From: DelennToo@aol.com
Subject: Homefront (spoilers late season 4) part 1 of 3
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 01:46:25 EDT

I have posted this to another fanfic site, but thought perhaps other people
might like to read this too. I am sending it as 3 attachments -sure hope it
gets through okay!

Penny R.
DelennToo@aol.com -or- Momx5@prodigy.com

"I carry my sword in my hand, but you ... you carry your sword in your heart,
where no one can take it from you."  Ta'Lon to G'Kar, "The Ragged Edge"



"Homefront" (Part 1 of 3) by Penny Rothkopf [AT][GF]

    I often imagined what the inhabitants of Proxima 3 went through 
before Sheridan's fleet came to rescue them.  The fate of Liz Sheridan, 
introduced in "Revelations" and never to be seen again, also intrigued 
me.  The following ties these two subjects together in what I hope is 
an interesting alternate timeline story.  Many thanks to Frieda, Chris, 
Lynne, and Kim for beta reading, encouraging me, and otherwise prodding 
me until I finished this epic!   

    Gapfiller from end of "Moments of Transition" through "Between the 
Darkness and the Light"  


			      Homefront
			    (Part 1 of 3)  
 
			  by Penny Rothkopf  
			 (Momx5@prodigy.com)  


    PROLOGUE  

    August 1, 2261  

    On Proxima 3  

    "....  that a squadron of star fury pilots sent to conduct raids 
against Proxima 3 in hopes of forcing them to accept President Clark's 
martial law decree, have defected, joining the Proxima resistance.  
This makes the fourth major defection in the last 2 weeks...."  Susan 
Ivanova's television image proclaimed.   

    Liz Sheridan turned the vid screen off and sighed.  The whole 
embargo between Earth and P3 was really becoming a problem.  The EA 
people on the colony who had sided with the resistance had been 
jubilant at first, but as the reality of day-to-day living without 
supplies or contact with Earth dragged on over the months, morale 
plummeted.  "But now this Voice of the Resistance show," Liz thought, 
smiling, "is reviving that sense of pride in taking a stand for what's 
right."  She gathered up her dirty cup and saucer and carried them into 
her kitchen.  "I just wish Johnny would show his face once or twice.  
I'm getting tired of ISN showing him as a befuddled power-hungry nut!"  

    Liz thought back to that time about four months ago when she and 
her family had sat watching the special ISN report on Babylon 5.  The 
boys especially had been excited at the prospect of seeing their Uncle 
John, as they hadn't seen him since they were very young.  The 
anticipation quickly turned to horror and disgust as the ISN reporter 
used her brother's own words to make him look like a love-sick fool 
being manipulated by a scheming woman.   

    Liz wasn't at all sure what to think of the Minbari ambassador, 
either.  As usual, the ISN report was a slick, stylish production that 
was easy to swallow unless you knew even an inkling of the truth.  She 
and Dan had learned that the hard way as they watched ISN twist the 
truth in reports about Proxima 3 and the Resistance movement.  Knowing 
this, she was sure that what she saw on the ISN Babylon 5 report was 
only half the truth at best.   

    What *was* obvious and not something ISN manufactured was that John 
was in love with Delenn, and she with him.  Still, she felt uneasy as 
she watched her brother, looking weary and older than she remembered 
with the streak of gray in his hair, sitting next to Delenn, who looked 
more like an exotic human woman than a Minbari.  Only the slightly 
different facial structure at the bridge of the nose, lack of eyebrows, 
and the bone crest which looked like a tiara in her hair tipped the 
viewer off to the fact that this was *not* a human female.   

    She looked up to see Dan silently watching her face to see her 
reaction.  She wordlessly grabbed his hand and squeezed it, leaned her 
head against his shoulder, and sighed.  "What else should we expect but 
lies?"  she quietly said to her husband.  He nodded in agreement.   

    "Mom, why doesn't that lady have any eyebrows?"  8 year-old Greg 
asked.  "Yeah, and what's that thing in her hair that looks like a 
crown?"  chipped in 7-year-old Steven.  Liz sighed again and looked up, 
meeting Dan's eyes.  They smiled in mutual understanding of the task 
ahead.   

    "Well, boys," Liz started to explain, "that lady with Uncle John 
used to be a Minbari."  The boys stared at her, their mouths open in 
astonishment, and Liz knew that this was going to be a tough one to 
explain.  She then started telling her attentive audience how Delenn 
had undergone a special process to become part human, to be a symbol to 
Minbari and Humans alike that they could get along....   

    The sound of two young male voices arguing, getting louder and 
closer, snapped Liz out of her reverie.  "I guess school's out," she 
thought with a sigh.  So much for her time to get something done while 
she was alone.  'Too much daydreaming, Liz,' she scolded herself, then 
turned to greet the boys with a smile as they burst through the door, 
eager to tell her about their day.   

				 ----------

    Liz flopped down on the couch, totally exhausted after putting the 
two boys to bed.  They always tried different excuses to wheedle their 
way out of going to bed and tonight she had let them convince her to 
talk about their Uncle John and the Rangers and the evil aliens called 
the Shadows.  She was afraid they would have nightmares, but they never 
did.   

    She put her feet up on the coffee table, laid her head back on the 
cushions and closed her eyes.  Almost immediately she started drifting 
off to sleep, remembering the day the Ranger had brought her news of 
her brother ....  

    It was on a day in May, about a month after the ISN report, that 
the mysterious stranger had shown up at her house.  She had just 
arrived home from work and was changing into more casual clothes when 
the door chimes rang.  "Just a minute," she yelled, quickly pulling the 
shirt over her head, then ran to the front door.  She looked through 
the peephole to see who was there.  A tall dark-skinned human whom she 
had never seen before was standing on her doorstep, looking around from 
side to side as he waited for the door to open.  "Who .... who is it?"  
she asked hesitantly.   

    The man answered in a deep rich voice, "I'm looking for a lady 
named Liz, Liz Sheridan.  I was told she lived here?"  Liz was 
surprised to hear her maiden name and opened the door quickly to 
confront the stranger face to face.  "My name is Liz and my maiden name 
is Sheridan.  What ..wh.. what do you want?"  she answered, still not 
letting him over the threshold.  He leaned forward slightly and, in a 
low voice, whispered, "I have a message for you from Babylon 5."  Liz 
gasped in surprise then, quickly glancing up and down the street first, 
let the man in and shut the door quickly behind him.   

    "Is it from my brother?"  she asked breathlessly.  'Oh, no,' she 
thought, 'He's been hurt or is ... dead!'  The Ranger could see the 
expression of curiosity on her face turn to horror, and guessed what 
she was thinking.  "Yes, ma'am, it is from Captain Sheridan in a way.  
He is alive and well, ma'am, and busy with plans to take Earth back 
from Clark's dictatorship."   

    Liz let out a sigh of relief, then said, "Please, come in and sit 
down."  She motioned over to the couch and went into her kitchen.  "May 
I offer you something to drink?"  She smiled ruefully as she added, 
"Our supplies are getting low, but I *did* stock up on tea before the 
embargo because it was such a precious commodity anyway!"   

    "Yes, that would be fine, thank you," he answered courteously, and 
sat patiently with his hands folded in his lap, waiting for her to join 
him.  As Liz made the tea, she found herself telling him about the last 
time she saw her brother and how she wished she could see him again, 
about her boys, about her husband ... 'I guess I'm a little nervous,' 
she thought, realizing how she was rattling on.  She carried the 
teacups out to the living room, handed one to the ranger, and sat 
opposite him in an armchair.  "So, tell me about this message from my 
brother," she said with a smile, taking a sip of the hot tea.   

    "Well, the message isn't actually from him but on his behalf," he 
started.  She looked at him, frowning in puzzlement, and he continued.  
"I was sent here basically to provide an alibi for someone else who was 
going undercover on a mission.  However, my commander gave me a special 
mission, known only to him and me - to find you.  Ranger Cole thought 
that perhaps knowing you were safe might help ease the Captain's mind.  
So here I am, ready to pass any news to you that you might inquire 
about and hopefully to take back something to give the Captain."   

    As he was speaking, Liz looked him over.  Although he said his 
"commander" had sent him, he wasn't wearing a uniform, just a regular 
business suit.  The only odd thing was the big brooch he wore on the 
lapel near his right shoulder.  It had a green stone in the middle 
bordered by intricate metal work that she couldn't quite see.   

    When he was done speaking, Liz asked him, "You say your commander 
sent you, yet you are wearing civilian clothes - what branch of the 
service are you in?"  He smiled and said, "I am not in the Earth 
Alliance or any military force you might have heard of.  I belong to an 
army called the Rangers in your language.  Under the leadership of 
Entil'Zha Delenn and your brother, we have battled and driven away the 
ancient enemy known as the Shadows."   

    They had spent the next hour discussing the history of the Rangers, 
the Shadow war, and John Sheridan's involvement in them.  Liz found 
Ambassador Delenn's role in this extremely interesting and asked a few 
questions, mentally piecing together this new information with what she 
already knew.   

    Ranger Patterson had then risen from the couch, bowing Minbari 
style, and said that he must leave.  However, he said, he would return 
that evening if it was convenient for her and pick up any message she 
would wish him to take to John.   

    After he left, Liz sat for awhile, going over all the astounding 
information she had just learned.  The ranger had explained the myth 
behind the pin.  'It represents the joining of Humans and Minbari,' she 
reflected.  'And John and Delenn are getting married, the ultimate 
joining.  I wonder if that was in their prophecy too?'  She remembered 
his reaction when he first met Delenn three years ago.  He had returned 
from the council meeting shaking his head in amazement at her 
transformation.  "All I could do was sit there, my jaw on the floor, 
looking at her!"   

