From GaryZepHed@aol.comSat Feb 24 21:38:46 1996 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 12:45:12 -0800 From: Gary Darling Reply to: b5-creative@blob.best.net To: b5-creative@blob.best.net Subject: Valentine's Day part 1 of 4 ` ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE by Gary Darling part 1 of 4 It was another day on the station that was christened "the last, best hope for mankind." And like any other day, the daily activities ranged from the miraculous to the mundane. Ambassador Delenn was going through the mountain of paperwork that had accumulated during the last several weeks. "Lennier, please circulate this to Ambassador Mollari's office." "Of course, Ambassador. Will you require anything else?" "Yes. Would you.... No, never mind. I will take care of it myself." Lennier departed without as much as a question as to Delenn's hesitation. He was used to her type of behavior - she was one person that would rather do something on her own, rather than delegate responsibilities to others. Delenn returned to her pile of work. As she picked up the next trade agreement, she became disinterested in the work ahead. Rather, her thoughts turned to more... personal matters. It had been long time since she had been able to spend time alone with John Sheridan. In fact, the *last* time there was any personal contact was when John came to rescue her from the Inquisitor There was the christening of the White Star, however. Captain John Sheridan was the perfect choice to be the leader of the Rangers. Delenn was adamant about her choice to command the new ship. And when he was presented to the keys to the ship, she beamed in pride. And now, her thoughts toward Sheridan turned romantic. Perhaps it was time for another meeting in the garden. Delenn placed a call through the communications panel. "Captain Sheridan here." "Ah, Captain. Would you have a little time later today to meet?" "Well, let me check my schedule." Sheridan briefly paused while he scanned his planner. "Ambassador, my schedule is relatively clear for the rest of the afternoon. "Excellent. Can you meet me in the garden?" "No problem. I can meet you at garden entrance Elm-12 in about an hour... if that's OK with you?" "An hour would be fine. Thank you... John." Delenn terminated her link and began straightening her workspace. It was a formality, as she had already given up on getting anything accomplished. Lennier would understand. No, Lennier would deal with Delenn's absence in typical fashion - with professionalism and courtesy. +++ "Ivanova to Garibaldi. Michael?" "Garibaldi. Go." "Michael, I need you to do a favor for me." "Sure. What have you got?" "Well, that's what I need you to find out. And you've gotta keep it quiet." "Sounds interesting." "I'll say. Meet me in Docking Bay Eight in fifteen minutes." Ivanova was not one to volunteer information readily. Garibaldi was fully cognizant of this fact. He had gotten used to her habits over the course of the last two years. In fact, he often enjoyed tormenting her over it. Garibaldi chuckled to himself as he recalled one of his better pranks. However, he knew that he had better clear the smirk off his face before she arrived. Susan Ivanova strode into Docking Bay Eight with a determined look on her face. Garibaldi usually interpreted this look to mean trouble. "What's wrong, Commander?" "It's not that anything is *wrong,* it's just... strange. "You'll have to help me out on this one." "OK. One hour ago, I received a communique from Minbar regarding an incoming shipment. But the strange thing is that it originated from Ambassador Delenn's office - with instructions not to disclose any part of this operation to the Captain. Which is fine. Weird, but fine. All I'm concerned about is that the contents of the transport ship are A) on the up-and-up, and B) don't pose any threat to Captain Sheridan, or anybody else for that matter." Ivanova and Garibaldi watched as the parcel in question was delivered tho the holding area. The crate measured almost eight feet by four feet. Ivanova surveyed the situation. "Well, it doesn't *look* like a threat. 'Course, there could be a ton of explosives in there." "Explosives. From Minbar. Through Ambassador Delenn. What is it, the Captain's birthday already?." "Garibaldi, I'm serious! it *could* be trouble!" "Well, I guess the only way we'll find out if its dangerous is if we open this bad boy up." "What? I mean, we can't just open it up. It's not our decision...." "Hey, if it affects station security, it becomes my decision." "OK, you talked me into it. Let's just secure the area before we do." "Done. Garibaldi to Allen. Hey Zack, we're carrying out a... diplomatic mission here. Make sure the area is secured down." Zack Allen's voice emanated from Garibaldi's link. "No problem, chief. Do you need any help?" "No, it's no big deal. Just doing