Author's note: I am updating two stories a week between my professional writing deadlines. The schedule is posted on my profile. I'm running slightly behind this week due to having to take my husband to the airport on Monday and a number of errands that had to be run this week, plus helping a fellow writer out with a virtual launch of his new game on Twitter.
Time to Begin
Dragonlots aka Dana Bell
Chapter 8
His visitor didn't stay long, and for that, Draal was grateful. Around him the great machine made a type of wistful groaning noise and without thinking, the Minbari reached out his non existent hand and patted the stone wall.
"I know. I know."
It would be hard for the systems to calm down. No doubt it would take him several days to get back to where it was before John's unexpected and at this point, unwelcome visit. Valen knew it was hard enough each time the Doctor popped in.
"Damn the Timelord."
Draal had no doubt the pesky Timelord had figured it out. What he didn't know, was what the Doctor intended to do.
He hoped – nothing.
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Katie sat sulking in the cafeteria. Her eyes followed the darting shapes on the walls and vaguely she remembered stories her father had told her about the Minbari technology. Part of her marveled and part of her understood how it had been done.
She stopped her train of thought as Dr. Weir and the red headed woman joined her. The pesky Doctor also sat down in a chair and gave her a knowing grin. Katie glared at him.
"You had no right," she began.
"You couldn't have hidden among them indefinitely." He propped his elbows on the table and rested his pointed chin on his hands.
"I've done very well up until you appeared."
"How can you possibly be Valen's daughter?" the red head asked, her face completely puzzled. "I'm Lyta, by the way."
"Lyta?" Katie grabbed the edge of the table. She'd heard about the telepath and how she'd been the first to scan a Vorlon.
"That's true," Lyta said. "I'm also the first to visit their home world."
"Not the first," Dr. Brown whispered.
"Excuse me?"
Weir reached across the smooth surface and lightly rested her hand on Katie's. "Are you alright?"
Her eyes darted down. She could see the fine flower patterns on the table top. "Fine."
"They took Valen there," Lyta explained to Weir, although Katie could hear the surprise in the other's voice. "Did the Minbari know?"
"No and stop reading my mind. It's rude."
"I'm sorry."
"Black is not a good color for you." She wasn't exactly sure where that comment came from. Maybe it was just a defensive move.
Lyta gave her a look she couldn't read. The telepath sat back and looked at her.
The Doctor spoke up. "History never says what happened to Valen. I find it curious the Vorlons would take him to their home world."
"Why is that?" Weir's question didn't surprise the botanist because the woman had no common history to draw from.
"They don't allow anyone on their planet," Lyta explained. "Every mission that went there never came back."
"It was the only safe place," Katie quietly admitted. "After the Shadow War, there were those who tried to kill my father. Kosh came in the night and took us away in that singing ship of his."
"I remember the song." A sad smile touched Lyta's lips.
"When my brothers and sisters were old enough, they were allowed to leave, but had to mind wiped so none would ever know where they'd been." She took a deep breath. "They couldn't do that with me."
"Did they send you to Earth?" Weir asked.
"I wasn't supposed to go there. My father meant to send me to a friend."
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"What is a Ranger doing here?" Galen demanded. He still stood in the center of the village, his staff firmly in his hand. He felt the subdued power in his attachments and was glad he'd learned to master the impulses long ago.
"What does a Ranger do anywhere?" Lorne retorted. "We watch, wait and report."
"What's a Ranger?" Sheppard demanded.
"We are the eyes and ears of The One," Lorne's voice held a reverent tone. "It's an honor to serve."
"They're known to die in service," Galen added. He had no malice toward the group. Their constant leads had helped the crew of the Excalibur explore many new worlds. Not to mentioned the unexpected discovery that had brought about the cure for the Drak plague.
"We live for The One. We die for The One." Lorne made it sound almost like a dare.
"Very noble." Galen tried to shift his attention off the Ranger to the lovely lady before him. "I am here to help."
"Really?" the Colonel interjected. "And just how can you help us?"
It was the older man striding up to join them that shocked Galen and kept him from answering the question. He'd seen the uniform in the histories and heard the stories Elric had told him during the mage's childhood. "You're a long way from home."
"So are you," the gray haired man replied.
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Dust swirled in tiny patterns as Valen walked the path to meet the supply ship. After many years of living on the Vorlon home world, the transition to this new planet had been a difficult one. He and Carine had been moved there after their children had been sent back to Minbar.
Except for Katie, he reminded himself. He still didn't know what her fate had been.
The Rangers bowed as he approached and picked up the bundles to carry them back to the cave he now lived in.
"There is a city near here," one of the Rangers told him as they traveled.
"I know." He had vague recollections of it as they'd passed over it in the Vorlon ship. He'd gotten the impressions of tall stone buildings, some like pyramids and figures in colorful robes. There had also been a port with ships and some sort of odd ring near what he'd supposed was a temple.
"Forgive this one for saying so, but you do not have to live isolation, Entil'Zha."
"I have my prophecies to complete. They can only be done so in a quiet holy place." Valen knew it was the fastest way to shut the Ranger up. The Anla'shok would not speak again out of respect for his person.
