It has been ages since I put something up, and honestly, I had the feeling that the whole B5-fanfic thing had died off, so I didn't really think about ever finishing this story. But the story has been popping up in my mind from time to time, refusing to leave my imagination, so I thought I'd give it another go, to get this thing off my mind, and because I really love B5-fics and think it's such a shame so little is written today. So please, I'd be very happy if you'd dropped me a line with a comment if you love it/hate it/neither. Onto Chapter 3:

Chapter 3

2244

Justin walked up to he young man Dr. King had assigned to his care, while making a rough estimate on his condition. He probably had fractures on his right arm. His breathing was rugged, so he also assumed a broken rib that caused pain. Or it might just be the multiple bruising that was bugging him.

"Mr…?"

"Just Anton, Doc." He was a pale boy, with dark eyes and circles under his wide, black eyes, that he kept circling around in the room, giving him an air of craziness. Justin didn't mind.

"So Anton, it looks as if someone did a good work beating you up?"

"Well, that's one way to put it."

Justin ran the scanner over the man, motioning him to lie down.

"So, what happened?"

"It was them."

"Them, eh? A gang?"

"No. The government."

"The government? I see. They beat you up like this?"

"Yes. In a way."

"Oh. So you're an important man then, Mr. Antonovich?"

"Well, yes, sort of. I came onto their territory. I've finally uncovered their secret."

"Really? That's interesting. What is their secret?"

"I can't tell you."

"Of course you can't." Justin answered with an amused tone as he inspected his patients eye. He flinched at the touch.

"You don't believe me!"

"Me? Sure, sure. You have discovered the government's secret. Why should I doubt that?" he said, friendly, bemused.

"Well, what would you say if I could prove that the government has set up a secret testing area, right here."

"Right here? In the hospital?"

"No, not 'right here-right here'. But close enough. In the forest just a few kilometres north. If you enter from where the highway takes off in the north, and move around five or six kilometres to the southwest, there!"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I've known they have an area like that for years. Just an accident I found it. It must bother them a lot that I know. I bet they're after me now, they always know, when someone knows." He whispered conspiratorially, excited.

"I thought they knew, that's why they beat you up?"

The young man squirmed awkwardly.

"Well, no."

"Let me guess, you went to the forest. A tree fell on you. And then you dreamt lots of strange dreams."

"You're making fun of me! I saw something, I really did! I-I saw a plane crash. I've seen nothing like it! I promise you. Just the mere impact of the plane hitting ground threw me like 200 meters off ground! Well sort of anyway. And then I blacked out and next time I woke up I had been dumped next to the highway. I bet it was the ship Earth Gov's secretly developing! I mean the place is perfect. The forest is so deep you could pretty much do anything there, and there are barely any people there. They're pretty secure from getting caught there."

"And why would they do that there? I mean there are lots of strange places in space where no one goes. To use a national park, I mean isn't that quite stupid?"

"I know what I saw doc. And as soon as I'm better, I'm going back there and I will prove I'm right."

Justin shrugged, while he updated the patient's file.

"Well, young man, that won't be today anyway. You're quite beat up, your leg is broken and your arm and you've cracked a few ribs that might pierce your lung if you move too much. The only thing that seems to function properly is your mouth.

Nonetheless, I guess you'd better stay here for at the night. And then you'll get a relative to pick you up. It might take you some time until you see yourself strolling in the forest."

It must have been at least five or six excruciating hours of mending broken bones and ordaining cough drops until Justin finally could go home. The government might be cutting down expenses, but at least now he could look forward to a full day off. And he knew exactly how he would spend it – in bed.

His joints ached, and there were no words to describe how tired he was. When he entered his apartment he walked straight for the fridge to get some leftovers and then collapsed on the couch, gently massaging his temples with one hand while shoving noodles in his mouth with the other.

Justin loved his work at the clinic, but some days just never seemed to end. This had been such a day where he had desperately waited for something exiting to happen. Then again there had been quite a few nutcases. Actually, three of his patients today had told him they had suffered injuries from trees crashing in the forest. There hadn't been a thunderstorm in quite a while. Maybe it had been a small piece of an asteroid, but then again the authorities would have noticed and it'd be all over the news. The forest, which had been cultivated as an environmental project since the late 21st century had become enormous, with huge, thick firs and dark undergrowth, and there were urban legends about horrendous things occurring in its centre.

Justin would never admit it, but he felt a bit queasy about the place, too.

Eventually he fell asleep over it.

As midday approached the next day, and Justin was preparing breakfast for himself he still couldn't ignore his curiosity about what had happened in the forest. He assumed it was some kind of natural occurrence, but tales of flying branches, monsters and secret inventions, made him want to see what it really was. It wasn't even on the news.

Eventually, he found himself packing a bag with some food and a few things he believed he needed for a hike and he left home, recalling his patients' words as to where they had encountered whatever he had encountered.

It wasn't easy to walk in these parts of the woods, as it was largely left to nature and thick brushwood, thorny bushes and nettles made strolling impossible. Eventually he however picked up traces of a route that had been walked before and Justin tried his best to recall the scouting skills from his childhood. Still he must have been walking for hours and sweat and dirt was clinging on him.


Not the way you had imagined your day off, heh? Jesus, Justin, this must have been your most stupid idea so far, and believe me you've had many.

Suddenly, as he turned, he recognised light force its way in between the fir branches. He instinctively moved towards the light. Tired of being semi-lost in the woods, the felt that a small break in the sun would give him the strength to commence his way back. He walked up to the clearing, cumbrously making his way through the brushes and stumbled into the clearing as he suddenly saw it.

"What the hell?"

Well that's it for now. I've finished chapter 4, which is a bit longer and has a bit more plot (although the real story starts first after that in a way) but need to go over it once more before I post it, but it should be up fairly soon.