things *by the book*." Ivanova snickered at that last comment. "Gotcha, chief. Let me know when all's clear." "You got it. Garibaldi out." Susan was amused. "By the book? Two words that I never thought I'd hear *you* say." "C'mon, Ivanova, where's your sense of adventure? Now let's get this thing open." Garibaldi passed a hand-scanner over the crate. "Well, nothing's setting off the scanner.... Ready?" +++ Vir Cotto was on a mission. As the assistant to Centauri Ambassador Londo Mollari, his job included just about every dirty job that came along. This time, it was tracking down the Ambassador to deliver a message. Ambassador Mollari was conducting diplomatic activities in his favorite work area: the Zocalo. "Bartender! We're ready for another round of drinks. Now, gentlemen, do we have an agreement?" Vir entered the bar area. It really wasn't a challenge to find Mollari. Old habits die hard, Vir thought. "Ambassador! Ambassador! I have an urgent message for you!" "Vir, why are you always bothering me? Can't I do anything without you hounding me? What could be so important that you track me down? Well?" Vir escorted Londo away from the crowd. "Londo, I received a transmission from homeworld. A personal message. And I...." Mollari was becoming annoyed. "Vir! What is it? Spit it out!" "It was from Timov. She's going to be here in two standard days!. I... I thought it was important enough...." "Timov? Coming here?" Mollari appeared shaken by the news. "Vir, clear my schedule for the rest of the day. Come, we have much to do." end part 1 of 4. comments to garyzephed@aol.com Copyright 1996 by Gary Darling. All rights reserved, save for those already owned by others. From GaryZepHed@aol.comSat Feb 24 21:38:50 1996 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 12:45:57 -0800 From: Gary Darling Reply to: b5-creative@blob.best.net To: b5-creative@blob.best.net Subject: Valentine's Day part 2 of 4 Garibaldi was able to remove the outer layer of the mysterious Minbari shipment. Nothing *seemed* out of the ordinary. He proceeded cautiously. Ivanova was not as patient. "Well? What's in there?" "Ivanova, relax. What's the rush? I mean... hello, what's this?" "What? What? What's in there?" "Maybe you'd better have a look for yourself. You're gonna love this." Susan moved over to where Garibaldi was working. She peered in to the box and was intrigued by what she saw. "A gardenbox full of red roses?" Susan shook her head. "What's the reason for that?" Garibaldi shook his head. "I dunno, but if it was by Delenn's request, then it must be on the up and up. Ivanova seemed to be inspecting each rose petal. "These are... beautiful. But why? I mean, our garden is a bountiful greenhouse. Why would she go through the trouble?" "Yeah, but you're forgetting that the stuff grown in the garden is the result of a processed environment. Recycled and refiltered air, reclaimed water.... You could call it 'Frankenstein's Garden' and not be too far off. And look in here. I mean, an automatic watering system, heat lamps on a timer, and...." Garibaldi reached into the box and scooped up a handful of dirt. "Hey, feel this. This is real Earth soil." Garibaldi's voice lowered. "I haven't felt dirt from home in... well, in a very long time." "So she wanted something grown naturally from Earth?" Susan paused to ponder the situation. "Let's see, roses, from Earth, requested by Delenn.... What do you think, Garibaldi?" "I think the Captain's in trouble," Garibaldi responded in a mock-concerned tone. "You think I should warn him? Assign a couple of guards to him? It would make him feel wanted...." "Michael, don't you think this is the least bit mysterious? You're the head of security; what should I do?" "I say guard it with your life or else there'll be hell to pay across the length of the universe." If she thought she could get away with it, Ivanova would have thrown numerous small objects at Garibaldi. +++ Ambassador Delenn had arrived at the garden before John Sheridan. She took the time to admire the beauty of the different species of flowers that prospered in this... this tranquil setting. The garden was the one place that Delenn relied on to take her away from the day-to-day activities of Babylon 5. And Delenn took every opportunity to share it with one other. "Where is he?" Delenn whispered to herself, growing more impatient with every passing minute. Then she saw a familiar figure enter the Elm-12 entrance. "Good day, Ambassador. What can I do for you?" Captain Sheridan seemed somewhat distant. "Captain.... John, I requested that you come down here because...," Delenn hesitated as she tried to pick the right words. "What? Delenn, what's going on?" Sheridan seemed curious rather than annoyed. "Because I missed you," Delenn completed her sentence. She seemed relieved to have those words out. Sheridan was taken aback. He stammered