Title: KISS OR KILL
Author: Red Wulf
Part: 4 of ?
Pairing I/M (kind of anyway), Eventually Lyta/Wes Janson also
Rating PG13 for now
Disclaimers: Lucas owns StarWars, JMS owns Babylon 5 I am only borrowing
them for a while.
Archive Instructions: Just put my EMail on it.
Author's notes: This a StarWars/Babylon 5 crossover.
Email Addy: [email protected]
Susan entered the 'War Room' on the alien vessel and was taken aback by the large number of alien races there. It was obvious that this government spanned not only whole worlds but also many different species. That fact alone was amazing to Susan as she thought back to how hard it was to keep the different governments represented back on Babylon 5 from trying to kill each other.
The leader of the military wasn't General Antilles as she had thought, but an odd looking creature that looked like a huge fish standing up on two legs. The large 'fish' turned and addressed her. "Hello Commander, I would like to thank you on behalf of the New Republic for your timely intervention. My name is Admiral Ackbar."
Susan stepped forward and shook the creature's hand. "I am Commander Susan Ivanova, and this is Ranger Marcus Cole. We were glad to help."
"Commander exactly where are you and Ranger Cole from anyway?" General Antilles asked with obvious distrust. "I mean it was very lucky on our part, but how did you know that we would need help?"
"We didn't," Susan answered understanding the General's distrust, but resenting it none the less. "We were in hyperspace on the way to Minbar when Marcus spotted the Shadow fleet. Exactly how we got here and exactly where here is I don't know."
"I might be able to help," Marcus interjected noticing Susan's temper beginning to rise. "When the Shadows made their jump we were caught in some sort of backlash and it must have effected our jump engines. I think we are from another galaxy." The officers around him, including Susan, looked at him as if he were mad.
After a second General Antilles looked at him and said, "All right, accepting that might be true for a second, why would you risk your lives and the lives of your crew to save people that you don't even know?"
By now the deep seated headache and the stress of the galactic jump had begun to get to Marcus. He became serious and told the facts as he knew them. "Those ships that attacked you were Shadows. They are the antithesis of life. My home colony was attacked by them, for a reason that none of us knew. You see, we were a mining colony, not a military outpost. We were of no threat to them, yet they attacked anyway. Did they steal the ores we had mined? No, they just killed everyone there, except me. I lost everyone that day, my brother, every friend I had ever had, a woman I cared for, my entire family and all my friends. Over the last few months the Shadows have wiped out more than one world. They have killed billions and billions. General, against the Shadows we either stand together or we fall separately."
General Antilles stepped forward and laid his hand on Marcus' shoulder. In his years with the rebellion and then with the New Republic he had seen many like Marcus, filled with hatred for the enemy because of what they had done, and filled with hatred for themselves for having survived. Few, if any, had survived long without letting go of their hate. "Son, we have faced an enemy much like that. I understand." He looked in Marcus' eyes and saw unshed, never to be shed, tear.
Wedge wanted to say more but knew the younger man wouldn't listen. To many times he had seen pilots like Marcus, young men and women just looking for a place to die. Survivors Guilt was one of the worse things they faced.
"Wes?" Wedge said turning and speaking to a medium height man next to the door. "These people probably aren't going home for a while. Set up guest quarters on the command deck for them and their crew.
"Commander Ivanova," he said facing the fiery commander, "I am sure you will want to see to your crew. I hope the rooms are satisfactory."
As they left the War Room Susan found herself walking closer to Marcus than usual. She too had seen the fact that Marcus had come close to breaking down Despite how she thought that would make her feel, it actually bothered her worse than if it had happened to her. She brushed the feelings aside and blamed it on the fact that she was tired, had a headache, and Marcus was a good friend.
Susan began to try to focus on their guide Major Wes Janson. Three characteristics were readily obvious to her. One, he was a pilot, his flight suit made this easy to tell. Two, he was very talkative. And three, he was close to being as much of a smart ass as Michael, apparent by the way he kept trying to get either herself or Marcus to say the wrong thing.
Further down the hall a man with sandy blonde hair was walking quickly toward them. Not knowing why she glanced back at Marcus who was bringing out his fighting pike. Susan looked back at the man who in her galaxy would be laughed at for how he was dressed. A white 'kimono' style top, brown baggy pants, brown knee high suede moccasin style boots, and what looked like a short metal pipe attached to his belt.
Wes looked up the hall and saw Luke Skywalker coming towards them. He was surprised to see that both of his guests began to tense up and pull out weapons, at least that was what Wes thought the small pipe in the ranger's hand was. It certainly wasn't a light saber, but the way he drew it and the way his 'girlfriend' stepped out of the way gave the impression that it was not only a weapon, but that the man was skilled in its use. He stepped out of their way at first and then thought better of it and stepped between the two and his friend. Luke saw the movement before him and smiled.
It was obvious to the Jedi Master that the couple was expecting trouble and that they had both faced it before. From the woman he felt anger and mistrust for himself and just about everything else except for the man next to her. The man radiated protectiveness for the woman and a sense of hopelessness. At least one of them had to have Jedi potential. He could feel it light-years away, raw and untrained, but somehow it had been tapped into.
Luke moved towards them with his hands up and arms extended "My name is Luke Skywalker and I am a Jedi Master."
"And is a Jedi Master anything like a Psi Cop?" the woman asked, as she sighted in her weapon.
"I don't know. Exactly what is a PsiCop?" Luke inquired hoping to end the problem.
"It is a very strong telepath that enforces the laws against telepaths." the man replied as he extended the canister into a pike.
"Something like that." Luke knew that wasn't the answer they wanted to hear, but it was the truth and they deserved it. He knew they wouldn't trust him yet. "I don't see why you two would have trouble with them. You aren't telepaths."
"And how would you know that?" the man asked quietly.
"As far as can be determined you can't be both a telepath and have Jedi potential, and you two both have Jedi potential." Luke knew it was the truth even as he spoke.
"And let me guess you are going to force us to go somewhere to get training for our own good," the woman said. She now had the blaster pointed right between his eyes.
"No, I wish you would consider it though. I would like to give you some training tapes before you leave." The blaster lowered slowly, but the staff was unmoving.
"If you hurt her there is no galaxy that is big enough for you to hide in," the man said in a low monotone voice.
The woman looked at her companion, her anger suddenly redirected. "Marcus, I can defend myself." Her voice was even more dangerous than the man's. Her face betrayed anger, but her stance beside him never changed. It was the stance of someone protecting someone they cared about, close enough that she was comfortably with in his space, yet far enough for him to still use the staff.
Luke suddenly sensed the bond between them. He wondered if either of them did. He could sense both triumph and extreme tragedy, and that all was definitely fluid in their future.
"Wes take them to their quarters," Luke said to his old friend. "And get them something for their headache."
The woman glanced at him sharply. Then fell in step behind Wes glancing back every so often as if to make sure he wasn't following.
--------------------------------------------------
As they reached a doorway on some deck, Susan thought that she might be able to find her way out if she had to. Their guide suddenly stopped and tapped in an access code.
"Your quarters Commander, Ranger." As she stepped into the room she noticed that though the rooms were large and opulent there was only one bedroom. She looked around for somewhere else to sleep...and there was a very large couch, but how could she ask Marcus to sleep there?
"Major there seems to be a mistake. There is only one bedroom."
"I am sorry commander, I thought you would like to sleep with your husband."
Marcus slipped his hand over his mouth to hide his smile/wince...