    With a sigh, she thought, 'I always hoped Johnny would find someone 
to love - I know that's what Anna would have wanted.  I guess all the 
anti-alien propaganda on ISN has been starting to get to me after all.'  
She had always considered herself open-minded, ready to welcome contact 
with any sentient beings.  However, when she had been confronted with 
the idea that her brother was actually in love with a female from 
another race, she had felt disturbed, just a little disgusted.  Now 
that she realized this, she felt ashamed of herself.   

    'I hope I get to meet her some time soon,' Liz thought.  'Surely 
once I do, I'll be able to shake off those feelings.  If he loves her, 
she must be a wonderful person.'  She looked at the clock, realized she 
didn't have much time to record a vid for John before everyone came 
home, and started writing down some ideas on the pad in her lap.   

				 ----------

    PART ONE  

    August 3, 2261  

    "Thank God the teachers decided to stick it out with us," Liz 
thought as she shooed the boys out the door to go to school.  After her 
employer pulled out of Proxima, Liz decided to volunteer at the 
hospital.  She thought they would need the help if fighting with Earth 
ever broke out on the planet and it would be an asset to have nursing 
skills for future employment.  The thought also crossed her mind that 
her own family would need her new skills, too, if fighting did break 
out, but Liz pushed it to the back of her mind.  She was *not* going to 
be pessimistic, she told herself.  Dan's happy-go-lucky smile and 
cheerful way popped into her thoughts and she smiled.  "I don't think 
I'd make it without him."  She slipped on the green lab coat the 
volunteers wore and pinned her ID badge on.  "I hope I never have to."  
 
    Unbidden, her fear for Dan's safety rose to her mind.  When Proxima 
3 had seceded from the Earth Alliance, the planetary government had 
urged any civilians with military experience to sign up for help with 
defense.  Liz and Dan had long discussions over several days before the 
decision was made.  Dan enlisted as a Starfury pilot.  His prior 
experience in EA came back to him quickly and soon he was proficient 
with the newer models of Starfuries stationed at Proxima.  So far they 
had managed to avoid any major battles with the EA ships that had come 
through the jumpgate from time to time.  'I just hope he never has to 
actually fight,' she thought.   

    'Well, I better get ready to work,' she thought, adjusting the 
collar of the jacket and checking her hair in the mirror.  She stepped 
out into the Emergency Room.  "Hey, Liz, glad you're here," a tall 
bearded man said as he walked by the desk.  Liz acknowledged the remark 
with a brief smile then looked down at the assignment list.  Just then 
the paging system went off: "Trauma team to the Emergency Room.  Trauma 
Team to the Emergency Room.  Please prepare to receive wounded."  Liz 
put the assignment list down and joined the other volunteers in the 
usual routine of preparing for incoming wounded.   

    As she rushed about, getting the exam rooms ready and restocking 
supplies, she thought about the boys.  'They should be safe enough in 
the shelters at the school.  I just hope they're not too frightened by 
this.  But Dan ....' His face again popped into her mind's eye.  'Well, 
this is what we've been afraid would happen since his commission was 
reactivated.'  She sighed.  'I love you, Smiley,' she thought, saying a 
quick prayer for his safety.  "Liz, I need you here stat," Dr. Wilson 
called to her.  She jumped up and ran over to help as ambulances full 
of wounded pulled up.   

				 ----------

    Within minutes of the arrival of the Pollux, the planetary defense 
system was activated.  Red alert sounded in the ready room of Bravo 
squadron, the strident noise and flashing lights sending the Starfury 
pilots scrambling to their lockers.  As he pulled on his flight suit, 
Dan thought of Liz and knew she'd be worried about him.  'I wish I was 
a telepath so I could tell her how much I love her.'  He put on his 
helmet and stood up, the single stationary object in the room as the 
other pilots streamed by him, running to the launch bays.  With a deep 
sigh, Dan mentally shook himself, set his mind on the business at hand, 
and followed them to the launch bays.  He climbed into his Starfury, 
secured the preflight codes, and waited for the order to launch.   

				 ----------

    September 5, 2261  

    The docking bays on Babylon 5 were teeming with activity as 
Rangers, Minbari and human alike, rushed to board the shuttles that 
would take them to the Whitestars and on to battle.  The League of 
Non-Aligned Worlds had agreed to Sheridan's request for assistance and 
the Captain had ordered the fleet at battle station.   

    Up in C&C, Sheridan had just finished talking with the captain of 
Whitestar 40.  His was the last Whitestar on patrol to be recalled for 
the upcoming battle at Proxima III.  Sheridan downloaded the 
coordinates for their rendezvous point and signed off.  After the 
Pollux had blown away the 5 refugee ships, 5 more EA cruisers had shown 
up and engaged the colony's Starfury squadrons, over time destroying or 
damaging most of them.  Now they were holding orbit around the planet, 
causing much distress to the inhabitants.  Sheridan did *not* want to 
engage other EA ships, but after the horrendous act of murdering the 
refugees, he felt he had no choice.  He turned and saw his executive 
officer standing at attention.   

    "Commander Ivanova, reporting for duty, sir," she said, saluting.  
"Oh, no," John thought.  "Here we go again."   

    "Susan, you know as my exec, I need you to stay here - for the sake 
of the station and all the people who live here!  Zack doesn't have 
enough experience to handle an attack on the station, and if we don't 
stop Clark's forces at P3, they will come here next!"   

    Ivanova opened and closed her mouth to protest several times as he 
spoke, but at his last words, she shut her mouth, her lips forming a 
tight line, and nodded in agreement, defeated.  "I know you're right, 
Captain.  Without Garibaldi on staff, I can't leave."  Then she smiled 
and looked up, mischief in her eyes.  "You sure as hell better come 
back from Proxima 3!  I don't want to have to deal with the Ambassadors 
of the Non-Aligned Worlds if you don't.  They all have been acting 
quite paranoid lately, looking over their shoulders and around corners 
as if there's an invisible enemy waiting for them!"   

    Sheridan smiled briefly, then his expression was businesslike 
again.  "Good, then."  He clasped her by shoulders.  "Let me brief you 
on our plans."   

				 ----------

    Liz had thought the night the refugee ships had been shot down was 
the worst she had ever seen.  Hundreds upon hundreds of wounded had 
been brought to the hospital until every empty spot available was 
taken, including broom closets and bathrooms.  The images of people 
lining the halls, with horrible burns, missing limbs, and blood 
everywhere was etched in her memory.  She would never forget it!  The 
worst thing had been looking across the room and seeing her husband.  
For just a second, she thought he was hurt, but then realized he was 
there with a wounded pilot.  He smiled at her and gave her the 
thumb's-up sign, so she swallowed her fear and concentrated again on 
her work.   

    However, over the course of the ensuing weeks, Liz revised her 
opinion about that night being the worst ever.  As Clark's land forces 
continued to attack the major cities of Proxima 3, the casualties 
changed from mostly military and adults to little children and elderly.  
The food supplies were running short and the water supply was 
contaminated by all the chemical fallout from the bombs and other 
weapons.  She didn't know how the doctors and nurses managed to hold up 
under all this stress; she had had to take a day or two off here and 
there to recuperate from working several double shifts in a row.  But 
the doctors and nurses seemed superhuman, always there for the patients 
to provide comfort and compassion.   

    The second week into the fighting, the EA destroyers had managed to 
totally incapacitate the orbiting planetary defense system and knock 
all the Starfury launch bays out of commission.  The pilots and 
personnel were quickly reassigned to outposts and defense stations on 
the planet surface.  Dan had been assigned to New Philadelphia, a city 
two days' trip away from his family.  'Well, at least I don't have to 
worry about him being blown to bits up in space,' Liz thought in an 
effort to put things in a more cheerful perspective.   

    The only problem was they had no way to get news of the battle on 
the front lines.  The tachyon relay stations in their sector were 
knocked out by Clark's destroyers.  Now the planet was truly blind, 
deaf, and dumb.  Liz really missed the updates they had been getting 
from the Voice of the Resistance broadcasts; they had helped boost 
morale on the planet tremendously.  They didn't even know what was 
happening in neighboring cities, let alone other planets.  While the 
Resistance forces had reverted to old-fashioned methods of 
communication such as short-wave radios, the civilian population in the 
major cities were basically in a media blackout.  Without the outside 
information, rumors were flying back and forth and Liz didn't think 
they would be able to resist Clark's efforts to force their surrender 
much longer unless help came from somewhere or someone!   

    She walked into the locker room to change her clothes, glad that 
her shift was finally over.  Twelve hours seemed to fly by with all the 
injuries being brought in, but they were an exhausting twelve hours!  
'The boys should be at Karen's,' she thought as she stretched.  'They 
won't even mind that I'm late coming home!  Sometimes I think they 
would move in there permanently if they could.'  Her neighbor had 
children the same age as Liz's sons and they played for hours, 
pretending to be Earth Alliance officers and Resistance fighters.  
Sometimes, when her boys had their way, they pretended to be Rangers 
and evil Shadow aliens.  Liz shook her head at the thought.  'I guess 
that is their way of dealing with all this fighting.'   

    As she was sitting on the bench to change her shoes, loud noises 
shook the room and the lights flickered on and off.  "Oh, no - here we 
go again," she exclaimed out loud.  Clark's land forces must be bombing 
the city again.  She knew any minute now, someone from the ER would be 
coming in to ask her to stay and help with casualties.  She thought of 
Dan, as she always did when they were being shelled, and said a quick 
prayer for his safety.  'Karen will figure out what happened when I 
don't show up.'  With a sigh, she put her work clothes back on.  Just 
as she was ready to exit the locker room, the door opened.  "Liz, do 
you think ...." the head nurse from the ER started to say, then smiled 
when she saw that Liz was suited up to work.  "I knew you'd be coming 
to get me in a minute," Liz replied with a tired smile.  The nurse held 
the door open as Liz walked out, and they walked down the hall together 
in companionable silence.   

