Days of Future and Past<BR>
by Zaxxon<BR><BR></CENTER>
Part 2

[=== From Part 1 ===]

     Ivanova's curiosity had got the better part of her so she had 
followed Franklin over to the area to see who the John Doe was. Upon 
seeing John Doe's face she moved passed Franklin. Franklin tried to stop 
her but she had surprised Franklin both with the unexpected energy and 
happiness on her face. Ivanova practicably ran into the stranger, hugged 
him, and cried, "Nathan! Am I glad to see you!"

[=== End of Part 1 ===]

     "How did you get here?" Ivanova asked joyfully.
     "I .... I don't know, Susan," Nathan answered.
     "We'll figure it out later," Susan said to dismiss the problem. It 
did not take along for her to realize that they had become the center of 
attention. Hesitantly, she asked, "how are you? Can you leave MedLab 
under your own power?"
     "Of course, I can," Nathan answered. Susan noticed that his left eye 
had glowed for a moment as he had risen off the examination table. Quickly 
looking around, she saw that no one else had see.
     "Now just a minute here!" Franklin began, "you are not leaving here 
until I'm sure you're healthy enough to do so."
     "Steven . . . " Susan began but Nathan cut her off with, "as you can 
see, Doctor Franklin, I'm fine."
     Looking up into Nathan's face Franklin saw the futile in trying to 
stop the person Ivanova called 'Nathan.' It was not the fact that 
Franklin made to look *up*.  Passed a very muscular chest that showed that 
Nathan could probably press Franklin's weight easily. Nor was it the 
scars that Franklin saw on his body and face that were obviously could 
only come from a battle. It was the expression on Nathan's face itself, 
one he had seen a thousand time on his father, the General, something on 
Sheridan, and once on Sinclair. The one that said 'To Hell and High Water, 
I'll do what *must* be done.' Franklin could not help thinking, // what 
forces have forged this man. As the Dilgar War forged his father and the 
Earth-Minbari War forged Sheridan and Sinclair. //
     "Fine!" Franklin said disgusted. He knows he could not stop this 
man, especially with Ivanova here to help. It was obvious to both 
Franklin and the Staff take Commander Ivanova had sided with the stranger 
and not with them. Most of the staff in seeing Ivanova's face had gone 
back to their individual work leaving Doctor Franklin along. "If  he 
faces on his face, don't come to me." Franklin then turned and left 
them alone.
     Susan tugged on Nathan's right arm and said, "You can stay with me 
in my quarters until either you leave or you decided to stay and get your 
own room." Nathan allowed Susan to lead him out of MedLab through the 
Zocalo to her quarters.  Susan was ignoring the looks she was getting 
from the people they passed so she did not see Ambassador Kosh talking 
with Ambassador Delenn in the Green Sector.
     Delenn was listening to Kosh speak, when all of a sudden Kosh had 
stopped speaking in mid-sentence as he normally did when others came 
near. // At least, I think it's mid-sentence, // Delenn thought, // One 
must meditate on want a Vorlon says to understand fully. // She began to 
look around to see the person approach that caused Kosh to fall silent. 
A quick check showed no one. Puzzled she looked up at Kosh to ask what 
was the matter. She saw Commander Ivanova with a strange looking human 
male that she had not seen on the Station before.  Yet, she noted that 
Ivanova and the stranger were very good friends. As the two passed them 
in their alcove, Delenn asked herself, // Did I see that Human's left 
eye glow for a moment?  Is that normal for humans? // 
     So lost in thought was she, she did not hear Kosh say, "Askani'son 
is here." She did hear Kosh say, "Good. Other time." She knows that she 
was being dismissed so she left. As she reviewed the conversation with 
Kosh in mediation and relieves Kosh had said something as Ivanova and 
the stranger passed. All she could match out was 'Askani' and her 
dismissal of 'Good. Other time.' She wondered what 'Askani' meant and 
what its significant it was, for all that a Vorlon said was important. 
Before she rose from her mediation, she said, "computer. Search all 
databases for the word, 'Askani.'  No restrictions."
     The computer said, "Time for completion two days, nine hours, and 
twenty-five minutes. Continue with search or changer parameters?" 
     "Continue search," Delenn said to the computer.

     "He's a friend, Michael. I vouch for him. Can I please have Nathan's 
stuff now?" Ivanova asked again.
     Garibaldi was nervous. Ivanova was being nice to him. // So hell 
has frozen over, // he thought. Up until now they had been arguing as the 
Chief of Security and a fellow Officer. Now Ivanova was being nice. 
// First comes the 'please' then comes the order, // Garibaldi thought. 
Other than the fact that Garibaldi and his team could not identify this 
Nathan's stuff, he had no real reason to withhold them. The fact that 
Ivanova was not telling him much about this mysterious man who literally 
drops out of nowhere except that his name is 'Nathan' and that he is a 
friend of hers. Garibaldi knew he was being stubborn but he enjoyed 
irritating Ivanova but he knew he was getting close to pushing it too 
far. "How do we know that he isn't a danger to the Station?"
     "Because the Station is still here, Michael," Ivanova said with a 
smile, "And he's a friend of mine. I trust him with my life."
     // What do I say to that, // Michael thought but said, "Fine. 
Here." Michael handed the stuff to her. The fact that the rifle was about 
the same size as her and yet she carried it with easy was about humorous. 
Handing a pad to her, Michael said, "sign here."
     So doing so Ivanova left Michael's office, he noted that on the 
rifle had some how powered up. // Where's it getting the power, // he 
thought, // and what did Susan do to get it powered up? //

     "I got your stuff back," Susan said to Nathan.
     "Thanks," Nathan said, "set them over there." He waves towards the 
coach. "I bet Mister Garibaldi didn't like having to give them back, did 
he?"
     Susan laughed. "True. But he is a friend and I know that you're no 
danger to the Station."
     "What did I tell you about assumption, Susan?" Nathan asked lightly.
     "Assume, you make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me,' " came the reply. 
"Still who could stop you?" she asked.
     "The Vorlon might," Nathan said seriously, "or someone else. I'm 
human, you know."
     "Right," Susan said sarcastically, "try remembering that the next 
time you go up against the Feroon. I'm not going to be there to carry you 
home." Nathan could barely repress a smile. Susan continued, "You are 
very heavy. If Kane was not there to help  . . . "
     "I know," Nathan said, "I'll try to do better next time."
     "There better not be a 'next time,' " Susan said.
     "Right," Nathan said laughing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

     "Welcome to Babylon Five," the Custom guard said. He looked at the id 
and then at the person in front of him and said, "We ll, Mister 'En Sabah 
Nur,' are you here for business, travel, or pleasure?" And then he looked 
up and up until he found En Sabah Nur's face since he was seven feet tall 
and the guard was only five and half feet tall.
     En Sabah Nur replied, "A little of all three. Now, if there are no 
problems, I like to continue through." Without waiting for a reply he 
walked out of Customs.

     As he walked around Babylon 5 En Sabah Nur noticed the different 
aliens that populated the station. // Each must be judged, // he 
thought, // For only the Strong can survive. //

[=== End of Part 2 ===]