out a response, trying to sound unaffected, "I, uh... I've missed you too, Delenn." Delenn wanted to scream with delight, but Minbari tradition was holding her back. "You have? I'm glad. I miss our time together. That is partly why I asked for you to come down here. I would like you to come to my quarters tomorrow for dinner. And this time, Lennier won't be fasting for 36 hours to prepare the meal, and we don't have to... meditate... every five minutes." "I don't snore!" Sheridan protested. "Of course not, Captain," Delenn replied quickly, smiling at both his response and the memory of the time he came to dinner and fell asleep at the table. "Is 2000 hours good for you?" Sheridan smiled. "That's fine. It's a date." He offered those three words to see what Delenn's response might be. "Good. Thank you... John. Until then...." Delenn turned and left the garden, her skirt swaying in rhythm to her walk. Sheridan remained in the garden, looking at the vast open-air arboretum. "Well, it can't get any worse than last time...." +++ Ambassador Mollari's quarters were in disarray. It appeared as though a violent storm had swept through the area, ransacking every item in its path. "Vir, what are you doing? We are falling behind! If Timov saw the condition of these quarters, she would use my head for PPG practice." Londo began straightening up the kitchenette area. "Londo, may I ask you something?" Vir asked as he was reconstructing Mollari's wardrobe closet. "What is it, Vir?" Londo replied, seeming mildly annoyed. "Why is Timov coming? I don't mean to imply any disrespect, but, when Timov was last here, she said that she didn't even like you." Mollari paused as he collected his thoughts. "While you were away for a moment, I received another transmission from homeworld. Timov said... she misses me. Me! The great ambassador from Centauri. This is the same woman who wanted to know why I chose her as my wife. Well...." Mollari's voice trailed off. Abruptly, he turned to Vir. "Get this place in order immediately! Do nothing else until you are finished." Vir began working a faster pace as Londo headed for the door. When Mollari was out of earshot, he whispered to himself, "Well, if truth were to be known, I miss her too." As the door hissed open, Londo reiterated his last command. "Don't miss anything; I will be back to inspect later!" +++ Ivanova was filling out the last of the paperwork that would keep Delenn's shipment safely in storage when a voice spoke to her from behind. "Commander Ivanova, I see that you received my message." Ivanova turned to see Ambassador Delenn approaching. "Ambassador, yes, here it is. I was just wrapping up down here, making sure it would stay safe." Delenn nodded her head at Ivanova's reply and began to inspect the box more closely. She noticed something odd. "Commander, has this been opened?" Ivanova hesitated for a second, then answered. "Well, to be honest, yes." "Might I ask why, Susan?" "Ambassador, I thought.... I mean, you have to admit that your request about this was out of the ordinary. You've never given me a reason to believe that you're a threat to station security, but I had to be sure. I asked Mr. Garibaldi for help in...." Delenn cut her off, "Mr. Garibaldi? Did he see what was in there, too?" Ivanova flinched slightly at Delenn's question. "Well, yes. He said that as head of security, it was his duty to make sure that no threats were posed to station personnel, and that...." "Has anybody *else* seen the contents of the shipment?" Delenn interrupted. "No, Ambassador, just myself and Mr. Garibaldi." Susan paused for a moment, then spoke in a less official tone. "Ambassador, may I ask you a question?" "Of course, Commander." "What *are* you going to do with the crate?" Delenn turned and bowed her head slightly. "Susan, for a while now, I've felt that there's been a... connection between myself and Captain Sheridan. I value every minute that we're together, whether it's walking down the hall, in council chambers, or in the garden. My heart beats in a different way when I'm around him." Ivanova's eyes widened at what Delenn was saying. "And I wonder if he experiences the same thing about me? I know that he likes me, but...." Delenn paused, unable to continue the sentence. Ivanova spoke quietly. "Ambassador, I don't think you have anything to worry about in that regard. You know, I make it my business to know everything that goes on here. I've seen you either by yourself or conducting your business, and I've seen the captain by himself and when he's on duty. And I've seen both of you together. Trust me, Ambassador, he lights up whenever he's around you." Delenn's eyes blinked rapidly at what Ivanova was saying. "Susan, what do you mean by *light up*?" "Delenn, you know what I mean. He's more relaxed, more conversational, more... well, I'd say more 'in love,' but