    Just as the two women walked into the Emergency Department, a huge 
explosion rocked the building, scattering people and equipment around 
the room.  Fires broke out and smoked filled the air.  Liz looked 
around wildly, trying to find someone to help, when something hit her 
from behind and she fell to the floor, unconscious.   

				 ----------

    After the battle at Proxima 3 ....  

    John stood on the deck of the Whitestar, watching Mackie's shuttle 
return him to the Vesta.  He was glad his old friend had decided to 
join their fight; it would be good to have him as an ally and not a 
foe.  This battle had gone well, actually better than he had expected, 
but it had still cost a lot in terms of lives lost, ships lost or 
damaged, and the stress of having to fight against your own.  All in 
all, it was going to be a tough fight, but one that had to be won 
before Clark caused interstellar war.   

    Marcus cleared his throat.  "Captain, I managed to patch through to 
the resistance headquarters, as you requested."  Sheridan quickly sat 
down in his chair and said, "Put them on the viewer."  "Well, I would 
if I could, Captain," Marcus replied.  "They don't have video 
capabilities right now - that was one of the first things the EA forces 
took care of when they arrived.  They can only receive short-range 
radio transmissions."  John let out an exasperated sigh and said, 
"Fine, put them on speaker, then."  He talked briefly with the leader 
of the Proxima 3 resistance and agreed that they would make more 
progress talking in person.  "Marcus, take the helm while I'm on the 
surface," the Captain said as he walked to the door of the bridge.  
"Keep me advised of any changes."   

    He stopped and turned to face Marcus.  "Oh, while I'm on the 
surface, I will be making a personal visit and would prefer not to be 
disturbed."  Marcus smiled; he had wondered if the Captain would take 
the time to see his sister.  John noticed the knowing smile and frowned 
in annoyance at the Ranger, then continued, "I will let you know when I 
am and am not available, so don't worry about it."  He nodded curtly to 
Marcus, who was still smiling, then turned on his heel and left the 
bridge.   

    "Well, I'll be damned," Marcus muttered to himself as he moved to 
sit in the Captain's seat.  "I didn't think he would actually take the 
time to see her now."  He shook his head, then smiled and thought, "I 
might as well enjoy this while I can."  He stretched his legs out in 
front of him and, leaning back in the seat, put his hands up behind his 
neck, his head leaning on the headrest.   

				 ----------

    John sat in the rover next to the resistance leader, feeling 
exhausted physically but strangely at peace.  As the vehicle trudged 
slowly along, he went over the events of the last few hours.  The 
meeting had gone well, culminating in arrangements to send medical 
assistance for the hospitals and civilian engineer units from B5 to 
help rebuild the bombed-out areas.  The Proxima 3 government would be 
polling their Starfury pilots to see if there were any who would be 
willing to join Sheridan's fleet in the advance to Earth.  Overall, 
everyone was satisfied with the outcome of their negotiations.   

    After the meeting he had gone up to Mr. Bartlett, the mayor of the 
main city, Petersburg.  "Would I be able to ask a personal favor of 
you, sir?"  he asked in a low voice.  The mayor looked surprised, but 
answered jokingly, "Sure!  How could I deny the liberator of the planet 
anything?"  John smiled a half-hearted smile at the attempted humor, 
then explained that he needed to find out where his sister and her 
family were and if they were safe.  Mr. Bartlett nodded.  "That 
shouldn't be a problem.  Let me go check with a few people and I'll be 
right back."   

    John sat in the chair and almost immediately dozed off, only to be 
awakened by the noise of the mayor hustling into the room, obviously 
upset about something.  The Captain sat up quickly, immediately at full 
alert at the expression on the man's face.  "Your sister has been 
hurt," he said in short clipped tones.  "Come with me and I'll take you 
there.  I think I can commandeer a rover to take us over, considering 
the situation."  He had been true to his word and now they were on 
their way to the hospital.   

    John broke the silence that had been hanging between them.  "Did 
your contact tell you what happened to my sister?"  The mayor shook his 
head and answered, "Just that she was in serious condition at the 
General Hospital.  I made arrangements with the Chief of Staff to let 
you in to see her, especially since her husband isn't even in the 
vicinity."  Sheridan nodded in approval.  The remainder of the short 
trip was silent.   

    When they pulled up in front of the hospital, a man who John 
assumed was the head of the hospital rushed up to the rover, opening 
the door for the Mayor to get out.  Mr. Bartlett said, "Thanks, Bill."  
He turned and motioned towards John as he unfolded himself from the 
low-slung vehicle.  "This is Captain Sheridan.  I'm sure he doesn't 
need further introduction."  John nodded curtly, then said, "Doctor, 
I've been told my sister is here and has been seriously injured.  May I 
see her?  I will be leaving Proxima shortly and this may be my last 
chance to see her for awhile."   

    The three men turned and entered the building.  On the way to the 
Intensive Care Unit, the doctor filled him in on the details of his 
sister's injuries.  She had been working in the Emergency Room when the 
bomb went off and some very heavy equipment had struck her from behind, 
breaking some ribs and puncturing a lung.  She had been trapped under 
the equipment when a fire went through the room, which saved her from 
being burnt all over, but stopped her from escaping.  Her arms and legs 
had third degree burns and her hair had been singed off.   

    "Has her husband been notified?"  John asked as they walked through 
the entrance to the ICU.  The doctor and Mayor looked at each other, 
then the doctor hesitantly answered, "Well, no, not yet."  John 
exclaimed, "What?  Why not?"  The mayor stepped forward, answering 
"With communications being down during the battle, we didn't ..." 
"Well, take care of it now!"  John interrupted.  "Contact my ship if 
you have to and have them patch a message through to wherever he is, 
but you get hold of him now!"  The Mayor gulped and said, "Yes, sir.  
I'll get right on it," and quickly scurried out of the room.   

    John watched him depart, shaking his head in amazement.  Obviously 
the hospital was in a state of chaos after the bombing, but Liz was an 
employee, after all!  Well, at least the boys were safe at the 
neighbor's house; the Mayor had verified their whereabouts when he 
initially ran the search on Liz's name.  But poor Dan ... John was sure 
he would be shocked to hear of his wife's injuries.  He tried to 
imagine how he would feel if Delenn were seriously hurt and no one 
notified him right away.  His jaw clenched in anger, then he pushed the 
thought away.   

    John turned his gaze on the doctor, who was standing across the 
room.  His anger rapidly faded, replaced by apprehension at what he 
might see.  "Is this her room?"  he whispered.  The doctor nodded, 
warned John that she was still very weak, and advised him not to stay 
too long.  John nodded his understanding and, taking a deep breath, 
opened the door to the room and stepped in.   

    She was laying in the bed with her arms and legs heavily bandaged, 
an oxygen mask on her face, and her blonde hair cropped short to remove 
the singed tips.  It almost looked like she wasn't breathing, she was 
laying so still, and John held his breath a moment as he stood by the 
bedside.  Liz's eyes opened and she looked right at him.  At first she 
looked puzzled, but then she gasped, "Johnny?  Am I imagining this?  Is 
that really you?"  Tears filled his eyes and his voice was hoarse as he 
leaned forward, took her hand, and said, "Yeah, it's me.  Told you I'd 
be dropping in to see you soon - guess I should have given you some 
advance warning."  She started to laugh which quickly turned into a 
cough that shook her whole body, setting off alarms in the medical 
equipment.  A nurse and a doctor came rushing in, practically pushing 
John out of the way to get to the bedside.  He watched with bated 
breath as they checked all the lines and spoke to her in low voices he 
couldn't hear.  The nurse turned to him and said sternly, "You can 
visit her another 5 minutes, but I think that's all she'll be able to 
withstand."  "No, no," Liz protested in a raspy voice, but the doctor 
and nurse paid her no attention.   

    The two left the room, the nurse giving John a stern look as she 
passed.  "I felt like I should salute her," he said, half-joking, 
half-serious.  Liz smiled weakly and fear for her shot through him.  
His face must have shown it, because Liz reached out for his hand and 
said, "Don't worry, Johnny.  We Sheridans are a tough bunch - I'll be 
okay!"  He thought to himself how ironic it was that *she* was 
comforting *him,* but that's usually how their relationship went.  He 
might be older, but in many ways she was infinitely wiser, he decided.  

    "I only have 5 minutes before I'm run out of here," John stated, 
drawing another weak smile from his sister, "so let me talk.  My forces 
defeated the EA blockade in orbit around the planet and now we are 
going to move on to some of the other outposts in the Resistance.  I 
wish I could stay, Lizzie," he exclaimed, squeezing her hand, tears in 
his eyes, "but they need me right now.  We're going to take back what's 
ours and kick Clark out of the presidency!"   

    He realized he was going off on a tangent and brought himself back 
to what he meant to say.  "You've been hurt seriously enough that the 
doctors are going to triage you back to B5."  She opened her mouth to 
protest but John, anticipating her, said "Mr.  Bartlett is going to 
contact Dan and let him know where you are, and he can come home to 
take care of the kids.  Clark's land forces should be evacuating on the 
Acheron, which is returning to Earth, so the people on the front lines 
would be coming home anyway.  I'll see what I can do to get your family 
out to B5 to see you after things settle down."   

    He knelt down by the bed, still holding her hand, and looked her in 
the eyes.  "Besides, if you're on B5, I will have some peace of mind 
knowing that my family is safe."   

    "Have you heard from Mom and Dad?"  Liz managed to croak.  John 
nodded.  "Dad is at a safe house in Chicago with some Resistance 
contacts of mine.  He should be safe there.  Mom is with Aunt Sally; 
for some reason, Clark's intelligence people haven't figured out that 
Sally is related to us.  I guess getting married and changing your name 
5 times will help cover up your background," he joked.   

