A Surprise Visit.
By Den

Lieutenant Commander Susan Ivanova had just had one of the longest days of her life. It seemed that the entire world was out to get her, and there was nothing she could do about it. Garibaldi was acting like some sort of lovesick plebe, trailing around after Ms. Winters as though he had no other purpose in his life. John was acting strange, and Delenn was becoming more enigmatic by the day . . . and she didn’t even want to THINK about Ambassador Kosh, no way. She was about ready to kill somebody. Her shift had ended five minutes ago, and she sat in Earhart's, nursing a glass of vodka, the size of which would have felled a lesser man.

"Lieutenant Commander?"

She looked up. A young tech stood in front of her. His name - what was his name? - Corwin. Yes. David Corwin.

"What is it, Tech?" She snapped, a little too harshly. It had been a long day.

He stuttered. "Uhm . . .I . . . uhm . . ."

She waved her hand. "Spit it out, or take a walk. I'm busy brooding."

He fled.

A few moments passed in silence, then Susan felt someone standing beside her. She looked up. Talia Winters stood there, staring down at her, a detached smile on her face.

Susan sighed loudly. "I thought we were going to stay away from each other, keep a respectable distance."

Talia said nothing.

Susan sighed again. "I don't have time for you right now, Ms. Winters. Can we make it tomorrow?"

Talia said nothing for a moment. Then she sighed, that same emotionless PsiCorps mask slipping into place. "Sorry to disturb you, Commander," Talia said, slipping into the crowds and disappearing.

Damn it, Talia thought as she strode away. I could have handled that a LOT better, she thought. DAMN me! All she wanted from the commander was her friendship, and Susan wouldn't even give her that.

Well, Talia would just have to change her methods.

Susan went to her quarters, locking the door and dropping, exhausted, to the couch. The silent figure watched her.

Susan woke up just before midnight with the strange feeling that she was not alone. She jumped off the couch, lunging for her PPG, only to find that it, and her link, were gone.

"What the HELL-"

A voice drifted out of the darkness. "NOW will you talk to me, Susan?"

Susan swore a stream of curses in a multitude of different languages. "Ms. Winters?"

A soft laugh. "Ms. Winters indeed."

Susan felt something touch her.

It was a hand. A soft, long-fingered, feminine hand. Susan grasped it. Susan held n for a moment, then slowly brought it to her lips and kissed it, wanting only to see if the ivory flesh was as sort as it looked.

It was.

"Susan, are you going to resist me?"

Susan nodded weakly. "It isn't right. It isn't - ohhhhhh," she moaned as she felt soft lips on her neck.

The blonde's smoky voice floated through the haze building behind her eyelids. "What were you saying?"

All Susan could manage was a soft moan.

Talia continued to kiss her, stroking her skin, gradually slipping the uniform top from Susan's shoulders. She leaned Susan back against the couch, managing to remove all the Russian's clothes in the process.

"Now," she whispered as she leaned Susan back against the cushions. "What were you saying about us keeping a 'respectable distance'? Are you sure you want to do that?"

Maybe, Susan thought inside her head, maybe there is a chance. Just maybe…

"I don't know," she whispered to the telepath. "But maybe if you kiss me again I'll have a somewhat better idea."

Talia obliged, and Susan succumbed.

Maybe, there was a chance after all.

Maybe.