that's something you're going to have to find out for yourself. So why the crate of roses?" Delenn was hanging on every word that Susan was saying. It took her a few seconds to realize that Ivanova had asked a question and was waiting for a response. "Yes, the roses. I had taken it upon myself to immerse myself in the intricacies of human traditions. I felt that I would better understand the human culture if I knew what these traditions stood for, and what they *meant* to humans. Some were quite easy to understand - Christmas, Thanksgiving.... But others were more difficult to comprehend. This 'St. Patrick's Day?' It appears that the sole purpose of this holiday is to ingest an inordinate amount of alcohol." "That's a failing of humans, I suppose," Susan interjected. We had these holidays that were based on a historical or a religious turning point, and then, over the course of a thousand or so years, the true meaning is lost and a new, more... recreational meaning is given to them." "And then I discovered this 'St. Valentine's Day.' It appears that this tradition is very important to you. We have nothing like it on Minbar. I have found that the giving of gifts on this day is to reinforce the bond between two people. And it appears as though hearts, chocolates, and roses are an integral part of this celebration." "What a woman wouldn't give for a dozen roses on Valentine's Day...." "Yes, that seems to be a recurring thought." Delenn turned her attention to the explanation of the roses. "Babylon 5 just celebrated the new year. And, on Earth, Valentine's Day occurs about forty-five days later. So I thought that this year, I would attempt to celebrate with the Cap-... with John. Do you think he will mind?" "Delenn, I think he'll be very happy at the effort you're making for him. He should be honored at what you're doing. And anything I can do to help you, let me know. I can drop hints to him if you like...." "No! Please don't mention this to him. Susan, I know you mean well, and I appreciate all you've done for me, but I don't want to make him feel uncomfortable. I think that if you were to talk to him, he might feel obligated...." "Okay, okay, don't worry, I won't say anything to the Captain." Ivanova reassured Delenn. "Ambassador, everything's all set. Nothing will happen to the roses. I've given your office the clearance code for the storage room. Nobody else will have access to it. I've classified it under 'diplomatic' - you'll be all set." "Commander, thank you for your efforts. If I have any questions, I will contact you - discreetly, of course," Delenn said, as a smile overtook her face. "Ambassador, good luck. Everything will turn out fine." Delenn left the room for her quarters. As soon as the door shut, Ivanova's link beeped. "Garibaldi to Ivanova." "This is Ivanova. What's up, Michael?" "Are you all finished down there, Commander? Anything out of the ordinary?" "Garibaldi, 'out of the ordinary' is quite a way to put it," Ivanova replied. "What do you mean? Wait, don't answer." Garibaldi paused for a moment, then continued. "When you get off duty, why don't you come over for dinner? I'll whip up another of my famous recipes." "Sounds good. I'll be over at 1700 hours." Ivanova closed the link and secured the storage room. "This is becoming quite an interesting day...." end part 2 of 4. comments to garyzephed@aol.com Copyright 1996 by Gary Darling. All rights reserved, save for those already owned by others. From GaryZepHed@aol.comSat Feb 24 21:38:53 1996 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 12:46:37 -0800 From: Gary Darling Reply to: b5-creative@blob.best.net To: b5-creative@blob.best.net Subject: Valentine's Day part 3 of 4 Ambassador Mollari had returned to the Zocalo for another round of drinks. With Timov on the way, he thought it the best course of action. "Why did she pick now to come here? This must be some sort of Narn curse on my life...." Mollari spoke to no one in general. "Good day, Ambassador." Mollari turned to confront the speaker. "Ah, Captain Sheridan! How are you?" "Fine, Ambassador, fine. How are you?" Sheridan replied. "Captain, you would not believe.... Timov is coming tomorrow." Sheridan paused to remember. "Timov? Isn't she one of your wives?" "She's my only wife now. I chose her over those other two... parasites. And now, that decision is rearing its ugly head. I believe its time for another drink. Captain, may I get you something?" "No, thank you, Ambassador. So, I take it that you don't *want* to see your wife?" "I don't know if that's the right way to put it. She.... I think you humans have a phrase that would apply - she 'cramps my style?'" Sheridan laughed out loud. "Ambassador, it looks like you're in for quite a time. Why don't you go to the garden? I find it most relaxing when I'm... stressed." "I think I'm doing the prudent thing right here, thank