    They talked for a few more minutes about various things -Dan 
re-enlisting as a Starfury pilot, how the boys were doing, her new job 
as a nurse's aide.  John could see that she was starting to drift off 
to sleep.  She was barely able to finish a complete sentence and her 
eyelids kept closing, then popping open as she forced herself to stay 
awake.  "You get some sleep now, Sis," he said, standing up and bending 
over to kiss her forehead.  "We'll get together when this whole thing 
is over - I want to see my nephews and ..." he hesitated a moment, then 
said, "I want you to meet Delenn."  Liz smiled at him and, with a 
groggy voice, said "That would be nice."  John held her hand a moment 
longer as he watched her drift off to sleep, then gently extracted his 
hand from hers and left.   

[END]

From: DelennToo@aol.com
Subject: Homefront part 2 of 3 (spoilers late S4)
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 01:51:37 EDT

			    "Homefront"
				by
			   Penny Rothkopf
			 (Momx5@prodigy.com)
			    (Part 2 of 3)



			     PART TWO


     A month later on the station, Liz had settled into life on
B5. The first two weeks she was there, she had undergone
extensive burn therapy and had to be kept in isolation a few days
because of her punctured lung. As the skin grafts and rib
fractures healed, she started to feel better. Her hair had even
started growing back in and, though shorter than she usually had
it, looked almost like her usual style. 

     In the time she had been here, she had become good friends
with Susan Ivanova, her brother's second-in-command. At first
she'd been put off by her seemingly brusque manner, but soon
Susan's wry sense of humor broke through and they were able to
talk and joke like old friends. Susan and VOR kept the station
and the Resistance movement up to date on the progress of
Sheridan's fleet as he liberated Beta Durani and other outposts
on the way to Mars. Liz was proud of her brother. Who would have
thought he would turn out to be such an important, powerful
person back in those days when they traveled from place to place
with their parents? 

     She noticed that here on the station, he was not only spoken
of with respect and pride, but almost religious awe and reverence
by some of the alien races. Susan explained that John was seen as
a prophet, almost a Messiah, by these other races because he had
gone to the Shadow's home world and returned alive - a supposedly
impossible feat. Liz was a little shocked when she heard about
her brother's trip to the Shadow headquarters and the fact that
he had managed to destroy the major city and still come back
alive. He had not mentioned any of this in his recent
correspondence with her, nor had the Ranger who brought her data
crystal back to John. She would have to ask him about this "minor
detail" when she saw him again!

     Another person spoken of in such terms was the Minbari
ambassador, Delenn. Liz had hoped to meet her when she was
brought to the space station, but the civil war on Minbar was
raging almost out of control and Delenn was in the midst of it.
News trickled in to the station of a showdown between the heads
of the warrior caste and religious caste and that Delenn had
risked her life to end the feud, bringing peace to her people.
Now she was on her way back to the station, but the trip from
Minbar was quite a lengthy one.  

     "I'd like a chance to meet her before I go home," Liz told
Susan as they ate lunch together in the Captain's office. "After
all, she is going to be my new sister-in-law - *if* they ever get
around to getting married!" She had been shocked when Susan told
her they had been engaged since January. Here it was, almost ten
months later, and there still weren't any plans for a wedding.
Delenn had been on Minbar and John was on his way to Earth - it
could be another year before they actually got married!

     Susan smiled at Liz's indignant remark. A frown then crossed
her face and she sat staring into space, chasing the food on her
plate with the fork. "Susan, are you even listening to me?" Liz
inquired in a teasing voice. Ivanova jumped as if startled, then
with a sheepish smile replied, "Sorry, Liz. You know, I have the
feeling that John wouldn't be comfortable getting married until
the situation with Clark is settled and he has a better idea of
what the future holds in store." She frowned again and continued,
"That problem has crossed my mind too. Whether or not we actually
succeed in deposing Clark, we'll have to face the fact that our
lives as they are now will have to change." She sighed and
ruefully said, "While living on the edge of uncertainty does add
a certain spice to life, it is starting to worry me and make me
wonder where I'll go and what I'll do when this is done."

     The smile faded from Liz's face as all the possible
implications of Susan's remark started springing to mind. "I try
not to think about it myself, but you're right - things will
definitely be different for all of us once this is resolved." Her
life was already starting to change, even in her absence. At
home, Dan had resumed working at his old job now that the
fighting was over. The boys spent their time at school and with
the neighbors. In the evenings, they often volunteered to work
with the cleanup crews who were trying to rebuild the damaged
parts of the city. 

     Ivanova saw the wistful expression on Liz's face and said,
"Are you thinking about home?" Liz nodded and said, "I sure miss
my guys! I think Dr. Hobbs will be ready to release me soon.  As
much as I want to see Johnny again and meet Delenn, I really need
to go home to my own family." Susan nodded in understanding, then
said, "At least the planetary communications are back on line so
you'll be able to watch VOR and find out what's going on with
John and the Resistance." Liz's forehead creased in a frown at
the thought of her brother; she would probably worry about him,
even with the up-to-date newscasts, until this whole things was
over. At least she knew her mom and dad were safe, and Dan and
the boys.

     "Well, I'd like to stay and chat, but I think I better get
back up to C&C," Ivanova said, pushing her chair back. "I'm
pretty sure the fleet is getting closer to Mars and I want to be
up there in case anything happens." Liz stood up too. "I'll go
with you part of the way. I'm going to stop by MedLab and see if
I can't persuade the Doctor to release me. I really do feel a lot
better." Susan teased, "Sure, that way I can make sure you don't
get lost again," and they walked out together.

--------------------------

     Ivanova signed off the StellarCom, shaking her head in
frustration after her conversation with the Captain. John was so
stubborn and far too willing to put himself at risk for others.
She understood how he felt about his dad, but every instinct in
her screamed that this was a trap and that Garibaldi was *not* to
be trusted.

     With a sigh, she started mentally making a list of all the
loose ends she needed to tie up on the station before she could
leave. The realization that she would need to tell John's sister
what had happened made her sick to her stomach; she hated being
the bearer of bad news. 'How am I going to tell her?' she
thought. 'This is going to be a tough one, but I better go tell
her myself before she hears it over ISN.' 

     "Lieutenant Corwin," she barked as she walked towards the
exit, "I'll be with the Captain's sister. Don't bother me unless
there's an emergency." She strode out the door and down the
corridor with brisk, purposeful steps, mentally rehearsing what
she would say to Liz. 'This really stinks,' she thought, 'first
being injured and miles away from anyone she knows and loves, and
now I have to tell her this!' She stopped outside the door of the
VIP guest quarters and pressed the door chimes. 

     Liz was on the StellarCom with Dan. She had just finished
telling him that Dr. Hobbs was willing to let her return home at
the end of the week when the chimes sounded. She sighed and said,
"Just a minute, Smiley, there's someone at the door." She walked
over by the door and said, "Yes, who is it?" 

     "It's Susan. I have something important to tell you,"
Ivanova answered. On hearing the tone of her voice, Liz's heart
sank. Something must be terribly wrong for the Commander to come
to see her in person.   

     "Come in," she ordered, then quickly walked back over to the
computer screen as Susan stepped in. "Dan," she said in a quiet
voice, "I'll have to get back to you later." He had heard
Ivanova's voice over the intercom and could tell by Liz's
reaction that she was scared. "I'll be waiting for your call,
babe," he said in reassuring tones. "Don't worry about me." Liz
put her hand up to the screen and he did the same. "Love you,"
she said, her voice coming out as a hoarse croak.

     Susan was standing by the kitchen, her back turned to Liz,
mentally searching for the right words. Normally she would have
been embarrassed to interrupt a conversation between Liz and her
husband, but in this case she was glad of the extra time it gave
her to choose the right words to say. She heard Liz walking
across the room and turned to face her. The expression on Liz's
face stopped the words on her lips. She looked apprehensive and
scared, quite pale, as she looked at Susan and waited to hear the
bad news. 'Aw, hell,' Ivanova thought, 'I wish Marcus or Franklin
were here, or even Delenn. I'm just not good at this type of
thing.' Clearing her throat, she said, "I just heard from John.
Liz, your dad has been detained by Clark's intelligence and is
being held on Mars." 

     Liz wasn't sure what she was about to hear, but this news
caught her by surprise. Her knees suddenly buckled beneath her
and she started to sink to the ground. Susan lunged forward and
caught her under the arms, then gently led her to the couch and
sat her down. Positioning herself on the edge of the cushions at
the opposite end of the couch, she looked at Liz and decided she
better tell her everything at once. "That's not all. John has
gone down to Mars alone to try to rescue him." 

     Liz gasped, "No!" in surprise and shock. If EarthGov caught
him, he would be .... no, she wouldn't even *think* about what
would happen if he were captured. Susan reached out and gently
grasped the stricken woman's hand, then continued. "John asked me
to come out and take over the Fleet. That means I'll have to
leave as soon as possible." She paused a moment, then confided,
"I don't have a good feeling about this, Liz.  Mr. Garibaldi is
involved in the rescue and I just don't trust him any more." Liz
nodded in agreement, remembering the former security chief's
change in attitude towards her brother and the B5 command staff
on the ISN broadcast. "Let's just hope I'm wrong," Susan said,
patting Liz's hand reassuringly. "Delenn should back at the
station any day now and she'll take over for me. At least you'll
get a chance to meet her." 

     She stood up to leave and Liz shakily rose to her feet too.
"I'll try to keep in touch with C&C so they can keep you
updated," the Commander said as she walked to the door. "Please
take care, Susan," Liz said, her voice trembling despite her
efforts to control it. Ivanova stopped and smiled in farewell,
then left.   

