"Just A Perfect Day" Part 1:[AL] By Dana Nelson Standard disclaimer: All characters in this story belong to JMS, TNT and Warner Bros ----------------------------------------------------------- This story is set in season 3, sometime after the episode . A day in the life of Commander Susan Ivanova and Ranger Marcus Cole, and the events that are around and between them. This is my first attempt in fan fiction of this wonderful series, so please be gentle with me. Any comments, good and bad(!) are all welcome and pleaded: b5_ivanova@hotmail.com Hope you'll enjoy this little dish I've made:) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ah, space. What a place. Or actually, if going by the definition of some philosophers: "The only place where you can find yourself and still be lost". Or something like that. With all that philosopher babbling, one can never know what they mean for real. Susan Ivanova stood in front of the large glass window, staring into the deep as far as she could see. For some reason, this place always made her think. Think about it all. About life & death, love & hate, space & the beyond...for no special reason. It just did. And that's what she liked the most. Just thinking, nothing beyond that. Right now, her thoughts were signaling her that she ought to do something. Now. As in 16:00 PM now. Meeting. Captain. Annoying screaming aliens. Damn. She shook her head a little, getting back into the real world. Annoying as it was, she has stuff to do. Like always, the world was moving on and it wanted her to be involved in all the red tape possible. "Corwin, take command." "Aye Commander." Ivanova walked to the door, calling out before she went through it: "When that ship from Centori world arrive, beep me. I wanna be there when they dock." And with that, she left. Lieutenant David Corwin stared after her with a raised eyebrow and a puzzled look on his face. The commander was acting pretty weird today. He could tell, she stared through that window way longer than she did in a normal day. Well, he amended silently, *normal* as it can be on Babylon 5. Shaking his head, he went back to his post. Better to concentrate on what was told to him or she'll chew his ass off. And with the commander, that sounded a hell of a lot better than she would *really* do to him. "Babylon 5 to trade ship, you may proceed docking..." *** "Commander, thank you for finally joining us." Captain John Sheriden looked at his second in command and did his best to hide his grin. Seeing Susan Ivanova blush was quite a thing, and was he wasn't about to miss it. "Sorry for being late sir. I hope I didn't miss anything." The twitch in her voice made it clear that she *really* wished to not come at all, but had no other choice. "Quite all right, Commander. We were just beginning. " Sheriden winked to Delenn who sat beside him, knowing she sensed Susan's mood. "Very well, let's begin these negotiations. Does anybody have a suggestion on how to-" The captain was cut through when 5 different ambassadors started yelling together and arguing at the same time. Ivanova massaged her temples. This was going to be a VERY long day. *** The man sitting next to the table lifted his head. He could sense someone, or something, staring at him. Nodding to man in front of him, he signaled him to leave. Than he turned around and looked straight ahead. "So we meet again Ranger Cole. It has been a while." Being caught off guard, Marcus simply stared ahead for a second, not moving. Than he pulled himself together and stood up. Moving closer, he bowed his head as a sign of honor. "Greetings Neroon. It has been a while indeed." Than he looked up again. Smiling a devilish smile, Marcus only said: "So, ready for a little head bashing?" *** Three hours later they were both breathing heavily, with Marcus leaning on a pole in order to stand straight. "Very good Cole. You have improved greatly. It is good to see a warrior who knows how to be a warrior. Of course, I doubt you will ever achieve my level of fighting, but still..." Marcus turned his head around and found, to his surpise, a grinning Minbari. A grinning Minbari from the warrior cast, indeed. Wow. And I thought I've seen it all before. Appearently not. Smiling, Marcus stretched his arms and put the minimized pike back into his robe. "I see that you at least gained a sense of humor. You may always be the same irritating person, but at least you're showing signs of improvements. Neroon considered this for a moment, than spoke with a truthful tone. "Apparently, I have yet much to learn Cole. And the teachers I have are the most unusual ones." Glancing at Marcus, he added with a more humorous note, "Some of them are as strange as the lessons they teach me." Marcus smiled an understanding smile to his friend. Unbelievably, his friend. Since their first encounter, he has grown to respect, admire and even like Neroon. He understood his personal trials, for they were close to his own. "Come on, let's go and eat something. We might as well leave this place alone, it's not like anything is still intact here after our little dule!" Bowing his head, Neroon turned and began walking down the corridor. Taking another second to straiten his breath, Marcus followed. *** "Why is it, that when everybody looks just handy and dandy, I feel like I I wanna blow the godamn universe in every possible way?" Susan Ivanova felt like she just had two Vanzinis break dance on her head. She looked around to see if anybody heard her yell to the ceiling, but saw that she was mercifully alone. Thank god. Standing up, she left the empty council room and headed out. Walking down the corridor, Ivanova listed her next actions for the day: Checking in C&C that everything is ok, having a drink or two, seeing if Robert was on that damn centarui ship coming here...and than going to her quarters to SLEEP. That's right people, you heard it. Sleep. She was up for at least 18 hours straight, and she wanted to sleep. Badly. Right now, unfortunately, a hot cup of coffee will have to do. Make that TWO cups of coffee. Pacing around slowly, she thought suddenly if she ought to check on Garibaldi and Franklin before she turned in. After all, they were with that flu for about a week now...nah. Dr. Hobbs assured her that they were both ok when she checked yesterday, and that all they do is complain and sneeze. She'll check on them tommorrow. Besides, with Garibladi sick and Zack in charge, she had a lot more work than usual. Sighing, she went inside the elevators. "C&C please." If Michal hadn't been such an idiot and sneezed