you." Sheridan shook his head and laughed to himself. "I've got to go, Ambassador. Have a good time," Sheridan said as he left Mollari's side. Mollari stopped for a second, then spoke in the Captain's general direction. "Thank you, but I have other plans!" Sheridan smiled and shook his head as he left the Zocalo. +++ Susan Ivanova had just gotten off duty. She had been scheduled to end her work day at 1730 hours, but most things on Babylon 5 never adhere to a published schedule. And now it was time for a home-cooked meal. Susan knew that Garibaldi was passionate about his cooking. It probably was the only thing that kept him from going insane, she thought. As she entered the corridor of his quarters, she caught a whiff of food being cooked. The odor was quite strong, and it smelled wonderful. Ivanova rang Garibaldi's door. The door hissed open as Michael Garibaldi called out "Come in!" "Michael, this smells great. You can smell it out in the hallway!" Ivanova said as she entered his quarters. "Hey, when I do something, it's either all or nothing. C'mon, sit down. It's almost ready." Susan moved toward the dining area without hesitation. "Okay, okay, you don't have to twist my arm." "So what went on today?" Garibaldi asked as he served his dish. "Well, let's see. There were fourteen incoming freighters that had to be rerouted due to the temporary construction in the docking bay; Dr. Franklin requested that the entire command crew report to MedLab within one week's time for a physical; Lieutenant Corwin intercepted...." "Not that stuff," Garibaldi interrupted. "What about Ambassador Delenn's crate?" "Ambassador Delenn's crate?" Susan was having fun feigning non-interest in the topic. "Oh, that. Well, it *is* a long story. I don't know if we have the time...." "We'll make the time, we'll make the time." Garibaldi passed Susan a drink. "C'mon, spill your guts...." +++ Lennier entered the storage area where Ambassador Delenn's shipment was stored. With him, he brought some gardening tools and an old Earth book. "This is quite curious," he said out loud, with no one else in the room to hear him. "'101 Tips To A Better Rose Garden.' Most unusual title...." Lennier opened the crate that stored the garden of roses. Ambassador Delenn had assigned him the task of making these flowers presentable in the tradition of the humans. Certainly, this was an assignment not covered by Minbari training.... +++ "That was an excellent dinner, Michael," Ivanova said after finishing her dessert. "I'm glad you liked it. Let's move into the other room. I'll bring something to drink." Garibaldi went to the kitchenette as Susan sat on a couch. "So Michael, what do you think is going on with Captain Sheridan and Ambassador Delenn?" Garibaldi joined Ivanova on the couch. "Well, to tell you the truth, I thought that I noticed them together a little more than what I would call normal. I mean, I never gave it a second thought. You know, there's so much going on that, sometimes, I start thinking something and then have to move on to more important matters." Garibaldi lowered his voice slightly. "That doesn't mean that I think something *could* be going on between those two. It would probably be good for both of them to get together." "So do you think they're in love?" Ivanova asked. "I don't know. You're probably in a better position to answer that. After all, you were the one giving Delenn advice today." Ivanova smiled. "I think she is attracted to him, but she doesn't know how to proceed. I think she's afraid of offending him, or losing him as a friend, but I really get the feeling that she wants to be...um...more than friends." "Well, if she's going through all this effort to impress the Captain, there must be something there. So do you think we should do anything to help the little lovebirds?" Garibaldi mused. "Michael, I promised Ambassador Delenn that I wouldn't tell anyone, including you, and now you want to get involved? Are you insane? Besides, I think they'll do all right on their own. Jeez, I can't believe I'm telling you all of this. Yoe've got to promise not to utter a word of this." Garibaldi became more reassuring. "Susan, don't worry. I won't say a thing, to either of them. But, it'll be fun to watch them as they try to act nonchalant." "Don't you think it's romantic? I mean, I would love someone to show this kind of effort over me. Maybe someday...." Susan's voice trailed off. Garibaldi moved closer to Susan and put his arm around her. "Hey, it'll happen for you. Probably sooner than you think." Ivanova looked at Garibaldi suspiciously. "Michael, what are you up to?" Garibaldi tried to appear innocent. "I'm not up to anything. I'm just sitting here with a very good friend talking about how to play matchmaker for an alien ambassador and a commander of a space station. Not up to anything at all." "Good. Because