Sisters Under The Skin, part 13A: All In The Family (NEW, B5, 13/14)
A day late, and two parts again. *sigh* 7700 words and it's too long to post. This section re-writes a couple of my favorite scenes. Reunions and regrets. And bonus Lennier!
Sisters Under The Skin
Part Thirteen: All In The Family (in two parts due to length--just a little bit over 7500 words!)
Standard disclaimer applies; not my characters or settings or backgrounds. But they are my words.
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Anna was trying to memorize the layout of the Sharlin cruiser. It was far larger than the White Star she taken on her voyage with Lorien and Ivanova. This was a command ship, a flagship of the Minbari fleet. This route from the cafeteria back to the command center was longer than the last round trip she'd taken. At least she could read the signs along the walls. Her Minbari was improving, or perhaps they used the most basic symbols so everyone could find their way regardless of their linguistic proficiency.
They had lingered on the station only a day before Delenn ordered the exit of the Minbari warships from the station headed to Earth space. A flotilla of alien ships accompanied them. Delenn couldn't get over the fact that the League, led by the Centauri and Narn representatives, had rallied behind Sheridan. Anna didn't care why they were going, just that they were going; going home, going closer to John.
Then today a report had come up from the planet that John had been rescued, that he was even now on his way back to this very ship. Nothing specific was said of his condition, or what had been done to him, which left her to fill in the blanks with every horror she could imagine. Her growing jitters at the upcoming reunion led her in search of tea but the beverage hadn't worked its usual calming magic. Now she was heading back to the command level to check on Delenn again. The Minbari woman's outward calm that morning had been belied by the strain around her mouth and eyes. But at least Delenn's face had lost that haunted look that tore at Anna's heart. It was the same look she'd seen every time she looked in a mirror.
Delenn had also been shaken by the arrival of the gravely-injured Commander Ivanova on the Minbari ship, and the dire prognosis given her friend by the Minbari medics. Anna had done little more than carry messages from the medical area to Delenn, who stayed in the command center day and night. The few times she could convince the Minbari woman to return to their quarters to rest, Delenn would lay on their tilted bed for hours, wide awake, holding Anna's hand while they invariably listened to the sound of rain.
Anna rounded a corner; she'd been counting the turns and was sure the next one held the entrance to the main holo chamber and from there she could find her way back to the command center. There was John. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. He hadn't seen her yet, he was deep in conversation with a Minbari crewman. Her first impulse was to hide, to avoid their first encounter since she had left the station without saying good-bye. He hadn't trusted her then, hadn't believed that she was herself.
“John,” she finally whispered, her voice cracking and faint. Then louder, “John!” and she was moving, faster, towards him as he turned at the sound of her voice, and oh, thank God, opened his arms to receive her. She buried her face in his chest, breathing in the smell and warmth of him.
“Anna?” said John with surprise and a burgeoning delight. “What are you doing here?”
Anna lifted her head, laughing through tears she couldn't hold back. “Delenn let me tag along. When Lennier's otherwise occupied, I make sure she gets some sleep and something to eat.”
“Sometimes she does need a keeper,” replied John, smiling broadly. He hugged Anna hard, and said, “I am so sorry, honey. I didn't believe it was really you, not until your letters started coming. They were so familiar, so like the ones you sent me during the war, so you.”
Anna wrapped her slim fingers in John's shirt, wishing she could run her hands up under the fabric and connect with skin. “It's me all right. Back from the dead.” Looking up into his eyes, she said soberly, “Of course you'd know all about that.”
“You mean this latest scrape? It wasn't that bad.” John muttered under his breath, “I'll never look at a corned beef sandwich the same way though.”
Anna shook her head violently. “Don't lie to me. I've been there. They killed me too, or as good as. If Lyta hadn't gone in and found me, if Stephen hadn't fought so hard to save me...”
John's eyes flashed with suspicion, which faded to regret. “Delenn told you. About Z'ha'dum.”
“That's right,” she stared at him hard. “It should have been you that told me. I'm your wife.”
“God, Anna, what was I supposed to think? The Shadows sent you. I thought you, the real you, were gone, had died three years ago, that it was a trick.” John moved away from her for a moment, guilt in his eyes. “I should have known. After Morden showed up. I should have come after you.” Seeing the tears flowing down her face, he pulled her back into his arms. They stood in a close embrace for a few moments in the deserted corridor.
Shakily, Anna managed to say, “I tried to warn you, I was on my way to the station when you were captured. Pat...Senator Crosby...found out about Clark's interest in Tenasticin and I knew it was Garibaldi.” She scrutinized his face, marred with small wounds and beginning scars, some hidden by the new growth of beard. “I heard he was there when you were freed.”