     Feeling dazed and shaken, Liz walked back to the couch and
sat down. There was no way she could go home now, not knowing
whether her dad or brother were safe! 'Oh, please, God,' she
prayed silently, 'don't let anything happen to Dad or Johnny.'
She felt tired down to the core of her being, as if all the
energy had been sucked out of her. 'I guess I had better get in
touch with Dan and let him know what's up,' she thought wearily,
and went over to the computer monitor to contact her husband.  
-------------------------------

     Delenn strode into C&C in her usual brisk style, taking in
the current state of affairs with a glance. Her gaze rested on
Lt. Corwin, earnestly talking with two of the technicians in the
pit. They looked up as she walked in, and the room suddenly was
silent. 

     "Ah, Lieutenant Corwin," Delenn addressed him. "I have been
informed by Commander Ivanova of the current situation. Would you
kindly bring me up to date on the status of the Fleet and any
station matters that need attention?" Without waiting for an
answer, she walked over to the Command desk and sat down. The
lieutenant and technicians exchanged apprehensive looks, then
Corwin approached the Minbari ambassador. He cleared his throat,
then stood silently, a variety of expressions crossing his face.
With a slight hint of amusement in her voice, Delenn inquired,
"Is there something you wish to tell me, Lieutenant?" 

     "Yes, Ma'am," he answered. "The captain of the Agamemnon
just notified us that Captain Sheridan has left his ship and
taken a Thunderbolt to the Mars surface. He wanted to know when
Commander Ivanova would be there, and I informed him of her ETA."
Delenn nodded at this information, then waited, but the young
officer said nothing more. She could sense that he felt
uncomfortable about whatever further information he needed to
impart. Quietly she said, "Thank you, Lieutenant. Is there
anything else I need to know?" He looked down at his feet a
minute, then looked up at her and blurted out, "Yes, Ambassador,
there is. We all just wanted you to know that we're worried about
the Captain and his father and will be praying for their safe
return." Delenn was deeply touched by the concern of the crew and
again marveled to herself about John's ability as a leader who
really cared for the people under him.    

     "Oh, Ambassador, there's something else ..." Corwin
hesitated and she prompted him, "Yes?" "Well, did Commander
Ivanova mention that the Captain's sister is on the station?"
Delenn sat back in the chair, stunned at this information. She
had been informed of Liz's arrival at Babylon 5 for medical care,
but had assumed she had returned to Proxima 3 by now. Choosing
her words carefully, Delenn answered, "I was not aware that she
was still here. I will be sure to pay her a visit and keep her
up-to-date on what happens."   

     The thought occurred to her that Susan had seemed to be in a
hurry when they had encountered each other at the lift - she
might not have had a chance to tell Liz about the capture of her
father. "Do you know if she is aware of her father's capture?" 
He nodded and replied, "Yes, she went to tell her as soon as we
knew about it." Delenn sighed in relief that she would not have
to be the bearer of bad news on their first meeting. That would
not be a good way to start a relationship. "Thank you,
Lieutenant," she said. "You are, as always, efficient and
helpful." He blushed slightly but nodded, then turned and
returned to his station. 

     'So, I will finally get to meet a member of John's family,'
Delenn thought. 'I wonder how she will feel about having a former
enemy of her people for a sister-in-law.' Knowing that John's
sister had been close friends with his first wife did not help
matters either. He had repeatedly tried to reassure her that his
family would accept her with open arms, but she was still
apprehensive about this aspect of their joining. 'Well, I suppose
I shall have to make a point to greet her personally after I
finish here.'

--------------------------------

     Liz collapsed into a fitful sleep after calling Dan. She was
having a strange dream, remembering her mom and dad when she was
little, how Johnny always teased her but made sure no one else
did. Suddenly she was in the present, reliving her last visit
with her dad. He hadn't looked well at all; that Hayem-Widal syndrome
had really taken its toll on him. She was trying to hear what he
was saying, but a noise was blocking out his voice. "What did you
say?" she yelled at her dad. He answered her, but the noise had
become even louder and she couldn't hear him. Suddenly she
realized the noise was door chimes ringing and Liz woke up
abruptly. The chimes sounded again and she sat up, and looked
around, disoriented at first, then remembering where she was.
"Who is it?" she asked, her voice sounding groggy. 

     "This is Delenn. I just arrived back on the station and was
hoping to have a word with you. However, if I am disturbing you,
I can come back later at your convenience." Liz rubbed her eyes
and stretched, then walked to the door. "Open" she commanded. For
a brief moment the two women stood as if frozen, gazes locked.
The Minbari ambassador looked the same as she had appeared on
ISN, but shorter than Liz had expected, she realized with
surprise. She did have an air of authority about her, however, of
one who is accustomed to lead.

     "Won't you come in, Ambassador," she asked politely. Delenn
hesitated a second, then bowed and stepped forward. She looked at
John's sister, who appeared pale with dark rings under her eyes,
and wondered if coming here now had been a mistake. Again she
said, "I could certainly come back in the morning if that would
be more convenient for you." Liz shook her head, extended her
hand and, a bit stiffly, said "I'm glad to finally meet you,
Ambassador."   

     Delenn knew what this gesture meant. Clasping the offered
hand, she shook it firmly. "I have been looking forward to
meeting you, too, although I could wish for better circumstances.
Have you recovered fully from your injuries?" The petite blonde
woman standing before her looked so frail at the moment, it was
hard to imagine that she had survived such terrible injuries.  
     Liz was about to reply when she suddenly realized that they
were still standing in front of the door. She smiled to herself,
thinking 'I guess I'm more nervous about meeting Delenn than I
thought!' Turning to the Minbari woman, she asked, "Why
don't we sit down and talk? It'll be more comfortable." Delenn
nodded in agreement and followed Liz over to the couch. Liz
started to sit down, then stopped. "I seem to be forgetting my
manners tonight for some reason," she apologized. "May I offer
you a drink? I believe there is some tea in the cupboards."    
     "Yes, thank you. That would be greatly appreciated," Delenn
answered. Liz felt a sense of relief and knew in her heart that
she was really stalling for time. She went into the kitchen area
and started preparing the tea. Normally she would have chattered
away to her guest, but tonight she needed all her powers of
concentration just to make the tea. She still felt so tired and
her heart felt heavy with worry about her father and brother. For
some reason she was dreading this meeting with the Minbari woman,
though she couldn't put her finger on why she felt this way. 'We
both love John,' she thought to herself. 'Surely that common
ground should make it easier for us to accept each other.'    
     In the other room, Delenn sat with her hands clasped in her
lap, pondering what to say to John's sister. The initial meeting
had gone well enough, although there had been a sense of
awkwardness between them.  She looked up as Liz came out,
carrying two cups of tea, and took the cup offered to her with a
grateful smile. "Thank you, Elizabeth. I have not had a chance to
have any refreshment since returning from my trip," Delenn told
her. "This cup of tea will 'hit the spot' as you humans say." 
     Liz smiled at Delenn's use of the Earth expression, then
carefully placed her cup and saucer on the coffeetable and sat in
the chair facing Delenn, curling her legs up beneath her.
"Please, Ambassador, call me Liz." She took a sip of her tea, her
eyes shut, and let out a big sigh. After a moment of awkward
silence, she opened her eyes and said, "I'm sorry if I am not
very good company right now. You asked earlier if I had fully
recovered from my injuries. Yesterday I would have answered
'yes,' but now ..." Her voice trailed off, then she continued.
"With all the bad news I've had today, I'm not feeling that
great. I suppose you know that my father has been captured by
EarthGov?"  

     Delenn nodded, and answered quietly, "And now John has gone
off by himself to rescue him." She shook her head in amazement at
the risk he was taking, then continued, "Of course, I am very
worried about him, as I am sure you are. After all, if he is also
captured ...." Her voice faded and the two women's eyes met,
mirroring each other's fear for John's safety. After a moment,
Delenn continued, "I have to trust that John knows what he is
doing and that the Universe will have everything fall into
place." 

     She picked up her cup to sip her tea, and Liz noticed that
the Ambassador's eyes were bright with unshed tears. A feeling of
shock and surprise went through her as she realized that this
woman seated across from her really did love her brother. 'I
guess I did believe some of the nonsense from the ISN report,'
she thought, the realization filling her with shame. Delenn put
her cup down and impatiently brushed the tear away and said,
"Please excuse me. I believe the fatigue from my trip is catching
up with me."   

     Liz looked down at her hands a moment, realizing that the
reserved Minbari woman was embarrassed, then impulsively said,
"Please don't apologize - I feel the same way. I wish I could
feel as confident as you about John's wisdom in making this
decision, Delenn!" 

     Again silence fell between them. After a moment, Delenn
cleared her throat. "Have you enjoyed your stay aboard Babylon
5?"

     Grateful for a chance to talk about something less
emotionally-charged, Liz said, "Yes, it has been interesting.
Things have certainly changed since I was here last time, when
Johnny was first assigned here."  

     A small smile quickly flashed across Delenn's face at her
use of the nickname. She still did not quite understand why
humans insisted on shortening people's given names, although she
could see that Elizabeth said it with much love and affection.
However, she just could not picture herself calling him that.  
     "That is, what parts of the station I have had time to see
since being released from MedLab!" Liz continued. Delenn smiled
at the remark and waited for her to continue. Liz sipped some
tea, mentally thrashing around for something else to talk about.
She didn't know why she was having so much trouble talking to the
Ambassador. Usually she could talk freely with almost anyone she
met. 'What is wrong with me!' she fretted. 