if you were, I'd have to...." "You'd have to what?" Garibaldi interrupted. "Reprogram my shower settings? Ooh, that would be horrible! Especially if I *had* a shower. C'mere...." Garibaldi leaned over and kissed Susan. Ivanova didn't pull away; rather, she kissed back. After a moment, she stopped and looked at Garibaldi. "Michael... um... what... are we doing?" Garibaldi looked deep into her eyes. "If you don't want to continue, that's okay. I hope you're not offended." "Of course not," Susan replied. "In fact, I've often wondered what it would be like to kiss you." Ivanova leaned over, put her hands on Garibaldi's head, drew him in and kissed him again. +++ When Londo Mollari finally awoke, half the day had passed. Realization of what was about to happen began to filter through his brain. "Vir! Vir! Where are you?" Mollari shouted. Vir appeared at the doorway. "Ambassador, you're awake. I was becoming concerned." Londo waved his hand. "Yes, Yes.... Vir, time is it?" "1300 hours, Ambassador." Vir appeared anxious. "1300 hours?!?" Timov will be here within the hour! I knew I should have stayed unconscious. No matter. Vir, is everything ready?" Mollari asked. "Yes, everything is taken care of. I also took care of some things that we overlooked earlier. There was...." Mollari cut him off. "I don't care. Everything will work out in due time. Let's get ready for the apocalypse. Come, Vir!" Mollari led Vir out of the quarters and down to the main transport receiving area. "Do you think we have time to stop off for a quick drink?" Londo asked. "Ambassador, I don't think that would be a good idea. Certainly not a good idea." Vir tried to corral Londo away from the corridor that led to the Zocalo. "Yes, you are probably right, Vir," Londo replied. "We will probably need the drinks *after* Timov's visit. Londo and Vir arrived at the transport area rather quickly. All that remained was the interminable wait for the transport ship. They didn't have to wait long. A group of passengers came through the customs area. One voice stood out from the rest. "Londo! Londo! Where are you?" Timov had arrived. Mollari whispered to Vir, "Do you think there's still time to get away?" Londo turned to the crowd of people, "Timov! How are you? Nice to see you again!" "Londo, I doubt that you're really excited to see me. No matter." Timov turned to Vir, "You can go now." Vir started to speak, but thought better of it. He left the receiving area without a word. Timov turned back to Mollari, "Londo, let's go. I want to talk to you in private." It took less time than ever to reach Londo's quarters. A direct route, without a detour to the Zocalo, had never been attempted by the Ambassador. Soon, they were back to his quarters. Londo was the first to speak. "Timov, I got your message. Most interesting. It said that you 'missed me.' Is that what you really meant?" "I thought that would get your attention." Timov began walking around the room. "As far as missing you, yes, I do miss you. I used to think that I could be your wife and live without necessarily seeing you at all. I was wrong. Since the last time I was here, I've had time to think about all that had gone on. You didn't have to keep me as your sole wife. In fact, I thought you would have gotten rid of all three of us and found someone new. But then, you chose me. I was actually moved by that commitment. And I would like to spend more of my time with you. And that is why I am here now." Londo sat down while Timov was talking. After she finished, Londo collected his thoughts. "Timov, I chose you as my wife because... I shall probably regret ever saying this... I love you. And I do, Timov. I told you before that you were the one person I could trust to tell me when I had overstepped my bounds. You never tried to 'butter me up' to gain favor. I was always quite impressed with that." "Londo, you never cease to amaze me." Timov sat down beside Mollari. "I hope you are glad to see me," she continued. Londo began to respond, but Timov put a finger to his lips to silence him. He was startled by her movement. Then, when the shock of that action wore off, Timov began to kiss Londo. Londo pulled back. "Timov? Are you mad? You never kissed me like that before." "Perhaps I was in error. Now just be quiet and relax," and Timov kissed him again. As Timov kissed Londo, for what seemed a rather long time, he wondered why he had never pictured her in a more romantic way. After twenty minutes, Timov abruptly stopped. Londo was caught off guard. "Well, it's time for me to go, Londo," Timov said matter-of- factly. "I shall contact you after I get back to homeworld." "What? you're leaving? You just got here! And we were getting along so well!" Londo was understandably confused. "Londo, I don't want to rush anything. Let's just say that we'll take things slowly, so we don't ruin what we have. I