The Minbari inclined his head and none of group spoke again. The boxes were delivered and piled inside the cave. He handed his missives to be taken back to Minbar to the one clearly the leader, who bowed to him before he left. The group quietly traversed the trail back to the where the ship had landed.
"They never stay long," Carine commented as she searched through the boxes.
"They can't risk it."
"Funny no reference to these supply trips were in the histories."
"The Anla'shok couldn't risk it." He smiled bitterly. "They had to keep me safe."
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Mars had finally become home to him and Michael Garibaldi grinned as he stared out the huge window overlooking the red planet. A dust storm hovered on the horizon, the red mass beginning to block what normally would have been a lovely sunny view.
He tucked the cigar into his mouth, but didn't light it. Lise didn't like him smoking in the house. It was bad for the baby, not to mention hard for the scrubbers to clean out of the circulation system.
With a sense of pride he gazed around the tastefully decorated room. A brown couch sat against the sandy colored wall, with a matching chair across from it and a glass covered coffee table. The trio dulled the orange rug.
Michael walked over to the old fashioned wooden bar and poured himself a glass of orange juice. To help him not fall off the wagon again, his wife had cleared out all of her second husband's booze collection and restocked it with juices and other non alcoholic beverages.
He heard the door behind him that lead to the rest of the house. Lise gave him a smile. "Baby's asleep."
"Good." He sipped his juice. Tangy and full of pulp, just the way he liked it.
"You know we could," she stepped slightly behind him and worked her fingers under his shirt, touching his chest, "sneak into our bedroom."
"Wish I could." He snaked an arm around her and gave her a kiss. "But I have a board meeting in ten minutes."
"Drat." Her lovely eyes held a promise he planned to take advantage of later.
"Later though."
"I'll hold you to it." She straightened his shirt and tie.
"You know, Lise, you're the most beautiful woman in the galaxy." He ran a hand through her black hair.
"Glad you think so."
"Definitely."
He glared at the front door when a knock sounded. "It's always something."
"I'll get it." His wife gracefully walked across the floor. He admired the view of her trim figure in a fashionable blue pant suit. She opened the old fashioned wood door. Lise opened it and gave him an odd look.
Standing in the entrance was a Ranger.
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"How many times have you had this dream?" Cassie asked as she ran a scanner over Sheba's body. The warrior sat on a chair, her brown jacket hanging on the back.
"Too many."
"Well, I can't find anything physical." She put the instrument away and gave her friend an encouraging smile. "Maybe it's just a reaction to the stories you and the others have been hearing from the natives about the Wraith."
"What if it isn't, Cassie? What if the Wraith are trying to figure us out before they attack?"
"Well," she carefully maneuvered herself into another chair, "I personally think that if they're starving, as we've heard on several of the planets, the fleet would be like a banquet to them and they would have attacked already." The doctor smoothed the skirt of her blue dress.
"That's what Apollo said." Sheba was still getting used to her normally fashionable dressed friend in maternity clothes.
"Every think your husband might be right?" Cassie's hand lightly rested on her stomach. Her pretty face lit up. "She kicked."
"Really?" Sheba knew a part of her was both happy for and envious of her best friend.
"Yes. Want to feel?"
Sheba extended her hand and Cassie placed it on her stomach. The baby kicked again and she felt the motion. "Wow."
"Tell you the truth," Cassie shook her head, "I'm actually going to be glad when she's born. I tire way too easily right now and I have so much to do."
Pulling her hand away, Sheba rubbed it remembering the sensation. "I can't wait to have a baby of my own."
"You will, Sheba."
"Apollo keeps saying we can't spare any of our warriors right now." She hadn't meant to sound bitter, but they'd waited for so long.
"Maybe once we find Earth, Apollo will change his mind."
"But will we find it soon?" Sheba got up and paced restlessly glad they were in Cassie's office and not some other section no med lab. She wanted to share what they'd learned about Earth, but couldn't bring herself to break the Commander's orders.
"Sheba, do you think I want to raise my daughter on her ship and have her live here the rest of her life?"
"Of course not."
"Then I have to allow myself to believe we'll find Earth. Otherwise," she pointed at her stomach, "there's no point to having her."
Tears threatened Sheba's eyes because she understood what Cassie meant. "I know."
"Now, would you get out here so I can take care of my patients."
Sheba laughed while wiping her eyes. "You mean there's nothing wrong with me."
"There's nothing wrong with you. But if you continue to have these dreams, let me know. I'll give you something to help you sleep."
"I will." Sheba left Cassie's office and exited med lab. No one gave her a strange look. Most were used to her visiting her friend. Going down the familiar corridor, she found herself wondering if her dreams were just her reaction to the stories she'd heard on a number of the planets they'd visited.
Or, were her worst fears correct and the creatures were testing the Colonials before they swooped down on their prey and ate?
***Information on the Techno-mages is from a Crusade episode and 'The Passing of the Techno-mages, Book 1: Casting Shadows' by Jeanne Cavelos from an outline by JMS.