“It wasn't his fault,” John started, but Anna interrupted him.
“Oh, no you don't. Don't forgive and forget. He'd been in contact with the Shadows, I could feel it.” Anna was adamant in her judgment.
“There may have been some Shadow involvement, but it was Bester and PsiCorps that did the damage. Mind control...” John shook his head and declared grimly. “PsiCorps has a lot to answer for.”
Anna still looked skeptical. John's arms tightened around her and said, “We'll talk more about this, but first I need to see Susan.”
“Oh no,” said Anna. “First you need to see Delenn.” She took his hand and began to pull him in the direction of the command center.
John stayed where he was, anchored by doubt. “I don't know what to say to her.”
“Talking is not what's called for,” responded Anna in exasperation. “Come. On.” She began to pull at him again when she saw he wasn't looking at her. He was looking past her, and his face had the expression of someone who had come home.
“John,” Delenn called from down the hallway. She remained standing for only a second, in a pose of dawning joy, then began to hasten towards the pair of them. Anna whispered to John, “It's all right. Go to her!” and stepped back around the corner to give them some privacy. To herself, she added, “And kiss her, you idiot, before I do.”
Anna waited a few moments, then checked on the pair of them. Delenn was fussing within the circle of John's arms, touching him every few minutes as if not completely convinced he was really there. John couldn't stop staring at her. Anna stepped forward and cleared her throat. John jumped back but still held on to Delenn. Anna shook her head. This wasn't going to be easy.
John looked from one to the other, questions forming behind his eyes, but instead of voicing them said firmly, “I want to see Susan. Now.”
Delenn shot Anna a look and tilted her head, inviting her to accompany them to the medical facilities. Anna just shook her head. It was more appropriate for Delenn to go with John; Ivanova was their friend, and Delenn could share all the news of the fleet. She wandered back towards the quarters she shared with Delenn, wondering where all of them were going to sleep tonight. Her face kept breaking out in a smile. John was back, he was well, they were on their way to liberate Earth. It was all working out. Her face clouded as she saw two crewman walk by guiding a medical transport gurney. Delenn had said that once John arrived they were going to transfer Ivanova to a White Star headed back to Babylon 5. There was nothing more than they could do for her. Anna knew John would be devastated by the news. He'd liked and respected Ivanova since he'd worked with her on Io, and it had been obvious the Commander was his main support on the station.
Anna waited patiently, scanning the latest propaganda from Earth, hoping to get some idea of what her old boss was up to. There wasn't much there beyond rah-rah items about President Clark and dire fear-mongering articles about human rebels and alien incursions. Reading between the lines, she thought she could see increasing tension. They were afraid. It was all unraveling. She wondered if the general populace was fearful of invasion; the idea was being pushed hard in the press. John's fleet was just as likely to be viewed as an enemy than as a liberator. She chewed her bottom lip. That could be bad.
The door opened and Delenn entered the room, almost dancing in her obvious relief. “Anna,” she said, “John is taking the Agamemnon on to Earth, at Susan's request. It is a good idea, he knows the ship and your people know it too. Captain James is acting as his second. We are to wait here, offering only medical support and rescue operations.”
“He's already gone?” Anna's heart gave a lurching ache; John always tried to say good-bye.
“He went to change, he'll stop by the command center on his way to the transport.” Delenn sat down abruptly on the other chair. “There's not much time. Shall we talk to him, after all this, about what has happened between us?”
“No,” replied Anna. “He needs all his focus, and all our support. This will be so hard on him, attacking Earth.”
“I know. I have stood against my own government. It is a lonely feeling.” Delenn sighed heavily. “Susan will be leaving the ship soon, even before we reach Mars. They will keep her comfortable, back at the station, until the end. She is better away from the fighting.” Delenn's voice trembled a bit but remained level. She reached over and took Anna's hand. “I am glad you will be staying here.”
The meeting with John could have been awkward but he was in such a rush there was just time for him to press each of their hands and rush off to the Agamemnon. The next few hours were beyond tense. Anna hung at the back of the room, trying to read the situation from the throbbing lights and the expressions exchanged by the Minbari crew members. Delenn was everywhere, talking into the com, examining holo-screen displays, conferring with other captains of the League ships. Periodically she would glance over at Anna, who smiled her support but stayed out of the way.
The next day the battle began in earnest. Hours blurred and compressed as the intricately planned series of events unfolded. In hurried asides, Delenn let Anna know where Stephen and Lyta were and what they were doing at each point. It was like watching a movie except that all of the characters were her friends, and they were all in harm's way.
