From ambc@iol.ie Tue Jan 28 22:43:38 1997 Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:43:18 GMT From: avril cullen To: b5-creative@lists.best.com Subject: Second chances 1/4 I've been lurking away here for a few months now and I've finally decided to contribute. This is my first piece of fan-fiction, any criticsm , or tips on how to improve would be welcome. Hope at least some of you enjoy. Avril LEGAL STUFF: Babylon 5 and all the characters there in are the creations of J. Micheal Straczinski and the copy-right of Warner Brothers. I am getting no finicial rewards for this, just having a a good time. Here goes: SECOND CHANCES PART ONE Narn Homeworld - 2261 OCT 9 The interrogation had begun hours earlier and still the prsisoner had not spoken . He stared at the wall of the cell, ignoring all the questions. He was tired, and sore. He could not stay awake , but every time his eyes closed, they hit him, waking him. But still he did not speak. They broke his hands and still he did not speak. He stared at the wall and thought of her. Thinking of her meant her would not betray her, or the others. Thinking of her gave him strentgh. Babylon 5 - 2261 OCT 10 Susan Ivanova was tired. She hadn't slept well the last two nights, not since the reconnaisence ship to Narn had left. Marcus Cole had left with the ship in order to contact the Rangers on the planet. Three days ago the scout ship entered Narn space and then nothing had been heard from it since. "Marcus is well able to take care of himself and besides the captain of the Narn vessel, T'Jan was experienced.If anything had happened they would have heard by now." She thought to herself." Anyway, it wasn't as if anything was going to happen .This was a straight forward reconnaisence mission, like many both she and Marcus had carried out before. It was just that this time she wasn't with on the mission, wasn't in control and that scared her. That if she wasn't there something would go wrong, and something might happen to him. Scared for Marcus , what was she thinking the next thing she would start thinking she cared for the irritating liitle git." But that wasn't just it . There were the dreams. The last two nights she dreamt of Marcus. The first time she had woken up , shaking. She had always had vivd dreams, but she had never dreamt of Marcus before. It was not as if he meant that much to her, but the last two days she had been unable to stop thinking about him, and then at night she dreamt of him. Not so much dreams, but nightmares. He was alone in a dark place, and he was hurt. He turned around and saw her amd beged her to help him, but she couldn't reach him. She turned away and then he stood behind her, covered in blood and in his arms was the body of a woman. She could not see her face. This time he did not appear to notice her. He was crying and whispering softly - "I'm so sorry" he said, " so sorry". Then he would look up and see her. "I'm so sorry Susan, please forgive me, please ," She could see tears in his eyes and then somehow there was a knife in his hand. And as she watched, unable to stop him he took the knife and slowly slit his own throat. She could only watch helplessly as blood flowed down from his lifeless body onto that of woman he had held. " No.", she would scream. Slowly she would cross the room, and reach out to him, as she got nearer she could see the face of the woman. It was her own. At that point, Susan would wake up, screaming. Both times the dreams had been vivid, so real and so frightening. She didn't understand them.She couldn't even figure out why she was dreaming of Marcus. She had never dreamt of him before. All she knew was that something was very wrong. A voice over the link broke the train of her thoughts. "Ivanova to C& C ", said John Sheridan. "We've got news from Narn aboout the scout ship. It's not good ." Susan felt a tightness in her throat and a sense of fear overwhelmed her,fear for Marcus, fear for herself . " Oh God, please may everything be all right, I can't lose him again." ------------------------------------------- C& C OCT 10 2261 23:00 hrs "The scout ship was intercepted by Centauri cruisers as they came out of hyperspace. The Centuari have announced the caputre and exceuction of 25 Narn prisoners " said G'kar. "David McIntyre managed to find that much out from his scource in the occupation government. I' m sorry, Delenn, but there was no mention of any other survivors. He was unable to find out anything about Marcus." "Thank-you G'Kar", said the Ent'il'zha of the Rangers, " They took a great risk even