     Delenn gently broke the silence. "I understand your husband
and two sons are still on Proxima 3. Have you had an opportunity
to talk to them?" she inquired politely. Liz's face lit up with a
smile and she proceeded to tell Delenn about her husband and
sons. As she talked about her family, she started to feel more at
ease with the Minbari woman, forgetting her initial feelings of
self-consciousness. Delenn appeared genuinely interested and it
felt good to be able to talk about Danny and the boys. However,
the emotional shock she had received today started to take its
toll on her. She felt extremely tired and weak. Her voice started
to slur a little and her eyelids slowly lowered as she fought
against the fatigue that was overtaking her.  

     Delenn, feeling tired herself, decided that now would be a
good time to say their farewells. "I can see you are fatigued.
You cannot fight worry with a weary body and mind. I will leave
you now and meet with you another time, perhaps tomorrow morning
for breakfast?" 

     With relief Liz nodded at the suggestion of breakfast.
"Thank you for the tea and your hospitality," Delenn said as she
stood up and bowed. "I will contact you tomorrow morning then."
Liz struggled to her feet, nodding mutely in reply, then
collapsed onto the couch as Delenn quietly went through the door. 
________________________________

     After Delenn left, Liz dozed off again. She woke up about an
hour later, feeling refreshed. 'Falling asleep on this couch is
starting to be a bad habit,' she thought ruefully. Her stomach
growled and she realized she must have slept through dinner. She
went into the kitchenette, rummaging around in the cupboards
until she found the crackers she had bought the other day and
started nibbling on them as she waited for the water for tea to
get hot.

     She thought about the day's events - there were more crises
in this one day than the whole month she was on the station! The
nap had done some good, though; she was still worried about her
dad and brother, but now that she felt more rested, she could
cope with it better. It was not like her to "turn on the
waterworks" as her dad used to say. 'I must not be quite as
strong as I thought, even though today's bad news would be enough
to make anyone feel low.' 

     Getting to know Delenn better would help, too. She now knew
for sure that the Minbari woman loved her brother deeply and
cared about his safety at least as much as she did. 'I think that
when we get together tomorrow, I'll be more my usual self.' She
poured the steaming water into her cup and carried it out to the
living area. 'I hope I didn't make a bad impression on Delenn.
I've been looking forward to meeting her for so long, and when it
finally happened, I was an emotional wreck!'

     On the spur of the moment, she decided to turn on ISN. She
enjoyed being able to see the broadcasts after the months of
media blackout on Proxima 3, even if the info being fed over the
air was all distorted to be pro-Clark and antialien! She sat on
the couch, the cup of hot tea in her hand, and said, "Computer,
find ISN." As the vid screen flickered on, she saw that it was
her least favorite ISN reporter, Alicia Higgins.

     "...important announcement," she announced. Liz sat up
straight, all her attention focused on the screen. "The leader of
the renegade fleet that has been attempting to destablize Earth
for months has finally been located and detained. Captain John
Sheridan, formerly of Earth Force, was captured earlier today by
forces loyal to President Clark and is now being held in a secure
facility." She nearly dropped her teacup in shock, but managed to
catch it before it spilled all over the floor. 'Oh, no!' she
thought, 'not Johnny too!' Her whole body felt numb as the shock
ran through her like a lightning bolt. "Unlike many of his
victims," the reporter continued, "he is being given proper care
and treatment until a hearing can be convened."

     "Computer off," Liz managed to squeak out. She sat back, in
shock, the couch behind her the only thing keeping her upright.
What would Clark's people do to him? Liz didn't believe the
"humane treatment" propaganda that ISN was spouting for one
second. And what about Dad?

     Just then the door chimes rang, sending a chill down her
spine. "Who is it?" she asked in a wavering voice. "Delenn," came
the answer. Liz ran to the door and opened it quickly. Delenn
bowed perfunctorily, then stepped forward. "Elizabeth, I come to
you with grave news." She grasped Liz by the hands and said, "He
has been captured." Liz mutely nodded, the tears flowing down her
cheeks, seeming unable to do anything but stand there and cry.
Delenn hesitated, wrestling with the conflicting emotions running
through her. Her instinctive reaction was to draw Elizabeth near
and attempt to comfort her, but fear of rejection restrained her.
After a moment, compassion won the battle and Delenn led the
sobbing woman over to the couch, sitting next to her and holding
her hands tightly.

     Liz felt like she was in a dream; this couldn't be real! She
sat on the couch next to Delenn, her face buried in the other
woman's shoulder as the tears came from deep within her, all the
fears for her dad and brother bubbling up and pouring out. Delenn
was initially startled when Liz leaned against her for support
while she cried, but she put aside her own reservations and tried
to comfort her by patting her hand. 

     As she tried to comfort Liz, Delenn felt her own eyes fill
with tears, but they did not fall. Her heart felt as if it would
burst with the fear and pain of never seeing John again, as it
had when he had been lost at Z'Ha'Dum. She silently began to pray
as John's sister continued to cry. As she meditated, she felt a
sense of renewed hope building in her. Although there was no
prophecy to guide her now, she knew that the Universe had a
special destiny for John, and she was sure that this was not how
it was supposed to end! 

     After what seemed a long time, Liz felt the despair that had
overwhelmed her subsiding and a feeling of peace settled upon
her. Feeling a little foolish, she sat up and wiped the tears
from her cheeks, trying to regain her composure. She looked at
Delenn, who gazed at her in concern, and said, "I'm sorry. I
couldn't seem to help it ..." Delenn patted her hand and said,
"Do not apologize. We each handle grief in our own way, and then
we move on."

     Liz nodded, grateful for the understanding. Then, her voice
hoarse from crying, she asked "How did you know? Did you see the
broadcast on ISN?" Delenn shook her head, then explained, "I was
asleep and suddenly I could hear John crying out my name. I sat
up in bed, still hearing the voice, when Lennier told me John had
been captured." 

     Liz looked at Delenn with a shocked expression. "Are you a
telepath, Delenn? John never mentioned that to me." The Minbari
woman looked thoughtful for a moment, then answered, "No, I am
not. I believe that John and I have a special bond between us."
Liz nodded in understanding. She had also experienced similar
episodes of precognition which later turned out to have been
true. "Yes, I know what you mean. Dan and I have both had that
happen when the other was hurt and we couldn't possibly have
known, but we did." 

     She let out a sigh and asked, "So, what's next - are you
going to send in a rescue team to get John?" To her surprise,
Delenn shook her head and replied, "No, I do not believe so. John
was very clear about his wishes not to involve my people or any
of the Alliance ships in this battle, and I feel it would be a
direct violation of them if I personally sent a rescue team."  
     Liz stared at Delenn in shock, her fatigue gone. "You mean
you're not even going to try?" she exclaimed. "Clark's people
will probably kill him, or at least torture him! I'm sure John
will expect you to try - he'd do the same for you!"

     Delenn slowly stood up and faced Liz. With a weary
expression, her eyes full of sorrow, she bowed low. "I cannot
make any plans until I receive more detailed information about
where John is being held." She bowed again and said, "If you will
excuse me, I will return to my quarters now. In the morning, when
my mind is refreshed, perhaps we can discuss this matter more."
She turned and walked out of the door, leaving an astonished Liz
alone in her quarters. 

(End part 2 of 3)

From: DelennToo@aol.com
Subject: Homefront part 3 of 3
Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 01:52:39 EDT


			    "Homefront"
				by
			   Penny Rothkopf
			 (Momx5@prodigy.com)

			    (Part 3 of 3)


			       PART 3

     The next morning, Liz woke up to the sound of the Babcom
monitor. She had spent a restless night, at first fighting
insomnia and then having vivid dreams, finally falling asleep
after what seemed hours. The insistent beeping of the computer
would not let her fall back asleep, so she reluctantly got out of
bed, put on her robe, and shuffled over to the vid screen. "Yes?"
she asked, smothering a yawn. 

     "Incoming message from Ambassador Delenn," the computer
intoned.  "Go ahead," Liz mumbled. Delenn's image appeared on the
screen, inclined her head in a suggestion of a bow, then said,
"Good morning, Elizabeth. I hope you are feeling rested?" Liz
opened her mouth to answer, but only a croak came out. She
cleared her throat and answered, "As much as could be expected,
considering the circumstances." Liz quickly covered her mouth as
an involuntary yawn snuck out, then asked, "Is it still possible
to have breakfast together? If you can't, I certainly would
understand, as I'm sure you must have a lot of important work to
do with the station, the Fleet, Johnny's capture ..." her voice
trailed off as she remembered the last few minutes of their
discussion the night before. She still couldn't shake off the
feeling of shock and horror she felt when Delenn had said she was
not going to rescue Johnny! Hopefully they could talk about it
more this morning. 

     Delenn paused a moment, then replied, "Yes, it is still
possible. I was hoping you could join me for breakfast in my
quarters. I have received additional news that I am sure will be
of interest to you." Liz hesitated for a second; she had assumed
they would have breakfast somewhere on the Zocalo. She wasn't
sure she was up to experimenting with alien cuisine right now! As
if reading her mind, Delenn added in a gently teasing voice,
"There *will* be food that you are familiar with, such as bagels,
spread, fruit juice and such. These were usually your brother's
favorites." 

     Liz smiled in acknowledgement of the attempted humor and
said, "Yes, of course I will join you for breakfast. I believe I
remember how to get to the ambassadorial wing, so you just have to
tell me where to go from there. Would half an hour from now be
okay?" Delenn agreed, gave Liz a few detailed instructions as to
the exact location of her quarters, then signed off.

     As Liz showered and got dressed, she thought about the events
of the night before. The Minbari woman had seemed reserved yet
friendly at the earlier meeting and, when they learned of John's
capture, seemed as familiar as a good friend. Yet when she had
asked about rescuing John, a wall had immediately gone up between
them, as if she was trespassing on forbidden ground. All in all,
she had a very mixed-up impression of Delenn, one that she hoped to
sort out a little better over the next few days.