The EarthForce ships hung around Mars, dead in space, crippled by John's brilliant but morally dubious plan. Anna tried to send positive thoughts to Lyta on the surface, knowing she was in danger, both physical and mental. She'd never had much to do with telepaths, EarthForce used them rarely and at arms length, IPX had dealt only with the commercial branch. But Lyta was a friend, and Anna couldn't imagine how she felt having to sacrifice her own people in such a way. Not all the ships were disabled, and while Delenn waited for a safe opening to begin rescue operations, the main screen remained focused on the Agamemnon as it made its way towards Earth.
When Lennier showed up, Anna knew something was wrong. Delenn looked confused at his approach, then paled as he spoke. She immediately went to the com station to put in a call. Lennier hovered for a moment then silently walked away. Anna on impulse followed him out of the command center and hurried to catch up with him. “Lennier, what is it? What's happened?”
Lennier gave her one of his patented inscrutable looks. “Marcus has found a way.” Guilt showed in his eyes as he added, “I showed him the way.”
“The way to what?” demanded Anna.
“Redemption,” replied Lennier cryptically. “Sacrifice.” For a moment his eyes dimmed. “He will save her if he can.”
Anna put two and two together and said flatly, “Ivanova.” Then surprise kicked in, “He's gone back to the station? Abandoned the battle?” She shook her head. “John won't understand.”
“I think he will,” said Lennier. “He would have gone to Z'ha'dum to save you.” He leaned heavily against the metal wall, shivering slightly as if chilled by the hard surface.
“He might have,” admitted Anna. “He would have been wrong to go, but he might have.”
“There is one thing,” Lennier's voice was soft and slightly broken. “Commander Ivanova knew the risks and accepted them. Her death would be one of honor, and Marcus would deny her that choice.”
“It wasn't her choice to be injured, only her choice to risk injury to further her cause,” Anna said firmly. Then, picking her way through mixed emotions, “Is that how you felt when Delenn entered the StarFire Wheel? That it was her choice and that you had to let her go?”
Lennier nodded, but added under his breath, “That was part of it, in any case.”
“So Neroon took away her choice to die for her people,” mused Anna. “What if it hadn't worked? What if they hadn't accepted Neroon's sacrifice, his change of heart at the end?”
“But they did,” exhaled Lennier. “Neroon thought she would leave the fire with Shakiri, but Delenn meant to stay, even unto death. Her sacrifice was replaced by Neroon's, who died a warrior's death even as he renounced his caste.”
Anna stared at Lennier in growing horror. “Is that Marcus intends to do? Die in Ivanova's place?"
Lennier looked at her bleakly. “I had best return to my post. I am done here.” He walked slowly down the long corridor towards the flyer docks. Anna watched him go in silence.
Returning to the command center, she saw that all eyes were riveted on the viewscreen. The display showed the battle for Earth, a ballet of light and color, soundless in its fury. Delenn stood before it, illuminated by the dancing spears of light. Anna's eyes searched the field for the Agamemnon and found it in the thick of things as expected. White Stars buzzed about the larger Earth ships, pinning the dark lumbering vessels with green fire. StarFuries darted in and out, targeting non-vital parts of the opposing ships. It was hard to tell one side from the other; Anna knew the computers were directing the attack but her heart lurched at each hit, whatever side it was on. She crossed the empty center of the room to stand beside Delenn, whose eyes never left the screen even as she directed her own ship in its humanitarian mission.
Though they were miles away from the action around Earth, the holo-monitor which took up the entire forward section of the command center made it seem as if they were in the middle of the battle. John had opened the com on the Aggie, allowing it to broadcast to the entire fleet.
“That's Pat,” Anna said excitedly to Delenn, as Senator Crosby began to speak. But her voice trailed off in silent horror as the import of the senator's words sank in. A phrase from a long-gone war echoed in her mind. We had to destroy the world to save it. Even before she realized the only option John could take, she clutched Delenn's arm so tightly her nails sank into the flesh underneath the other woman's gown. “No. God no,” Anna prayed aloud. She'd just gotten him back again; they'd just gotten him back-it couldn't end this way, this soon. Inexorably the Agamemnon turned and headed towards the last of the planetary defense satellites trained on her home. Anna heard Delenn call John's name as the explosion lit their faces, turning them the blood red and orange of crucifying flame. The crackle of static that preceded General Lefcourt's sardonic voice, the appearance of the Aggie on the other side of death, the intense relief that flooded through her caused Anna's knees to buckle. Delenn's strong arm and joyful whisper, “He made it through!” was all that kept her from sinking to the floor. The two women embraced and watched the remnants of both fleets fall back and cease fire.