just getting that much infomation to us .I'm sorry for the loss of your people." "What matters now " interupted John Sheridan "is how this affects our plans to attack Narn. Did they obtain any information about the fleet.." " He is unsure " answered G'Kar.... Susan listened to the converstion around her without paying much attention.All she had heard was G'Kar words, that there was no mention of him. " Maybe he made it to the planet below , maybe they captured him, maybe he's still alive", she thought. "Susan, how soon would it take us to get the fleet to full readiness?. How soon could we attack Narn?. Susan.. are you with us?" asked Sheriden, looking acroos the room at his first officer. Susan was clearly distracted. She looked pale and tired. Sheriden realised that she looked exhausted. "Susan, are you all right" he asked, suddenly worried. She stared up at him, looking slighly startled. " I'm sorry, we could have the fleet ready to depart in approximately six hours, with a bit of effort and some luck. Are we're moving the attack forward?." "I think that would be the wisest option" answered Sheriden. " Everyone agree then." Follwing discussions on the revised battle plan they all got up to leave. Sheriden stopped Susan, " Commander , are you all right? " he asked, a look of concern on his face. " You don't look the best, to be honest you look exhausted." " I'm fine", she answered, " I just haven't been sleeping the best these last couple of nights" " Worried about Marcus. I know that you and he were friends, I understand." "I'm O.K. " answered Susan. " Susan, I know its hard." " What if he's still alive, we don't know, he maybe on Narn" she interupted. "Susan, I hope not " he answered , looking her sight in the face.He could see her fight to maintain her composure. He had not realised that she and the ranger had become so close. He felt awful as he continued. "It would be better for him if he were not. He knows the details and identities of most of the Narn resistence and the Rangers on Narn. He could even identify our supporters on Centauri Prime. Susan, I pray to God that he is dead. Marcus knew that he could not allow himself to be captured alive," said Sheriden soflty. " He knew what would happen if ...." . " But he's still alive, I know that." answered Susan, her face as pale as a ghost. " He frightened, and he's hurt, but he's still alive" "I'm sorry Susan, but that's impossible you cant know that" replied Sheriden. He looked at his First officer and then grabbed her suddenly as she collapsed into his arms. " Sheriden to Medlab, I need some-one to C& C now". ----------------------------------------------------- NARN 2261 OCT 11 01:00 HRS. When he was a child , Marcus had been afraid of the dark, afraid of the shadows. He was like that now. He knew that they would come for him soon and he wasn't sure how long he could last against Them. The Minbari had thoughht him about fear and terror, how to fight it, how to use it, but against the Shadows he was not sure if he could. The Centauri were efficient when they tortured him. They had thrown him into the cell when they were finished, not even bothering to restrain him. It didn't make any difference , he could not escape anyway. They had broken his legs, then they had broken his hands. The pain was bad but he could block that out, the Minbari had thought him how. He knew he was going to die here, alone in the dark, but he didn't fear death. What he feared was what the Shadows would do to him before death. What secrets they would take from him. He had to keep it together. It was two days since he had been captured . Only one more day and the fleet would have made it to Narn. One more day to fight them, one more day of terror, then he could die and not worry about Shadows any more. As he lay in the dark damp cell, he thought of the one thing, the Minbari had not thought him, love, As he waited in the dark, he thought of her, of what it would be like to hold her in his arms, to caress her hair, to kiss her lips. ---------------------------------------- END OF PART ONE - ---------------------------------------------- Avril From ambc@iol.ie Tue Jan 28 22:44:11 1997 Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:43:36 GMT From: avril cullen To: b5-creative@lists.best.com Subject: second chances 2/4 SECOND CHANCES PART TWO BABYLON 5 - OCT 11 01:15 HRS Stephen Franklin looked at the woman lying on the bed in front of him. Susan Ivanova's vital signs were stable and there was no evidence of any abnormality on any of her test scans. "What's wrong with