     Hopefully this breakfast meeting, after they both had rested
and had time to think, would help iron out any differences and
spark a friendship between them. 'Of course,' Liz thought, 'You
don't *have* to be friends with your in-laws, but it sure does
help!'  A memory of Anna and their friendship quickly flashed
across her consciousness, causing a twinge of sadness, but she
pushed the thought away. 'I need to concentrate on the here and
now,' she admonished herself, 'and not on what has gone before. I
just hope Delenn and I can even come close to the friendship Anna
and I had.' With a last look in the mirror, she turned and left for
Delenn's quarters.

     Walking down the ambassadorial corridor, Liz thought about
what Delenn had said about having received additional news that
would interest her. 'I wonder what this "news" is,' she thought, a
feeling of hope rising in her heart. 'Surely it is good news. I
don't think Delenn would have said anything at all if it was bad
news, at least, not until I got to her quarters.' 

     She gazed appreciatively at the different races represented
here on the station. This was definitely an interesting place to
be, and she would miss it after returning home. Greg and Steven
would be amazed at the sight of all these aliens - it would be
quite an experience for them! Perhaps she and Dan could bring the
boys to visit some time soon, to meet their new aunt or when John
and Delenn had their first child ....

     She stopped right where she was, dumbstruck as the
implications of that thought sunk in. Their first child! She didn't
even know if they *could* have a child! Again the memory of her
prior visit to the station flashed into her mind. John had told her
about the Minbari ambassador's transformation and Liz had asked him
"has she changed genetically too?" He had replied that he did not
know, but now here the question was again! 'Well, first we have to
get him and Dad away from Clark's people and hold a wedding before
*that* problem can be taken care of!'  With a smile, she shook off
her doubts and continued towards Delenn's quarters.   

     She stopped outside the door and after a moment of
hesitation pushed the doorbell. "Come," the intercom beckoned and
the door opened. A young Minbari male was standing just inside, who
smiled and bowed in greeting. Liz found herself automatically
bowing back to him and hesitated, then smiled. He stepped forward
and said, "Welcome, Ms. Sheridan. I am Lennier, the Ambassador's
aide. She will be with you shortly. Won't you please have a seat?"
he asked, indicating a tall chair set before a small table.      
She sat down and said, "Thank you, Lennier. It's nice to meet you."
Lennier bowed again, then went into the kitchen area. Liz could
smell the food he was preparing and realized that she was hungry.
She looked around the living area, admiring the graceful wall
sculpture and crystal mobiles and thinking how well they fit in
with her impression of the Minbari ambassador. She jumped a little
as the frosted glass door next to her slid open, then smiled as
Delenn stepped out. She bowed in greeting to Liz. "Good morning,
Elizabeth. I hope I have not kept you waiting long?" She pulled out
the empty chair and sat down across the table, looking up with a
smile and questioning look on her face. 

     "Oh, no, you have not kept me waiting long at all," Liz
exclaimed. "Lennier took care of me just fine." He looked up at the
mention of his name, a puzzled look on his face, smiled, bowed, and
returned his attention to the food. 

     "May I pour you some tea while we wait for the food?" Delenn
asked. "Oh, yes. That would be very nice," she answered and watched
with interest as Delenn poured the tea from the Minbari-style
teapot. Lennier brought a tray full of toasted bagels, fruit, and
a pitcher of juice over to the table, bowed, and quietly slipped
down an adjoining hallway and out of sight. Liz sat silently, sure
that now they were alone, Delenn would share the news with her.
However, the Minbari woman said nothing. In fact, she seemed to be
waiting for her guest to sample the fare before them.

     Liz turned her attention back to the food before them and saw
that besides the bagels, there were some star fruit, oranges, and
various other fruit she had not seen before and assumed were from
other planets. There was also a creamy white spread which looked
familiar. Liz reached out and picked it up for closer inspection.
She held it up to her nose, then looked over at Delenn and
exclaimed, "Is this cream cheese?" Delenn nodded and Liz asked,
"Where did you get this? I haven't had cream cheese since I was
back on Earth about 5 or 6 years ago!" 

     Obviously pleased with Liz's delighted reaction, Delenn
answered, "My Rangers were able to procure some for me on one of
their missions after I found out how much John likes it. Please, go
ahead and take some." Liz eagerly spread some of the cream cheese
on the toasted bagel and took a bite, chewing it with her eyes
closed as she savored the flavor. "Ummmm, this is scrumptious," she
enthused, and was surprised to hear a giggle. Startled, she looked
at Delenn, who was smiling broadly. "That is almost exactly how
your brother looked when he tasted the cream cheese too!" Their
eyes met and both women started laughing, and suddenly Liz felt
like she had known Delenn a long time.

     They ate the bagels and fruit and chatted, Delenn explaining
the unfamiliar food to Liz and telling her stories of the
different food she had eaten from different worlds. "That is what
is really unique about this station," Liz said. "The chance to
learn about the cultures of the different races and experience some
new food.  I think I will miss that part of life on the station
when I return home."  She folded her napkin in her lap and,
suddenly serious, said, "I don't even want to think about returning
home until we find out what is going on with Johnny and Dad. I
don't mean to be impatient, but may I ask what the 'news' is that
you have for me?" 

     Delenn nodded and replied, "Yes, certainly." Liz watched and
waited expectantly as Delenn poured herself another cup of tea,
then held the teapot over Liz's cup with a questioning look on her
face. She nodded and Delenn poured tea into the cup, then picked up
her own cup and silently walked over to the couch. 'I guess she
wants me to follow her,' Liz thought, a little surprised by
Delenn's response. 'Maybe I was too quick to assume that this is
good news.' Carrying her cup, she took a seat next to Delenn. 

     After taking a sip of her tea, Delenn turned to Liz and said,
"After I left your quarters last night, I received a communication
from some Rangers on Mars. They were able to obtain information
regarding your father." Liz inhaled sharply in surprise, her heart
flooding with hope and relief, but said nothing. After a moment,
Delenn continued, "He is in no physical discomfort and is having
his medical needs taken care of, but he is being kept under guard." 
She hesitated again and looked down, and Liz noticed her twisting
the engagement ring back and forth on her finger. "And Johnny?" Liz
prompted gently. "Were the Rangers able to find out anything about
him?"

     Delenn looked up at Liz, a worried look in her eyes which was
quickly masked by an expression of calm. 'No matter what she says,
she's worried too,' Liz thought, a feeling of dread replacing the
hope that she had felt just a few moments before. "It would seem
that finding out about John is proving to be more difficult a
task," Delenn replied. "The contact on Mars was not able to find
out anything other than that he is being held in the high security
retaining area underground. However, I have my people working now
to contact the Mars Resistance, who I believe are loyal to John's
cause. If there is a way of escape, they will know of it."

       Liz impulsively reached out and grasped Delenn's hand. "So
you *are* going to try to rescue him! I just knew you couldn't
leave him there without trying to help him." Delenn initially
appeared a bit taken aback, but then, with a slight smile, replied
"Yes, although I fear John will not be pleased that we are
contradicting his orders." Liz appeared puzzled, so Delenn
explained, "Your brother and I talked extensively about the
potential of his being captured and what action we would and would
not take if this occurred. He told me in no uncertain terms that
the removal of Clark from office and the liberation of Earth were
more important than his safety and that he did *not* want any
rescue attempts to be made until that was taken care of first.
However," she said, leaning back against the couch with a smile, "I
think he also knows that his wishes might not be considered and he
will just have to "deal with it" as Ivanova likes to say."

     Liz smiled at the mention of Ivanova, then asked, "Have you
heard from Susan? She must be furious! If I know her, she is
probably ready to go right to Mars, guns blazing, to rescue John!"
Delenn nodded slightly, saying "I think that was her initial
response, but she also knows that the mission to depose Clark's
dictatorship must go on. Therefore she is continuing on towards
Mars and Earth with the fleet."

     Liz sat back, stunned by this revelation. She had been so
*sure* that Susan would want to rescue John immediately! Ivanova
was her brother's friend - how could she leave him with Clark's
people like that? As if reading Liz's thoughts, Delenn explained,
"Susan is first and foremost a soldier. She knows that the
mission has to be more important than the one person, so she is
doing the right thing from that point of view. As John's friend, I
am sure she is suffering from much guilt and remorse, but she does
what has to be done." 

     Liz did not reply. Although she had only known Susan for a
short while, she could tell that Delenn was correct in her
assessment. She knew that Susan and Delenn were right, that John's
rescue had to be secondary to their goal of deposing Clark, but she
couldn't reconcile that with every instinct she had screaming for
him to be rescued!

     After a moment's silence, Delenn continued. "Susan has asked
me to leave the station and take over command of the Rangers." Liz
was startled. "But you just got back! Surely she is capable of
commanding the Fleet?" Delenn nodded at Liz's remark but replied,
"I am the Rangers' leader, whom they have sworn to serve, and I
should be there in John's absence. However, I will not be leaving
immediately, as I have to make sure everything here on the station
is running smoothly."

     She leaned forward and gently put her hand on Liz's.
"Elizabeth ... Liz ...I know it is your heart's desire to stay on
B5 until your brother and father are safe, but I cannot allow it."
Liz opened her mouth to protest, but Delenn raised her hand and
continued, "If our mission fails, there is a greatly increased risk
of attack from Clark's fleet. I am sure John would not want you to
stay on the station in those circumstances. I also would have more
peace of mind knowing you were safe with your family."

