Lyta and Ivanova Part 3 of ---(WIP)
Rated PG-10 (Vocabulary)
**********************************************
Passageways outside Lochley's quarters were now guarded as were her
XO's and other officer's quarters. Since the days of Sheridan, it had
changed as concerned safety of the station's senior staff. This made it
impossible for the captain and her escort to get where they were without
being observed.
"I had a wonderful time captain. I think I should go before rumors get
started," said Evans.
"I appreciate the gesture, Larry. How about coming for a nightcap? I
haven't had a man in for a very long time," replied Lochley.
Kissing her lightly on the lips, he insisted, "We don't need the kinds
of problems my coming in could generate, Elizabeth. Your superiors will
have a fit when they find out you spent the evening with a telepath,
especially a former psi cop who works for a foreign government. My boss
will have my head for compromising my position. Besides, I know from Lyta
that telepaths make you feel creepy." Then, stepping away from the captain,
he smiled a weak smile as he turned and walked away.
Entering her quarters, a disappointed Lochley said to herself, "Not
all of them, Larry. Not all of them."
Lochley prided herself in believing she didn't need anybody. It was a
characteristic she shared with Ivanova. She had wanted so badly to sleep
with Evans. She was a normal woman. She just had denied the fact for a
good many years. She couldn't readily remember the last time she had shared
a man's bed, or anybody's bed for that matter, not counting her short
marriage to John Sheridan.
She undressed and got into bed. Her whole body was aching for the intimacy
she had been anticipating. Sleep was a long time in coming.
******************************************************************
As they walked toward Wayne's quarters, he asked, "Where are you going
to spend the night, Captain Ivanova?"
He was using her formal title to erect a barrier between the two of them.
He wasn't sure it was working. He wasn't sure what she had in mind, but he
was sure it would mean trouble.
God, he didn't believe he was having this conversation with himself.
Here he was with an incredibly beautiful, independent, self-made woman,
who was apparently intending to sleep with him, and all he could do was
argue with himself about why he should run like hell the other way.
"A penny for your thoughts, Charley," she said.
"Not in this lifetime, captain."
Susan was becoming aware that she could feel Wayne's apprehension. She
had never been able to do anything like that before. She thought maybe it
was just her imagination, or maybe she was better at reading body language
and facial expressions than she thought.
"You don't want me to come in. Do you, Charley?" she asked.
He was stunned. She was a latent telepath. He had been told by Lyta and
she had also told him Ivanova could not scan anyone because she was less
than a P-1. He wondered how anyone could know that if she had never been
tested.
Actually, Wayne was confused by his own feelings. He had accepted that
Susan's reaction to him and her actions toward him in the past had really
been self preservation. Still it had been a murderous brain numbing year
on her ship. He was having trouble reconciling the Ivanova he had known
with the one who had her arm linked with his now.
"What is bothering you, Charles?"
She had used his formal name. He was beginning to feel he might get
out of this, yet.
"It's how I treated you aboard the Zeus, isn't it?"
Wayne didn't know how to answer.
"Captain. I have accepted that your actions on board Zeus were
essentially self preservation, on an intellectual level."
"Your personal feelings from then, those are the problem?"
He nodded.
"What can I do to make up for it. What do I have to do to redeem myself?"
"I don't know," he said quietly. "I want to forgive and forget, but it
isn't that easy."
"Do you know why I came here with you?"
Looking her straight in the eyes, he whispered, "Yes. I don't have to
be a genius or telepath to understand that."
"Your breathing is a little ragged."
"I know."
"At least invite me in for a nightcap. I'll leave after the drink."
"Captain. Every fiber of my being tells me that you should leave, now."
"One drink, Charles. I won't bite."
Against his better judgment, Wayne opened his door and Ivanova followed
him in. He was getting a feeling of waves of desire washing over him. The
only other woman he had been with on his own had been a lower level telepath.
He did not include forced breeding at Psi Corps demand. He had felt nothing
for the women and had finally convinced his superiors to simply remove his
sperm and artificially inseminate them. The fact that they had no more choice
than he had never occurred to him before. He had simply hated them. He now
realized that he was right to hate the corps for what it did to him, but it
was wrong to have hated the women, who were as helpless as he.