her",asked a concerned John Sheriden. " I don't know ",replied Franklin. "She's semm to be suffering from severe exhaustion." Ivanova moaned and slowly started to wake up. "She told me she culod sense that Marcus was still alive. She got very agitated, saying she could sense him, that he was in pain", said Sheriden. "Maybe she is reacting towards Marcus. Maybe she was right and he is alive and somehow she is experiencing what he is feeling." "Stephen, is that possible", aksed Sheriden." Ivanova has some mild latent telepathic abilities, but she's never been able to contact anyone before, just block scans. Could she possibly have some sort of link with Marcus?" "Idon't know " said Stephen, " Some telepaths can experience the emotions of someone thay are very close to, under conditions of extreme stress but Susan and Marcus are barely friends. I mean she just about tolerates the poor guy". " The Commander and Marcus mean a lot more to each other than either of them will admit", said a deep voice behind them. Sheriden and Franklin turned to see a tall Minbari standing behind them. " Trust me I've been watching the two of them play theIR liitle games for months now, and very entertaining it is too." "Draal , what are you doing here ", aksed a puzled Sheriden. " Hopefully being of some help ", said the Minbari."I may be able to be of assistance to your beatiful first officer ". " How", said Susan Ivanova from behind them . She was sitting on the edge of the bed. " I know the scource of your dreams", answered Draal. --------------------------------------------------- Sheriden and Franklin had left herself and Draal alone. "What is happening to me", she asked. "You reacting to the fact that the one you love is in danger, that is all ",answered Drall a grin on his broad features." "I don't love Marcus, I don't even like him". "Nonsense, Commander, even if you won't admit, you are. Anyway, you've no choice, you are both meant to be together." "What do you mean meant...", she replied very agitated. "The two of you are bound by a older stronger link, and now that he's in danger he is using that link to reach out to you,to the one person he loves above all else, the only one who can protect him now as you did before ", answered Draal. "What do you mean as I did before?" "We all have past lives", said Draal." As you are aware many of the Mibari have been reborn as Human. Most of the Rnagers have Minbari souls. Marcus is one such soul, you are another." Susan stared at the older madn as he continued speaking. "Because of your latent telepathic abilites your bond with him is much stronger than is normal between reborn souls". "But why now, why am I only sensing this now ?", she asked. "First leet me tell you a story", said Draal. "A thousand years ago, a young Minbari warrior was captuered by the Shadows. He was Valen's closest aide. and was privy to all the details of the plans to attack the Shadow fleet. It was the eve of the most important battle of the war, and if Valen lost this battle, the alliance he had created would be broken and the Shadows would win. The Shadows were desperate to find out where the attack would take place. The young Minbari knew this. The Shadows broke his body but he wouild not betray Valen. He endured horrors and pain beyond imagination, but still he would not betray Valen. Then the Shaodws took the woman he loved and tortured her to death in front of him, but he still did not tell them where Valen was going to attack. When the attack came , the Shadows were defeated. As they retreated Valen searched desperately through the ruins of their base for his friend. They found him in a cell holding the dead body of his wife in his arms. He was covered in her blood." Susan gapsed as Draal described the scence she had dreamed the previuous two nights. Draal ignored her and continued. "They say he looked at Valen , and whispered something to the Minbari leader. Then he grabbed a knife and before they could stop him he killed himself , cutting his own throat. His blood mingling with that of his dead wife on the ground in front of Valen. It is said that Valen took their bodies and buried them in a sacred place , beside a river on Minbar where no shadows fall. But legend grew around the story and for many years there were those on Minbsr who said they could see the ghost of the warrior crying over the grave of the one he loved asking her to forgive him. "They also say that as he buried them, Valen wept and swore that they would never be parted again. They say he promised that the next time he would save