Renegades Part 3

	He ran quickly through the dark, musty halls of the base, searching 
every room for some clue.  His patience was tried, and his emotions barely 
held in check, but he continued, both afraid of being caught, and because he 
knew that she was here.

	"Susan," he whispered into yet another room.  When no one answered 
him he opened the door enough to see into the chamber behind it.  Empty.  
Running he reached yet another hallway, one he had yet to check.  "Susan," he 
whispered into the first door.  There was still only silence, but a light 
shone inside, beckoning him to peer through the doorway.  "Susan," he 
whispered again, though this time frantically.  A body hung in the middle of 
the room, facing away from him.  It was clearly female, and stripped to the 
waist.  Her back was covered with thick red gouges, and brown burns, as well 
as burgundy lines which were obviously from flogging.  "Oh God Susan," he ran 
up to her, and hugged her tightly at the waist.

	"Marcus, is that you?" she gasped as he proceeded to fumble with the 
cords which restrained her.

	"Yes.  Are you all right?"

	"Please.." she was too hurt to say the rest, and collapsed onto the 
floor as soon as he had removed her bindings.

	"I’m going to get you out of here.  Do you understand?" he inquired 
as he turned her over, onto her back, and pulled her tightly against him.

	"Yes," she quietly agreed as he lifted her, and began to run.  She 
wrapped her arms around his neck with all the strength she could muster, 
though it wasn’t a lot.

	"Oh Bloody Hell!" he muttered to himself as PPG shots rang out beside 
them.  "We’re being followed.  He glanced over his back shoulder, only to see 
three guards pursuing them as they could.

	"Stop.  Surrender now or be killed!" one of the pursuers called out a 
threat.

	"Never.  We are going, now."  Was the only answer Marcus could think 
of.  Ducking around a corner he weaved his way through the complicated maze 
of hallways which was the complex, constantly dodging PPG shots, until he 
found the Minbari Flyer which he had come in.  Placing her down on the floor 
as gently as he could, he sealed the door, and activated the engines.

	"Please, get us out of this hell," she wheezed, pushing herself up 
onto one elbow.

	"Don’t worry, I think that we’ll be able to make it.  I made a 
promise to someone, and I fully Int.…" he was cut off when the ship lurched 
heavily.  "We’re under attack.  Jumping to hyperspace… now," he gave her the 
play-by-play of his actions.

	Quietly she pulled herself onto the chair beside him, staring at the 
control panel in front of her.  "Can I help?"

	"No, don’t worry.  I think we lost them.  You need to relax."

	"Marcus," she objected, forgetting about her state of dress for a 
moment.

	"No, you are seriously hurt.  I can get us back to Babylon 5 fine," 
he retorted just as the ship rocked again.  "They followed us in.

	"Watch the scanners," she barked, hitting the controls.

	"Firing all weapons batteries.  Their dead Susan," he reassured her, 
glancing over his shoulder at the woman beside him.  She was sitting with her 
back towards him, and he found himself once again staring at all the marks on 
her.  <Oh my God.  All this for us?> he thought as he reached out to run a 
hand over one particularly deep knife gouge.  <How could I let this happen to 
her?> he asked himself.  <I promised myself I would take care of her, how 
will she ever forgive me?> he gently ran a hand through her matted brown hair.

	"Marcus?" she queried, shuddering as he touched her.

	"Yes, what can I do?" he replied his voice full of the same worry 
which had swallowed his heart whole.

"What’s going on?" 

	"We’re going home.  You are going to be all right," he gently 
consoled the battered woman.  <Even now she’s the most beautiful woman I 
know, despite all this pain.>  "You might want this," he pulled his shirt 
off over his head, and replaced his jacket on himself.

	"Thank you," she replied slipping the soft fabric over her bare 
shoulders.

	"You’re welcome.  You seem to need it a little more than I do, who am 
I to prevent you from being adequately clothed?" he chided, his eyes bright 
with laughter.

	"Marcus, how long until we reach Babylon 5?" she questioned.

	"Last I checked a day and a half."

	She fidgeted with the shirt which was far too large for her, and 
winced as the fabric became taut against her back.  "I don’t even know why 
you offered me this," she mumbled to herself, just loud enough for him to 
hear.

	"I thought it might make you more comfortable.  You don’t usually run 
around without a shirt on," he whispered, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

	"Don’t touch me!" she screamed, pulling away from him as fast as she 
could.

	"Susan?" his voice was questioning, curious.  "What the hell is 
wrong?"

	"I said get away from me!" she barked, standing up, and nearly running 
to the other side of the room.

	"Fine," he raised his hands in surrender.  "I can get you something 
to eat, or drink if you’d like," he offered, trying to ease the tension in 
the room.

	"No, just stay away from me," she had calmed down slightly, but was 
still furious, and shaking as she spoke.

	"All right then, if you need anything I’ll be over here," he pointed 
to the pilots seat before finishing, "There is a bed in the other room, you 
might want to get some rest.  A lot has happened to you."

	She disappeared through the low doorway at the back wall, her arms 
wrapped tightly around herself.  As he watched her go, he couldn’t help but 
wonder, <What the hell happened to her?  She was never like this before.>

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	She laid herself down onto the bed slowly, wincing lightly as her 
back touched the soft mattress.  The bed itself was oddly enough, human, and 
covered with large, warm blankets, with one large pillow at the head of it.  
<Why?> she asked herself.  <Damn it Susan, he was being nice to you, trying 
to help.  Why do you always have to be so, so, stupid.  Idiot, you thought 
you loved him, you do love him.  Why do you always have to be so, so, Russian?>  
She knew things were pretty bad, she started to answer herself, <Because you 
are one.  That’s why.  And for that matter why did you even fall in love with 
the guy?>  Her inner conversation turned even more furious, <As long as I can 
remember he has been so sweet to me.  Always the perfect gentleman.  So honest, 
and genuine, that’s why.>   "Well it was damn stupid of you, he’s in love 
with someone else," it took her a moment to realize she had said that last 
comment out loud.

	"I’m sorry, I came in to tell you that I just sent a message off to 
Babylon 5 telling them that I had found you.  I overheard what you just said, 
who are you talking about?" his soft, British voice came from the entrance.

	"That’s none of your business," she coldly remarked, <Of course it’s 
his business, it’s him>  Flipping over onto her stomach, she buried her head 
deep into the pillow, crying audibly as she did.

	"Susan, please who is it?"

	"I told you no," her cries gained strength, and calmly he stepped up 
beside her.  Shuddering as he laid his hand on her back she screamed, "I 
thought I told you not to touch me."

	Out of shock, and defense he took an obvious step back when she 
turned to face hi, screaming.  <She’s on the defensive.  Something has got 
to be wrong.>

End Part 3