Kosh's Angels
AN:// The story begins with the episode Divided Loyalties. The identity of 13 and the name of Lyta’s parents are my ideas.
The red haired telepath known as Lyta Alexander was sitting in a shuttle on route to Babylon 5 wearing a black one piece outfit, her beige jacket on one side of her. Next to her was a small satchel of things that she managed to keep with her on the run; data crystals with letters from her grandmother on it, a picture of her parents, a woman with red hair and brown eyes and a man with her facial features and green eyes and black hair, a pair bronze of earrings, a pair of onyx earrings, and a pair of gold earrings, a brown scarf with a flower print and a traceless credit chit of money left to her by her grandmother Natasha. The satchel itself , picture, scarf earrings were presents from her grandmother Natasha the few gifts she kept with her during her life the rest where left on earth where she was raised.
Lyta turned the picture over and saw the name Sasha and Nicholas Drake. Like most in her family Lyta’s abilities manifested early and she was taken to the core at an early age. She remembered her mother somewhat but her father was just a photograph to her. Her grandmother kept track of her and sent her letters but never really knew her, what she knew was what her mother told her. It was not much but it was more than most telepaths had. When she was recalled to earth she was taken without her belongings and without a chance to return for them. She was sure that she would never see it again. The red head probably would not have if not for Commander now Ambassador Jeffrey Sinclair who made sure she got them.
A man calling himself Derek brought it to her when he took her to safety when she was attacked by psi cops. It was clear that the last time she saw Ambassador Sinclair he was in command of a secret force; Derek appeared to be part of that force called the Rangers. Lyta didn’t see Jeffery since she left Babylon 5 but he was a presence in her life always watching and protecting her. She owed him and when Sinclair said he needed her to bring information that proves that there was a danger to Babylon 5 she took it for Sinclair and the poor man Lee that died getting the information.
She opened the bag and saw the black leather vest blue duster that she carried with her before she picked up the scarf that her grandmother gave her, a scarf she was wearing that fateful day she was asked to scan Ambassador Kosh after an attack.
A dark skinned black man the doctor Benjamin Kyle and the second in command Lt Commander Laurel Takashima where asking her to scan the Ambassador so they can know the poison used so they could find an antidote
“ Alright, do you have the consent of the next of kin or court order?”
“No” said Takashima.
“Do you have any idea what the penalty is for this kind of a scan? They will kick me out of the core! I worked too damn hard for that there is no way that I will throw that all away”
“I understand your concern but we have no choice. If the Vorlon government retaliates they will attack this station, after us thousands more. Is that what you want?” asked the lt. commander
“Of course not, that is not fair!” exclained Lyta annoyed that they would think such a thing.
“No it is not fair Lyta but that is the situation that we are stuck with. In the end we can’t force you it has to be your choice” said Dr Kyle.
“If I do this, will he know that I had scanned him?”asked the telepath
“he is so far out of it he will not remember” said the doctor
“But you are not sure” prodded the redhead
“No” he replied simply.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the transport being attacked. The last thing she was conscious of was Derek jumping on her and taking most of the next blast that killed him and lost consciousness
***
The blond telepath known as Talia winters was eating lunch with her friend and lover Susan Ivonova teasing her about her stubbornness. She was called back to the c and c and left with her apologies. Talia told her it was alright and went to her next appointment that afternoon then find a place to stay because the air reclamation system needed to be fixed.
“If you want you can come to my quarters tonight and I will not take no for an answer.
“Susan..”
“It would not be an imposition and I would love the company”
Talia knew better than to argue she was stubborn after all.
‘Alright I will see you tonight. See you later” she said conceding.
“See you tonight” she said as she left for her duties.
She expected to negotiate for Ambassador Kosh but was surprised when he said that he would not be able to make it. It was not unusual behavior for Kosh, like all Vorlons he was mysterious and strange. As she sat on the subway she remembered a negotiation that she had with Kosh and a strange alien calling himself Abbott. They made no sense, but worst of all there were emotions that where deliberately provoked in her. When the blond confronted him about the purpose he said “reflection, surprise, terror, for the future”
Two days later he asked to meet her in his quarters, a meeting she to this day does not remember.
She returned to her quarters feeling a headache coming on so she lay down the next thing she knew she fell asleep.
Her old lover and mentor Jason Ironheart was standing over her with a sad look in his eyes.