them. That next time there would be no death." "I dream that story", said Susan softly. "But they were not Minbari". "I know", said Draal," It was you and Marcus." "Sinclair knew this too, from the moment he met them both a thousand years ago, you see he recognised your souls, he recognised both of them." ------------------------------------------------ NARN - Oct 11 10:00AM They had come for him that morning. They had not spoken, two human males, as they tied his arms behind him and forced him to sit up in the chair. Then they began. He had quikly lost consciousness. He had not eaten or drunk in two days and with his other injuries he was very weak. Physicaly he could not hold out against them long. Then he felt rough hands grab his neck and then something cold touch him. There was a moment of terrible pain and then it was gone. His thoughts were muddled, and then suddenly clear as he felt the presence of another in his mind . He screamed. -------------------------------------------------------- BABYLON 5 - Oct 11 10:01AM Susan Ivanova opened her eyes and found herself lying on the bed in her quaters. She looked up to see Draal standing over her. "They're using a telepath to read his mind", she said weakly. "His training on Minbar will have thought him how to block that",answered Draal. "He's very weak", she said, " I don't think he has the strenghth to hold out much longer." "Then you must give him that strength." "How?" "Go to him, help him fight them". "I can't", she said, " I'm not a telepath, I don't know how to fight them." "He does, just give him your strength and love". Susan lay back on the bed and closed her eyes, and tried to relax and follow Draal's advice. She thought of Marcus, of the last time she had seen him. She began to feel his presence near her. Slowly she reached out to him. She could feel his fear and terror, as the Shadow telepath tried to probe his mind. She saw that he was fighting it off but he was not strong enough to keep going for much longer. He was so weak. She reached out to him, and gave her strength to him, helping him fight off the Shadow telepath's attack. Slowly she could feel him building up the barriers, the Minbari had thought him. The Other became angry, she could feel it's annoyence and it's rage as it increased the intenstity of it's attack. Then everything went black. Susan found herself in a room. She looked around her and saw Marcus in front of her. He was circling a figure dreessed in black, a long Minbari fighting pike in his hands. He did not see her. He continued to fight the other, both of them oblivious of her presence. He stumbled from the blows the other fighter gave him. She gasped as one sharp blow hit his head and he went down. She ran over to him and pushed the other fighter away from Marcus's body. The dark figure disappeared. She leaned over Marcus and held him in her arms. He was badly hurt. For the first time he noticed her presence. He looked in her eyes. " Susan, I sorry ", he said, " I tried not to tell them anything . But I can't fight them much longer, I can't keep them from knowing." "It's okay", she replied , holding his head in her hands. "I did not tell them." "I know" " I haven't got the strength, you must help me finish this". "How", she said, and then she looked down and saw a knife in his hand. "No," she said, " I won't allow that". "Susan you must help me," he said, " I'm to weak to do this myself". Looking in his eyes she knew he spoke the truth. He would never be able to defeat the Shadow telpath and it would only be a matter of time before they found out about the fleet. "What will happen if you die here?", she asked him, her voice trembliing. "I don't know, the Minbari never told us" "I can' do this," she said. "Yes you can," he said and slipped his hand over hers and guided the knife. "I love you so much, I never told you," he said. She held him closely, tears flowing, "I know, I love you too" she said and she pushed the knife into his chest. She held him tightly, feeling his life slip away as the room dissolved into mist. Slowly, she woke to see Draal's worried face above her. "Susan are you all right?", he asked. "I could not save him", she said tears rolling down her face. Softly Draal put his arms around her and held the sobbing woman close. -------------------------------------------------------- Narn - OCT 11 10:15 AM Collins looked at the body of the man in front of him. "What do you mean you cannot scan him anymore?" The telepath turned and looked at the Shadow agent, "He's not there anymore, his mind it is gone, he's