want the data crystals. After all you are the only person who should have them." Katie offered and walked to her desk. "I made copies of the files important for my work. But as you don't want to be included I'll block those parts mentioning you in case my publisher wants to listen to the files." She took the original crystals and put them in the small wooden case and handed it to Susan.

She took it reluctantly and watched the case carefully. Then she faced Katie "You know I came here for one reason. I want to leave the past behind. This won't help me." The captain explained and looked away from Katie's green eyes. They reminded her of Marcus.

"I want to switch off the cryo unit. He doesn't deserve to be put there forever. He should find his peace, and I should find mine."

"What? But, that means, he would die." Katie exclaimed with horror in her voice.

"This isn't sure. If there is a possibility for him to come back to this world, he should get it now, neither in 10 years nor in 100. He's already leaving this world behind him. I can't leave him in there half dead, half frozen forever. It's unethical."

"But why now?"

"It already took me almost four years to realize what a mistake it was to freeze him. I only want to set things right now. I just wanted to inform you, as you are a relative. But please, don't get in my way here." Susan's voice almost had a soft tone when she said this.

"Don't worry. I think that Marcus wouldn't want anyone to interfere with your plans and wishes." Katie answered. But still her thoughts were mayhem. "But may I see him, before you switch off the machines?"

"I don't know. I wanted to do this on my own, only Doctor Franklin and me."

"The doctor will be here?" Katie asked curiously, Susan only nodded. "I suggest you leave Babylon 5 before we shut down the cryo unit. You haven't met Marcus while he was alive. Only seeing him die would add a very bitter note to your report or book or whatever you're really working at. Describe him only in a light and heroic tone, not under the depressing experience of him dying."

Katie wanted to say that she was a real journalist and that she knew what she was doing. But facing Susan Ivanova made her realise that she couldn't possibly interfere in this private moment. "Of course, I'll respect your wish, Captain Ivanova. I have to meet a deadline anyways. I just postponed my return to Earth to get the chance to talk to you."

"Thank you, Miss Anderson." Susan said and turned to leave. "You're not like Marcus. Your only resemblance is your eyes." The captain said before leaving. "But that's not supposed to mean you're not a kind person. I couldn't stand him most of the time he was around."

Katie watched Susan Ivanova leave. "This woman is unbelievable. She asks me to leave? And I said yes?" Katie wondered but started to pack nevertheless. "So, that's it. I'll return to Earth, finish my book, get it published and the adventure of Babylon 5 is simply over."

To be finished soon…

Authors note:

Thank you my dear BETA fonduedjicama….Thank you for your betaing and staying on board with me here. It's almost done. And I love reading your stuff so much that it always keeps me away from writing myself.

Hilary Weston and all the others who corrected me on Susans hair colour. I hope you like my way of solving the issue. )

To Ninni: I'm really disappointed you were anonymous. But anyways, I want to answer your doubts in my abilities as a writer.

A) Katie is no saint who'll save them all. What kind of stories do you usually read? Btw, there are only two persons who know the end of my story…

B) Your complaint about Marcus' emotional last entry…well, do you know how you'll react when you know you'll probably die within the next few hours? I pictured this prospect as being rather horrifying…

C) What made you think, Katie will end up with Corwin…never heard of casual dating? Sometimes that's what a reporter has to do to get access to information … yes; I know what I'm talking about here…

D) The Mary Sue tendencies of Katie…the only thing that I (as of now) dislike about her, is the name…as Katie has a rather girlie and not so serious connotation.

But what's wrong with an upper class upbringing and an elite education? (Two friends inspired me here. One being an alumni of Duke University in the US and the other currently studying in Oxford, England)

Apart from this, taking in the time frame we're dealing with in a Babylon 5 universe, it would be more unrealistic not to have her in any way connected to the things Clark caused on Earth. Why should she be interested in Marcus anyways if he wasn't a part of her family?

Okay, enough of this. I hope you all like this chapter. There's only one left. Perhaps it will only be an epilogue, as I want to leave something out for a sequel.