shall talk to you soon." Timov got up and promptly left the ambassador's quarters. As she left the room, Vir appeared. "Londo, is everything all right? I just saw Timov. She said she was leaving." Londo appeared bewildered. "Vir, she loves me. That is why she is leaving. She feels that it would be better for our... relationship." Mollari stood up. "Vir, I think *this* is the right time for a drink." end part 3 of 4. comments to garyzephed@aol.com Copyright 1996 by Gary Darling. All rights reserved, save for those already owned by others. From GaryZepHed@aol.comSat Feb 24 21:38:56 1996 Date: Wed, 14 Feb 96 12:47:19 -0800 From: Gary Darling Reply to: b5-creative@blob.best.net To: b5-creative@blob.best.net Subject: Valentine's Day part 4 of 4 Ivanova was at her position on C & C. She was two-thirds of the way through her shift. She had some difficulty concentration on her work, due to the event of last night. She had no regrets, but she was somewhat confused as to how to proceed. "Commander?" Lieutenant Corwin called out. "Transport ship requesting permission to depart." "What? Oh, yes. Permission granted." Ivanova was definitely distracted. "Commander, may I have a word with you for a moment?" Garibaldi had approached her while she was dealing with Corwin. "Mr. Garibaldi, this, uh... is not a good time. Perhaps later?" Garibaldi appeared as though he didn't hear her. "Look, Susan, i thought that I should talk to you about last night. I just wanted you to know that I don't want to do anything that will jeopardize our friendship. That's the most important thing of all to me. If anything else ever happens, great, but I don't want to lose what we have right now." Ivanova absorbed the meaning of his words. "Michael," she said softly, "all we did was kiss on your couch for a while. I knew what I was doing. In fact, I was hoping that you wouldn't take it the wrong way. I'm with you - I don't want to lose what we have. That doesn't mean I'm not interested, just not now. I don't think I'm ready for this right now. Besides, we're too busy playing matchmaker for a certain couple. Did you see the Captain today?" "Yeah, I saw him a couple of hours ago. Don't worry, I was cool. I asked him, you know, 'what's going on,' 'how's everything going,' that sort of thing." "And? And?" Ivanova eyes widened, waiting for a response. "And - he said everything was fine, nothing going on." Ivanova smirked, "Aha! That's proof! He's hiding something. You know the Captain. He never let's on about anything unless he wants people to know about it. And this is something that... I don't picture him wanting anybody to know about." Garibaldi nodded in agreement. "So what do we do?" Ivanova had a plan. "The first thing we do is make sure that nothing happens over the next several hours that requires the presence of the Captain. After that... well, let's play it by ear." "Good plan. Talk to you later," Garibaldi said as he turned to leave. "Let me know if you hear anything," Ivanova called out to him. Garibaldi waved in acknowledgement as Susan smiled to herself. "The universe is still here. That's probably a good sign...." +++ It was just 2000 hours when Captain Sheridan approached Ambassador Delenn's quarters. He had a rather uneventful day, given that something out of the ordinary happened almost on a daily basis on Babylon 5. He was unsure, however, of what the night would bring. The door to Ambassador Delenn's quarters chimed. Sheridan didn't have long to wait in the hallway, as the door opened promptly. "Come in, Captain," called out Delenn. "I am still preparing the dinner. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable." Sheridan entered her quarters and began to take in his surroundings. "Ambassador, you've made quite a few changes in the decor, haven't you?" "Yes, I have. I hope you like them," Delenn said, still in the kitchen area. "I like them a lot," Sheridan replied. He began to inspect the room more closely. There were objects that he had never physically seen before. "Is this a music box? Does it work?," Sheridan asked. "Ah, yes, the music box. Yes, it does work, even though it's almost three hundred years old. Please, go ahead and listen to it." Sheridan delicately picked up the antique music box and opened it slowly. It began to play its song. "It's beautiful. What's the name of it?" Delenn entered the room where Sheridan was. "It's an old song from Earth. "It's called 'Love Story.' I believe it is from a, what were they called, a movie?" "Ah, yes, movies. They were quite popular back then. It was considered to be quite the social activity." "So you know much about them?" Delenn inquired. "No, not a lot," Sheridan replied. "I do know that young people considered the movies as an activity for... dates. At least, that's what I recall from history classes." "On Minbar, we never had anything like that. Everything