“Why do you look so sad Jason” asked Talia as he came forward and sat next to her.
“There is a test coming for you a terrible one. If you fail you will loose yourself completely forever.
“What do you mean?” she asked confused
The psi cop that she saw in the aftermath of the affair with Abel Horn came out of the shadows. “Mine, all mine”. She came forward her brown eyes blazing her short red hair in a ponytail. The next thing she knew the psi cop changed into her old friend and lover Lyta Alexander . She raised her hand and shot an energy stream directly into her brain. Talia passed out but was aware of another her standing over her crumpled form with cold eyes and laughing mockingly….
***
Lyta woke in Medlab with a new doctor that she never seen before hanging over her
“It’s alright, you are on Babylon 5. You been through a lot, is there anything you need?”
She remembered why she was here and rejected the kindness and she tried to get up. She tore out of his arms and grabbed the nearest weapon she found, a nearby syringe”
“I need to see the captain”
“All in due time” he said in a calm tone
“This can’t wait. I want to see Captain Sheridan now and the rest, all together I don’t want to be alone with any of you” she demanded
“Why?” he asked.
“Just give him a message, there is a traitor one of you, and I can prove it”
“All right I can do that” he said as Zack Allen entered the room with her jacket and her bag. Lyta put on her jacket and put her satchel over her left side that was not damaged.
“Zach, care to come with us to the captain’s office?”
“What I am about to tell you cost two good men their lives and almost cost me mine. This place is important to a lot of people more important than you can possibly know. That is why I had to come to warn you”
“Warn us about what?”
“I imagine that Mr. Garibaldi filled you in about me”
“yes after the scan you where recalled and no one has heard from you since”
They wanted to know what I saw in Kosh’s mind. There wasn’t anything else to report but they didn’t believe me. I saw the attack on Kosh and a feeling
“What kind of feeling?” asked Franklin
“I can’t put it into words, I tried all this time to do it but I still can’t. They didn’t want to believe me. I finally escaped from the core from a transport bound for Mars. While I was there I became involved with the resistance. I had to pay my way using my ability; most people are willing to hire a good telepath. Seven days ago one of our people Lee was murdered on the way back from an intelligence gathering mission in Syria Plenum
“Interesting, the psi core has a base there” said Garibaldi
“Our agent found out about a secret psi core program a sleeper program. They bring someone in and work them over with drugs and deep scans creating a another personality, one suited to their needs and loyal only to them. The personality is submerged deep into the conscious mind so deep that it doesn’t show up even during a deep scan. It’s hidden but it is always there watching and waiting, gathering information. Until the day the password is sent. It can’t be spoken but sent telepathically into the brain. The personality emerges and the original personality is destroyed and the artificial one take over for good. “
“So until then someone could be a spy and not even know it” said Franklin
“Correct, they used this method to plan several moles in government agencies including Babylon 5. We don’t know who it is but we are sure that someone here is not what they appear. We figure the mole is in the command staff or someone close to it because the mole will be looking for vital information. We only have the code name, control.
“This is ridculas how do we know that you are not just making this all up?” asked Ivonova clearly skeptical of the whole thing
“because I have the password Captain. If you let me I will send the probe into the staff’s brain. I won’t scan, won’t probe or anything else that would evade anyone’s privacy. If I’m right I will be able to prove it when the personality comes out. “
“My people will rightly object to being questioned about their loyalty”
“Captain as I said this is not about loyalty. You don’t have to tell them just get them in a line of sight and I will do the rest”
“Alright we will discuss it and get back to you. Garibaldi have two of your guards escort her to a holding cell”
***
Talia woke with a start covered with sweat shaking from head to toe. She sat up and on instinct she looked up that cop involved with Taro Isagi’s death. She was shocked when she saw the name of the cop that she did not look at earlier ‘Sasha Alexander’
Lyta and Talia spoke of their memories and knowledge of their family to keep it alive. Being raised by the core at a young age they don’t get to know them very well to promote absolute loyalty to the core. Lyta did not know the name of her father or grandfather, however she knew the name of her grandmother Natasha Alexander, and her mother Sasha Alexander. A cold feeling entered her stomach as the thought occurred to her, Sasha Alexander was Lyta’s presumed dead mother.