just a shell, a body. There's nothing there to scan." -------------------------------------------------- End of part two Avril From ambc@iol.ie Tue Jan 28 22:44:24 1997 Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:43:55 GMT From: avril cullen To: b5-creative@lists.best.com Subject: second chances 3/4 SECOND CHANCES PART THREE Narn, 24 hours later, OCT 12 2261 It was the biggest fleet in history. Once they had attacked the Shadows on Z'hadum and won. Now they were going to keep a promise to the Narn people, to free their world. G'kar stood on the bridge of the White Star and looked at the assembled ships before him. He turned slowly and looked at Sheriden and Delenn standing beside him. " Thank you", he said, " even if we fail today, I thank you for remembering my people." "We will not fail" said Delenn as she took his arm. "We can not fail" Sheriden looked around as he heard footsteps beside him. "We're ready for your command to depart, Captain," said Susan Ivanova. Susan had joined the fleet just before they left Babylon 5. She had said nothing of what had happened with Draal. Sheriden had asked her if she was all right, but she had not answered him. He had never seen her looked so lost, so full of despair. He had felt it was a bad idea for her to come, but he had been unable to stop her. He had asked her once did she still think Marcus was still alive and had been shocked by her answer, a single word "no". ------------------------------------------------------- Narn- OCT 13 2261 They walked through the remaints of the once great city. The battle had been fierce but in the end the Shadows had been defeated. Sheriden, Delenn and G'Kar walked into the builing that once housed the Kha'ri. >From the windows they could see the city below them, flames and smoke were everywhere. Delenn turned sharply at the sound of noise behind them. A figure in a Ranger's cloak stood behind her. "Marcus," she said hopefully. "I am sorry, En'tilz'ha. It is me, David McIntyre," as he removed his hood and revealed the face of the older Ranger who had worked with the Narn resistence for the last 2 years. "We have no news yet on whether he survived. Some of your peOple are searching through the dungeons beneath the buliding but so many were held and they kept no records. It is almost impossible. ---------------------------------- Susan walked through the tunnels beneath the building and despair filled her heart. She had felt nothing since that night with Draal. She had been unable to save him, and now she was searching for his body. "Commander", said Stephen Franklin over the link," we found him". "Susan, he's still alive." ----------------------------------- Susan entered the cell. She could see Stephen bending over a figure in the corner. All she could see was pale skin covered in blood. Stephen turned around and walked over to her. "It's bad, Susan. He shouldn't be alive, but somehow he is.", he said softly. She bent down and gently brushed the hair from the battered face of the man she loved. She knew that now, whatever else , she knew she loved him. "Susan, he's alive but there's no sign of any brain activity. I'm sorry but there's nothing we can do." Kneeling down beside Marcus, she whispered softly. "Can you hear me Marcus, you cannot leave me. I need you, I love you too much". ------------------------------------------ END OF PART THREE Avril From ambc@iol.ie Tue Jan 28 22:44:32 1997 Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 12:33:43 GMT From: avril cullen To: b5-creative@lists.best.com Subject: second chances 4/4 >Date: Fri, 17 Jan 1997 11:34:23 >To: b5-creative@list >From: avril cullen >Subject: second chances 4/4 > >SECOND CHANCES > >PART FOUR > >BABYLON 5 - JAN 10 2262 > > >Susan sat in Med-Lab beside a bed. The thin pale figure on the bed in front of her was still. >Mechines were breathing for him, a regular beat in and out. She had listened to that sound for three months now. He had never regained consciouness. > >Everyday she came and held his hand and talked to him. Telling him about the war and >life on the station. The others came to, G'Kar, Delenn, even Garibaldi. >Stephen belived Marcus could not hear them, but she knew differently. He heard them. > >Stephen said he would never regain consciousness. That there was too much brain damage >when they had found him. Every day his body grew weaker, he would not last much longer. > >Susan refused to give up. Everday she came and told him of ow the war was going. >The Vorlon fleet had attaacked Centauri Prime but Londo and Sheriden had fought them