Councilor Borsk Feyla stood watching as his underlings worked on the human Ranger. The black haired man seemed their only hope, as the other Rangers were these strange Minbari creatures, who made no secret of the fact that this was their leader. The other two humans were unapproachable, as one was a strong Telepath and the other female, frightened his people. This human however was congenial and almost too nice. Combined with the fact that he also had risen to some sort of position of authority, on an alien world, made Councilor Feyla hope even more that he could find a way to make the human an ally.

Susan Ivanova stood across the room from Marcus and watched the beseiged Ranger with growing glee, he was assaulted on all sides by Bothan Diplomats, he was trying to be cordial; but she knew him well enough to know that he was running out of patience. She sipped her Corellian Whiskey and watched the scene play out before her.

Han Solo stood behind and to the right of Marcus back about thirty feet talking to his old friend Lando Calrissian. "Han isn't that the pilot from the ship that saved our asses?" Lando asked.

"Yeah, I think he is Corellian," Han said as he smiled at Lando. Lando stared at his old freind in mock anger.

"Why is it that every great pilot in the galaxy has to be Corellian? The last time I saw Wedge he was still trying to convince me that Luke was Corellian. Personally I think he and I have to be related. The young man is heir to a mining company and a great pilot soooo..." He flashed his all knowing smirk back at Han.

"Well where ever he is from, we need to get him out of here, that thing in his hand is a spear-like weapon and I think he is about to brain half the Bothan delegation if they don't leave him alone." Han began to move towards the Ranger as Marcus began opening and closing his pike.

Lyta stood at the buffet tables with her escort Wes Janson and watched the two old smugglers move in to save Marcus. She spoke back over her shoulder. "Pay up. Marcus isn't going to kill them and you owe me thirty credits." Wes stepped away from the bar and looked over at his two old 'friends' and just shook his head.

"You nudged them didn't you?" He looked at her accusingly. "They would have left him there a few more minutes before they stopped those delegates from mauling the poor fellow like they have been."

Lyta shot back a withering gaze. "Maybe they, unlike some, have just grown up." She gave him a look that could have melted paint off the walls and added, "And anyway, you are just trying to get out of it. You owe me thirty credits."

Marcus didn't know exactly who these two men were that were hurrying him away, telling his 'guests' that he was needed in command HQ, but he knew he owed them a debt of gratitude as they removed him from the large crowd. As they reached an awaiting shuttle Marcus finally couldn't hold out anymore. "Thank you. I was awful close to killing someone."

The humanoid with the lighter complexion looked back at him and said, "I am Han Solo and this is Lando Calrissian, an old freind of mine." Han flashed him a smirk and added, "And if you had killed them my wife would have had to deal with the flack."

Marcus remembered who the man was now and pointed out the real reason for his being saved. "And as shit rolls down hill it gets bigger as it rolls. So you would have gotten it worse than I was getting it."

"Something like that. You feel like a drink and a game of cards?"

Marcus answered with a lopsided grin of his own. "I could probably be talked into it."

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

"Captain, my government wants to talk to this General Antillies about a trade agreement, but he refuses to make an appointment. He has talked to almost everyone on station, but my government and I are getting tired of his rude behavior." Londo Mollari said as he stood in Captain Sheridan's face.

"Londo, you know that I can't order him to talk to you, and he has orders from his government not to talk with anyone that he thinks might be acting as the aggressors in a war."

Captain John Sheridan was rather happy with that, and he was just evil enough to let it show. Londo looked at the Captain his anger growing.

"This is not the end of this Captain." He stormed out of the office, his ire clearly stated.

I'll link to part 8 when it comes - feedback to [email protected], please! :) - Gok