He dream returned to her and the warning she received from Jason. What could this mean? It made no sense really she lost track of Lyta after she was reassigned to earth and escaped the psi corps during the shuttle run from earth to mars. There was no way that lyta was here. Jason however never lied to her, he cared too much for her to do that. He proved it by coming to the station before saying goodbye to her and giving her a measure of his power as a gift.
When Susan returned to her quarters she was in a rotten mood. She was pounding and kicking everything in sight. Talia went to take a shower and when she returned in her grey robe she knew that she had to say something
“That is one cabinet that would never attack us again” she said in jest. Susan had changed out of her uniform and into a blue nightgown and matching robe. She looked sheepish when she was caught
“I’m sorry it was just one of those days” she said and asked her about her real water shower and offered her some tea. However she still appeared on edge.
Talia had to hide her shock when she asked “Talia did you know a telepath named Lyta Alexander?”
She sat down on a nearby chair and took the tea that was offered before she told her story
“Yes, she was a year behind me in the academy we spent six months togher in an intern program working different areas of the core”
“Do you think that she can be trusted?”
“I suppose” she said with the images of her dream just hours before. Her doubt must have been evident for Susan to add “But you are not sure”
The telepath covered and said “it was a long time ago, she was very nice, very sweet, we where close at one point. I guess that people can change but I don’t believe it is possible for lyta.
The commander looked uncomfortable when she asked” what department did she intern with?”
“The psi cops, when she found it was not for her she transferred to the commercial branch like me”
“Susan why are you asking me this? What’s wrong?”
“She’s here and told us something, I don’t know if I can trust her. Hell I don’t know who to trust anymore”
Something cold and dark shifted in Talia’s mind and before she knew it she was talking without the ablity to control what she was saying or doing She rose from the chair and went to her
“I felt the same way recently. I come to the conclusion that the only person that I can trust implicitly is you”. Talia caressed her face and kissed her softly on the lips in a reassuring gesture. Susan kissed back deepening the kiss. Talia can sense the comfort coming from her and pulled her to the bed. “Come on to bed” she said in a husky tone and Susan went. They made love and drifted to sleep in each other’s arms. Talia was shocked at the lack of control but she knew on some level this was the last time for some time they will be together and she needed to be with her. Hours later she woke alone in bed. Another meeting perhaps you never know with the military.
Lyta once again entered her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep.
Talia rose from bed and dressed in black and left. She left Susan’s quarters and went to the known holding cells on the station. She turned off the lights and shot at the blond guard and killed her, next was a dark skinned man with a mustache who also went down Lyta picked up a ppg gun that the man dropped and shot at her a few times before running away
***
Lyta’s mind raced to who she could trust now that most everyone is out for her skin. She thought of Sinclair and who he trusted on the station beside Garibaldi and Ivonova was Delenn. Lyta knew that she really didn’t have anything to lose so she contacted the Ambassodor.
Her kind face answered on the first reply dressed in purple robes
“Hello Ambssador I don’t know if you remember me but I mediated some business for you a while back”
“Yes,of course, Lyta, yes? Lyta Alexander. Are you back on Babylon 5?
“Yes, I am sorry for imposing on you at this hour but I need your help. Can you meet me in brown three in say an hour?”
“of course. Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“Ambassador I am in every kind of trouble there is. I’ll meet you in an hour”
Delenn came and Lyta told her to give Captain Sheridan a message to met and that she doesn’t feel comfortable alone with anyone.
“I will give the message. I am sorry I do not mean to pry but it is clear that you are in danger. Is it because of what you know?” she looked sheepish then said “I am sorry I should not have said anything”
“it’s alright it is perfectly natural to wonder. The answer is yes, until the situation is resolved I will be in trouble because the agent has a keen idea of self preservation and for the time being the only thing that can threaten them is me”
Talia woke in the morning with a feeling of dread she needed Susan to ease her mind but she was already gone. She had appointments to get to so she showered and dressed. Her heart stopped when she saw a ppg hidden among the towels. She saw her refection staring back at her “Let go little sister you can’t withstand me. Say goodbye to your life for it is gone now”
Talia felt herself grow small and put in a cadge where she could see and hear everything but couldn’t do anything about it. That afternoon she stood in the hallway waiting for Ivonova waiting so she could get her overnight bag back.
Susan let her in and they had some small talk before she asked Susan where she was
“I went to get some air”
“Something is obviously troubling you, is there anything that I can do?”