was all pre-arranged." "That's a shame," Sheridan said. "It sounds like you missed out on a lot." "Well, you would never miss something if you never had it in the first place." Delenn's reasoning powers were impeccable. Sheridan shut the music box and placed it back on the shelf. He spied another item further down the shelf. "I don't think I've ever seen this before. A hard cover copy of 'Romeo And Juliet?'" Delenn, where did you get these things?" Sheridan asked curiously. "I... have my sources," Delenn replied. "Do you like them? They are all from your world." "They're great pieces, Delenn. I didn't know you had an interest in Earth antiques." Sheridan was still looking at the book. "John, there's something else I want you to see." A timer alarm sounded from the kitchen. "Oh dear, the food is ready. Wait here for just a moment." Delenn went to tend to the meal. Sheridan went back to look at the music box. As he opened the music box again, Delenn returned to the room. "John, our dinner is ready. Would you come into the dining area?" Delenn turned and headed for the dining area, still unlit. "Lights on, half level," Delenn called out. Slowly, the room lit up. Sheridan followed behind Delenn, marvelling at the effort she was putting into this dinner. The traditional Minbari dining table was still there, but now it was covered with a red tablecloth, highlighted with white lace trim. On the table were two candles, flame lightly flickering. And then there were the roses. There must have been dozens of them, Sheridan thought. "Do you like the table?" Delenn asked. "Delenn, it's amazing. Where did you get all the roses?" "Then you like them, John?" "They're beautiful, Delenn. But how... where did you get so many?" Sheridan was more curious than ever. "I arranged to have them sent from Earth. And, as of this morning, they were still growing in Earth soil," Delenn explained. "But why? What's going on, Delenn?" "John, do you know what today is?" Delenn tilted her head as she asked the question. "Uh, no.... Nothing comes to mind. Wait a minute. What's the date today," Sheridan said as he racked his brain. "It's Valentine's Day, John," Delenn answered. "And I would like you to be my valentine." "Delenn, I would be honored to be your valentine. I'm embarrassed that I didn't remember what the day was. I hope you'll forgive me." Sheridan moved to Delenn and put his arms around her. "In fact, I should be the one asking you to be *my* valentine." "I believe I would love to be your valentine," Delenn responded, comfortable in John's arms. "Delenn, you're wonderful," Sheridan said, looking into her eyes. He always knew she was beautiful, but now, with her in his arms, he gained a newfound appreciation for her. And then a second later, he kissed her. Spontaneity served them quite well. After a moment, they stopped their kiss. Delenn looked toward the dining table. "John, our food, it's getting cold." "Delenn, the food can be reheated," Sheridan assured. "I think we should pick up where we left off." "Delenn smiled. "That would seem to be a wise course of action. No wonder they made you a Captain." Sheridan laughed. "Command decisions, Ambassador." He picked up a rose from the table. "Happy Valentine's Day, Delenn...." Sheridan's voice faded as his lips met Delenn's. +++ The next morning, Ambassador Mollari, Mr. Garibaldi, and Captain Sheridan encountered each other in the main corridor, "Ah, Captain Sheridan, Mr. Garibaldi. What a lovely day, eh?" Mollari asked. "Yes, a fine day, Ambassador," Sheridan replied. "How is Timov?" "Timov... left yesterday. Overall, it was a good visit. Not like anything I had ever planned," Mollari explained. "Gentlemen, I will see you later." "Good day, Ambassador," Sheridan said as he turned to Garibaldi. "Michael, how's everything going with you?" "Just fine, Captain. Nothing gone wrong yet, but the day is still young," Garibaldi said, with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "And what about you?" "Oh, everything's fine. I had an interesting night last night. Ambassador Delenn made dinner for me." "Really? How was it?" Garibaldi appeared intrigued. "It was quite good, actually. It reminded me of Earth, in an odd sort of way," Sheridan said. Garibaldi checked his personal chronometer. "Whoops, I'm late for a meeting with Commander Ivanova. I'll see you later." "One thing before you leave, Chief," Sheridan said. "What's that, Captain?" "Do you know when St. Patrick's Day is?" Sheridan asked. "Uh, I think its about a month away. March 17th, I think. Why?" "Something Ambassador Delenn said as I was leaving last night," Sheridan replied. "What did she say?" Sheridan appeared confused. "She said 'just wait until St. Patrick's Day.'" end part 4 of 4. comments to garyzephed@aol.com Copyright 1996 by Gary Darling. All rights reserved, save for those already owned by others.