     Liz let out a deep sigh in resignation. She knew Delenn was
right. She could almost hear Johnny's voice saying the same thing
to her. He was always trying to protect her. "Yes, you're right,
Delenn. I'm sure John would say the same thing if he was here right
now. It's funny, you know ..." Delenn looked at her questioningly
and she continued, "A few days ago, all I could think about was
going home, and now all I want to do is stay until I know Johnny
and Dad are safe." She took a sip of her tea and continued, "But I
feel good knowing that at least one of John's wishes came to pass."

     "And what would that be?" Delenn asked, undisguised curiosity
on her face. 

     Liz smiled and said, "Johnny came to see me in the hospital on
Proxima 3 after the battle was over. The last thing he said to me
was, 'I'd really like you to meet Delenn.' I could see by the look
on his face that he really loves you, which made me all the more
determined that I had to meet you somehow!"

     Delenn smiled then looked down at the cup in her hands,
appearing to be at a loss for words. She then looked up at Liz, her
eyes shining, and said, "Yes, he often talked of you, your mother
and father with much affection and expressed his desire that I 'get
to know you' soon. It was his hope that you and I would become ...
'close' I think is the term he used. I was not sure if this would
be possible given the history between our people, our different cultures,
and ..." She looked down and away again. Liz thought she might be crying
and wasn't sure what to do or say next. She was relieved to see she was
wrong when Delenn looked up again, an uncertain smile playing around her
lips. "Elizabeth ... Liz, I am pleased to find that he was right. I have
enjoyed our time together very much. Despite our different backgrounds, w=
e
have much in common, you and I."

     Liz smiled back at Delenn, pushing the memory of her initial
prejudice back in her mind, never to rear its ugly head again.
"Yes, we do, which really surprised me!" Delenn looked at her,
uncertainty in her eyes. Liz continued, "Which just goes to show
how little I know!  She laughed and Delenn looked relieved. "I mean, my
brother loves you very much and usually is a good judge of character, so =
I
don't know why I had any doubts! I just wish we had more time to get to
know each other!" A frown creased her forehead as she continued, "and tha=
t
John and Dad were safe and here with us."

     Delenn reached over and took her hand, a serene expression on
her face. "I too look forward to deepening our acquaintance in the
future. Perhaps when the civil war on your homeworld has been
resolved, John and I could visit you and your family. I would like
to meet your husband and especially your sons. Children have such
a simple way of viewing the world around them that is refreshing.
And Liz, .... do not worry about your brother and father. I have
faith in the the Universe and believe that everything will turn out
on the side of justice."

     "Excuse me, Ambassador," Lennier's voice said from the dimly
lit hallway. They both looked up at him, startled. He bowed,
obviously embarrassed at interrupting their conversation. "I am
sorry to interrupt, but you asked me to let you know when it was
time for the meeting with the Command staff."

     "Yes, thank you, Lennier," she replied with a sigh. "I will
join you in a moment." He bowed in acknowledgement of her response
and quietly slipped back down the hallway. Turning to face Liz,
Delenn said, "As usual, my duties require my attention. I would
much prefer to continue our conversation, but the business of the
station has to take precedence over my personal desires." 

     She gracefully rose to her feet, Liz quickly following suit.
"Thank you for the breakfast, Delenn," she said, "but even more,
thank you for your patience with me. I gave you a hard time last
night, about rescuing Johnny, thinking only of myself and what I
thought was right! I forgot that you were as much in shock over his
capture as I was. I am glad we had this chance to talk things
through. We'll have to get together again soon, before we both have
to leave." 

     Delenn bowed in acknowledgement. "Yes, that would be a
pleasant break in the preparations for war. I will be in touch with
you soon." Liz turned and walked through the door. 



			  EPILOGUE


     Liz leaned back in the chair and closed her eyes, trying to
relax as the transport vibrated from the hyperspace turbulence. She
always hated this part of traveling, but it was a necessary evil.
After all, even *with* jumpgates, the trip from Proxima 3 to the
nearest Earth colony took at least 2 days, and Babylon 5 took even
longer! Traveling through normal space would take .... no, her mind
was too tired to do that kind of mental math today. She would
definitely prefer the shorter journey through hyperspace, bumps and
all.

     The transport should be coming close to the Proxima 3 jumpgate
soon. It would be good to be home, to hug her boys, be able to show
her husband how much she had missed him ... with a contented sigh,
Liz's thoughts drifted back to her last few days at Babylon 5.

     The breakfast in Delenn's quarters turned out to be the last
time the two women were able to talk at any length. Delenn and
Lennier were busy preparing to join Susan and the White Star Fleet,
meeting with the League of Non-aligned Worlds, and finishing the
last-minute arrangements for the transfer of command at the
station. Liz had also been fully occupied those last few days,
scheduling her flight and buying tickets for the transport, buying
a few souvenirs in the Zocalo to take home, and undergoing one last
run of medical tests before Dr. Hobbs would give her permission to
leave. 

     She had managed to send a message to Delenn with her flight
information, but hesitated about asking her to come to the
departure area to see her off. The Minbari ambassador was so busy
right now, she didn't want to bother her. The thought that she
might not get to see Delenn again for a long time had changed her
mind, though, and Liz was pleased to see her now-familiar form
walking towards her.

     Liz walked forward to meet her. "Delenn, I'm so glad you could
make it!" Delenn bowed and said, "It would have been very remiss of
me to let you leave without saying farewell in person. I could not
let that happen!" Looking around for a place to talk with some
privacy, they walked over to a row of unoccupied seats. 

     Delenn reached over and gently grasped Liz's hands. "I truly
regret that we did not have more time together, Elizabeth. However,
duty always seems to override my wishes." She sighed, then smiled.
"You must be looking forward to going home to your family after
your long absence. I am sure you will receive quite a warm welcome
from them." 

     As Delenn spoke, Liz had the distinct impression that there
was an element of wistfulness in her expression. Yes, she *was*
lucky to be going home to her husband and children. Delenn was
going off to battle, not knowing whether John was safe, having to
rely on her faith to sustain her. "Oh, Delenn, you'd think I would
be happy to going home. I *am* happy, and yet sad at the same time.
I will miss the station and .... I will miss you. Please be careful
and try to stay safe!" She smirked at her own remark and said, "I
know that's kind of a stupid thing to say to someone going into
battle, but ...."

     Delenn put her hand on Liz's arm, interrupting her comment
with a nod. "Yes, I do understand." She reached into her pocket and
pulled out a little drawstring bag, made of a silky fabric. She
gently pressed it into Liz's hand, saying, "Please accept this as
a symbol of our friendship." 

     Carefully opening the bag, Liz emptied the contents into the
palm of her hand and studied it curiously. A flat circular crystal
shimmered in the light. It reminded Liz of the symbol for ying and
yang on Earth, which she remembered from her time in the Orient as
a young girl. 

     "It is called S'el'Zha," Delenn explained, watching quietly as
Liz turned the stone over, examining it, feeling its texture. "To
the Minbari, it represents the Universe. It represents peace and
the future - peace of mind, peace in your heart. Remember that the
Universe has plans for you and that you only have to believe." 

     Liz felt tears prickle the back of her eyelids. Peace of mind
- how she yearned for it right now. The uncertain fate of her
father and brother had stolen any peace she had possessed. She
impetuously threw her arms around Delenn and gave her a big hug.
"Thank you,'sis.'" At first Delenn sat rigidly within the embrace,
taken by surprise at the show of emotion. As the words penetrated
her embarrassment, she relaxed. Smiling at Liz, she gently withdrew
herself from the encircling arms and grasped her hands instead.  "I
am honored that you would claim me as your sister. I have never had
a female relative. This will be a new experience for me, which I
look forward to." Rising to her feet, she bowed and said, "Be well,
Elizabeth." 

     The call for Liz's transport blared over the speaker system.
Carefully returning the stone to its bag, she pocketed it, gathered
her bags, and rose to join the other passengers. She looked back
over her shoulder and waved to Delenn, who was standing there
watching, then walked through the gate to board the transport. Her
last glimpse of Delenn caught her talking to Lennier, then the two
walked off together.

     All in all, she was really glad she had met Delenn. Her faith
in the Universe certainly was profound. Where was that S'El'Zha
anyway? Liz fished around in the pocket of her jacket, pulled out
the little bag, and removed the polished crystal. It felt smooth
and cool beneath her fingers, almost silky if you could say that
about a stone. "Have faith in the universe and its justice," Delenn
had said. Liz sighed. She would like to do just that and be able to
stop worrying about her brother and father.

     The transport emerged from the jump gate into Proxima 3 space.
Home at last, Liz thought. As the other passengers started
gathering their belongings and repacking them into carry-on cases,
someone turned the vid screen on to ISN. "We interrupt this
broadcast for a special report." The room fell silent, all
attention focused on the reporter. "The renegade captain John
Sheridan, who was being held on Mars pending trial for treasonous
acts against the government, has escaped. The Mars Resistance is
believed to have engineered the abduction with the assistance of
Babylon 5's former Chief of Security, Michael Garibaldi. These men
are considered armed and dangerous. Please notify authorities
immediately if you have any knowledge of their whereabouts. Again,
caution is advised."

     The vid screen turned back to the regular programming. Liz sat
back, immersed in her thoughts as the room was filled with the buzz
of conversation generated by the report. She looked at the crystal
in her hand, rolling it between her fingers, and smiled. So Delenn
had been right. John had escaped and was probably on his way to
freedom and the fleet now. Surely her dad would be rescued shortly
too. 

     Liz heaved a sigh of relief. Her homecoming would be more
joyful knowing that her brother was safe. Now if only he and Delenn
could find the time to get married soon, before something else
happened to stop them! She mentally shrugged away the thought of
the task yet ahead of the fleet - the impeachment of President
Clark and freeing the Earth government from his dictatorship. I'll
deal with that when it happens, she thought. For now, I'm just glad
to be home."

				END