“I don’t think anyone can do anything for me right now”
“I’ve hidden things Talia, things that could hurt me and people I care about”
“People who care about you will be there for you, and if worst comes to worst. I will always be there for you” she kissed her on the lips and left.
Lyta waited for Delenn to get her when she received a message from her attaché that the message was given and the demands agreed to Delenn then walked her to the captain’s office where everyone was assembled. “How do you know if the password worked? Asked the captain
“There will be a visible and most likely violent reaction. Are you going to do it?”
“Yes starting with me. I can’t expect my people to submit to the scan if I don’t”
The captain Dr Franklin and Garibaldi submitted and was found to be innocent the captain asked for Lyta to hold off on the commander for a while and move on to the other command staff. She was not aware of the time it took to scan everyone, it felt like a hundred years. They ended up clean and the subject of Ivonova was brought up again.
“I suggest you move your eyes away while you still have them”
“Ivonova!”
“I know what she is implying
“Nobody is implying anything” said Franklin
“To avoid discovery the implanted personality would say anything, manipulate anyone” said Lyta
“Is that what you think I’m doing? ” demanded Susan
“Well you sure as hell are worried about something. Mind teleling us what it is your hiding?”
“Damn it I’ve had enough!”
‘That’s enough!” shouted Sherridan. “Now look at us! This is exactly what psi corps wants! They want us paranoid, afraid of each other, divide and conquer the oldest rule in the book”
“I’ll do it”
“Ivonova..” started Sheridan
“Now before I change my mind” said the commander as she delibratly walked twards her. Lyta came halfway and was startled by a realization;“She’s blocking me”
Commander looked so distressed and violated Sheridan went over to comfort her “That’s enough!”
“ It doen’t matter She’s clean” she turned to Ivonova and said “I’m sorry”
“go to hell” shot back the brunette angrily.
Just then Talia entered the room
“Ah Captain!” there you are I have been looking all over for you…”
Lyta despite all the fondness she had for Talia decided to send the password before she noticed that she was in the room, hoping beyond hope that it would come up empty. But as always the universe decided to take things away from her. The blond held her head and screamed in pain falling into Garibaldi’s arms.
“Dear God it’s her” she said in a small wounded voice. Sheridan pulled her behind him as Talia grabbed Garbaldi’s ppg and fired.
“You blew my cover, you blew my cover your dead! The core is mother the core is father! Your dead the core will find you Lyta Alexander and you will be dead!...” Lyta watched along with the shocked staff as Garabaldi pulled her away and arrested her putting her under house arrest as Sheridan commanded.
The captain escorted her to a holding cell where her satchel was waiting for her. Lyta was informed of the ship that was on the way to pick her up before the core got there. She would go but there was one thing she had to do first. She put on the blue duster and went to the red sector to see Kosh.
“I’m back but I can’t stay. I have to leave before the Psi Cops arrive, but I had to see you again, one last time.
She steeped closer to him and said “I didn’t tell them, I didn’t tell anyone. I hid it in the deepest darkest corner of my mind. They could kill me and they still couldn’t find it. Only at night, when I open that door in my mind where I keep the memory of you I hear your voice singing me to sleep. I want to come back but I don’t know. Until then, Kosh, I want to see you again, just one more time before I go”
Kosh granted that request washing her with his light and hope.
In her mind she saw Talia and Susan in Talia’s quarters deciding what to keep and what to take with her to earth. The doorbell chimed and she called for them to enter and Susan Ivonova entered.
“I wanted to see you before you left .I know that this isn’t your fault, I hope somewhere inside you can still hear me”
Mocking her with her laughter “always the romantic The program is complete, the Talia you knew no longer exisits there is just me” Lyta saw a shadow of Talia looking sad behind bars of shadow.
The host body of Talia closed her suitcase and turned to her again “you don’t know what it’s like living in the shadows of her mind. Watching all of you out here foolish, petty, stupid. There I was trapped inside only to come out at night when she was sleeping; her invisible sister and you believed everything she said to you all the things you wanted to hear. Things that I whispered in her ear as she slept the words to get closer to you and to what you knew. You should see the look on your face my good and dear friend Susan”
“Your right, the Talia I knew is dead. Goodbye” said Ivonova and left.
Lyta blinked as the vision ended bowed slightly and left knowing that Kosh would not explain it. There is no time to stop and think about she had to go. She will be back again one day, and when she did she would help Talia.