right on Steven, they wouldn't be in this mess. So she was going to leave them alone for now to annoy each other to death. Ivanova grinned at that thought. "Having pleasant thoughts, are we?" Jumping, she nearly pulled her gun out when she turned, but than saw who it was. "Marcus! Damn it, you almost scared the living daylight outta me. Are you nuts?!" With his grin spreading even wider, he bowed a little and only answered: "If that pleases you milady." Than he winked at her. She stared at him with an open mouth, and was about to answer exactly what she thought to do to him, with a detailed anatomic description, when the door opened. Marcus saw his opportunity and almost ran out, shouting a "have a pleasant evening Commander" and nearly scaring to death a Drazi he ran into. Ivanova could only look after him with a twisted face. The drazi went inside the elevator and chose his destination. Than he turned to to her and asked, "Going up or down?" "Up it seems...all the way hell" she muttered, and straightened up again. That damn ranger. The most annoying person in the world. Just what she needed today. Great. *** "And than I told him, 'not in this lifetime buddy', and he almost ran away from the table after seeing my face! I swear to ya Susan, if men don't start coming in better packages, I think i'll turn into a nun soon!" Susan Ivanova was having a hard time breathing. In fact, she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. She had to hold her glass with all her strength in order to keep it from falling down. She was laughing like a mad woman. God, it felt good to laugh like that. She hasn't done that in a long, long time. She usually didn't have much to laugh about - and never was too much of a happy person. Hell, with her history plus being a russian, it kinda made sense in a way. Oh yeah, and a war was going on now all around her. But she was laughing now. And it felt great. Taking a swing from her vodka, she addressed her friend. "Dana, where do you even find these guys? do you have to scrape them off the floor or do they attach themselves to you like a magnet of some sort?" Dana Hamilton knew she ought to feel offended by her friend's comment, but she took it with a smile and a gulp from her drink. Besides, that was Susan - she never messed with small talk too much. "Well wolf, like I said-" "Would you stop calling me that in here? there's people who know me wondering around, and I don't wanna get that nickname spreading around here!" Ivanova could feel herself blushing. She didn't want people to know about the name...than they'll know why she got it. "Ah, chill a little Susan! don't worry, I promise I won't tell it to nobody. Scout's honor." And with that, Dana raised her arm and signaled the for another round of drinks. Breathing a sigh of relief, susan leaned back in her chair. "Ok ok Dan. Sorry about freaking out. I'm just not used to relaxing around here." True enough, she added silently. Around here, I'll never find peace. The waitress approached them and handed them the drinks. Dana paid and thanked her. "Well, it's a pretty big place up here. How's it like, for real? Back home, with all that damn propaganda President Clark's spreading, you can never know for sure." Susan thought about the question in her head. Crossing her hands, she did her best to answer her friend's question. "It is different. Sure, dangers exist here like they do everywhere, but in here you feel like are part of things. Like you really are making a difference. That the future ahead can changed by what we work for here. That's what we and the Captain are trying to do. Just trying to fight back and help." "Wow." Dana felt her face soften. "This really means a lot to you, doesn't it?" Ivanova looked at Dana straight in the eye. "Even worth dying for Dan." Dana's smile grew wider, even though her eyes remained serious. "You're still the same wolf. Military to the core, ready to fight for your beliefs and defend others even if the price is your life. Genya would have been so proud of you." Susan's heart clenched at her brother's name. She whispered, "I know. Thank you Dana. I know you loved him too. And he would have been proud of you too." Dana blushed a little (or so it seemed), and cleared her voice. "Well, I'd say this party needs a rocking. So what say ya wolf, should we go off and hunt us some *hopefully* good guys for the evening?" She grinned an evil grin at Susan. (Oh oh). Ivanova knew that now she's REALLY in trouble. When the topic's men, Dana was at her full storm. "Ahh...I think I better turn in now. It's already late, and I've had a very long day, and I gotta get up at 5:30 P.M...so maybe you should just-" "Say WHAT?!! Did you just say what I think you said? Susan, come on! I know you always had probs with that relationship stuff and all, but this is pure fun! Just to find some guys to entertain and dance with us tonight. Pleaseeee, it'll be good for you NOT to work for one evening." Oh boy, Ivanova's mind almost screamed. Now we're in for it. She had to admit, the idea of going out with Dana and just have fun for the night had a certain appeal...but this was B5, and people here know her, and if someone she knows will see her...like the Captain, or Delenn, or even Marcus... That last picture in her mind, of Marcus seeing her having fun and NOT having something smart-ass to say...that did it. Tonight, Commander Susan Ivanova was going to party on good, like she deserves. Not like her usual self, but just to feel free and happy - even for just a night. Time to rock 'n' roll. "Actually Dana, now that you've put it THAT way..." *** "Well my friend, I think it is my time to leave. I came here only to meet my fellow warrior and friend, not for an official business. And there are always problems back home to be dealt with." Marcus nodded, even though he felt sorry Neroon had to leave so soon. "Of course Neroon. I know about your position and duties. You're needed back on Minbar. But still, I was hoping that maybe tonight(for a change) I can show you MY home here. To let you feel B5 for what it is. I know it's a big request and all, and I feel rather-" "Enough Cole. It honors me that you wish to share your home with me." Neroon stood up and straightened his position. "I apply to your request, Ranger Cole." Than he smiled a little and added, "I like would to see this place for what it truly is." Marcus breathed a little sigh of relief and stood up as well. Heading out of his quarters, he signaled Neroon to follow. "Well, I hope you're ready for a rather interesting evening. Follow me ." ***