off. >Londo had finally removed the last of the Shadows from his home-world. >Delenn had sent Rangers to Centauri to help him. Londo had been shocked to >find out that there were already Rangers there and even more shocked to find out >that Vir was the head of the Rangers on Centauri. > >"You could hear him muttering about about never trusting a Minbari for days.", >"It was prciceless. Delenn couldn't control herself. She was laughing for hours." > >"Of course, she has every right to be happy. She and John are going to have a child. >Can you belive that?", said Susan, to the still figure in front of her. >Suddenly she felt tears swell up in her eyes . >She looked at the man in front of her and realised he would never see Delenn's child. >He would not be there to watch him grow. He would never have a child of his own. >Grief overwhelmed her. She lay her head down besdie his hand and sobbed. > > ----------------------------------------- > > >There was darkness and a single light. The man sat by the fire and stared at the flames. >He had sat there a long time now. > >"How long are you going to stay there", said a calm voice behind him. >He did not answer. > >"You cannot hide here forever, you must go back" the other said. > >"I cannot,I'm scared." > >"We are all scared "said the voice. "Scared of the choices we make or what >the future may bring, but that is the way life is. To go through life without fear is not to live life. I thaught you that before. Have you forgotten already?" > >The man by the fire looked up. >"Who are you?" he said. > >"I am who I have always been and who I will always be, old friend", said the other coming >out of the shade to reveal his face. >The young man looked in the face of Jefrry Sinclair. > >"Entilzha", he gasped, "But this is impossible. You are dead, > a thousand years in the past". > >"There is no past or future here, just the now",said Sinclair. >"Entilzha, Valen , Jeffrey Sinclair, whatever you want to call me. They are just names. >I am your friend, Marcus Cole and I made a promise a long time ago." > >"I do not understand", said the younger man. > >"Not now, maybe not ever. But I made a promise to you and Susan once and I intend to keep it." > >"Susan, what has she to do with this?", Marcus asked. > >"She is waiting for you." > >"She does not even care for me". > >" You love her and she loves you, perfect symmetry. You were always meant to be together. >You must go back to her. Without you she will not be whole. She needs you, look..". > >The young man felt the mist aaround him increase. In the diatance he could hear sobbing. >He saw a woman lying by a bed. Her long hair covering her face. She was beautiful >and he watched her he realised he loved her. >As he came closer, he heard her sofly whisper, >" Marcus dont you dare leave me, I need you too much". > >Slowly he reached down to her and took her in his arms, >"Sush," he said," I'm here now. I will never leave you again" > > > --------------------------------- > > >EPILOGUE > >Susan stood at the back of the room. Everyone was congratulating the happy couple. >She looked as John took Delenn in her arms and kissed her in front of everyone. >She had never seen anyone look so happy. > >"The proud mother looks radient", said a soft voice beside her. >" Here, you'll need this for the toast." > >She turned and took the glass of champagne from the man beside her. >As he handed her the glass she looker at the scars on his hands. >He was still too pale and too thin. The physical injuries not yet healed. >Some would never heal. He would never be able to walk unaided again, >the damage to his legs too severe. And she doubted he would ever be able to wield >a Minbari fighing-pike again. > >He had given so much, she thought as she looked up into Marcus's eyes. >She loved this man so much that it scared her, and he loved her in return. >No complications, no conditions, just a simple pure love. >The strength of that love scared her, so strong that he had fought death, >to be with her. > >"What's wrong love?," he asked, concern on his face. He put his arms >around her. > >"Nothing. It's just Delenn's not the only one who's happy", she said, returning his embrace. > >Slowly and passionately, Susan Ivanova reached up and kissed him. > > The glass of champagne in his hand fell softly to the ground. > >In the corner of the room Draal smiled as he watched the young couple. > >A thousand years ago Valen also smiled . > >THE END. > >--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------ > > > >Thanks for bearing with me, >Avril. > >