It hurt to think that he had done to them something similar to what
Ivanova had done to him.
Ivanova was bothered by what she was seeing in his mind. Then the
horror of the situation broke over her like a fifty foot wave on the
beach. She could read his mind.
Wayne felt the gentle probe and spun around from making the drinks
to stare at Ivanova.
"Captain. You aren't latent anymore."
"I don't understand," answered Susan.
Wayne came over gave her the drink and sat down on the opposite side
of his table.
"Try to read my thoughts,"
"I can't. I am not even a P-1."
Susan studied him over her drink. She wanted him very badly. In her
mind she could already feel his touch on her unclothed skin and her
breathing increased.
The intensity of the feelings of desire almost knocked Wayne out of
his chair.
With great difficulty, he managed to say, "I think you should go,
Captain Ivanova."
His mouth was saying the right things, but his biological needs were
ignoring his mouth.
Susan stood up and put her drink on the table and stepped around to Wayne.
Wayne stood up intending to show her to the door. She put her arms around
his neck and kissed him very deeply. Inside his head several things were
happening at once. His needs took over and he returned her kiss. He had never
felt like this before. Another part of his mind registered that although I
vanova had been a latent telepath, that was no longer the case.
Instead of showing her to the door, Wayne found himself removing her
blouse and bra. He had no control over what he was doing. Ivanova was all
positive responses. Somewhere in her mind, she was trying to understand
what she was doing, but the effort got lost in her desires.
Wayne broke the embrace and staggered back still trying to keep control
of the situation.
"Captain ... Susan ... we shouldn't ........"
*********************************************************************
DAY 2
*********************************************************************
Wayne awoke when his alarm went off. He struggled awake and realized
he wasn't alone. Last night hadn't been a dream. He had his arms full of
woman, one Susan Ivanova, captain Earth Alliance and commanding officer
of the massive destroyer parked alongside the station.
Susan slowly awoke to a sense of security and warmth and realized she
wasn't alone. She was encircled by someone's arms. Slowly, last night
worked its way into her consciousness. She turned far enough to find herself
looking into the face of Charles Wayne. She kissed him and turned over until
they were front to front.
"Don't say anything, Charley. It was wonderful."
"I know. I think we need to talk to Lyta this morning."
She kissed him again, deeply, and they made love again. Finally, they
were driven out of bed by an insistent incoming call signal.
Susan went to shower and Wayne answered the call. "Accept. Audio only."
"Good morning, Charles," said Lyta's voice.
"Morning, boss."
"Do you know where I can find Captain Ivanova?"
"Umm, she is here, Miss Alexander."
The formal address wasn't lost on Lyta. "Her ship is trying to contact
her, or rather her XO is."
"I will have her call them. I think you, me and she need to talk ASAP."
"Why?"
"Not over an open circuit."
"In my quarters in thirty minutes."
Wayne went into the bathroom and began shaving as Susan showered. Before
they left his quarters, he took her in his arms, kissed her on the neck and
said, "I hope this wasn't just a one night stand."
Whispering into his ear, she said, "Not even."
***********************************************************************
Lyta looked at Charles and Susan. She didn't have to ask. The way
they looked at one another and behaved said it all. Susan had found
someone else to focus on besides Marcus.
As soon as Susan was patched through to the Ares, her XO's face appeared
on the screen. "Good morning, Captain Ivanova. You have a call from General
Nelms. He is questioning our stay here at Babylon 5."
"Just who is he. I've never heard of him, and I thought I knew all of
the ones who have any clout."
"I looked him up in the files. He is a paper pusher and is apparently
involved in the ‘Welcome Home’ show they have planned for us."
"Well, at least he can't order us anywhere. I will be back aboard later
this morning. I have some things to work out with Lyta."
"Yes sir," answered Owens.
Lyta looked from Wayne to Ivanova. "What is the problem, Charley?"
"It's not exactly a problem, but it seems that Susan is no longer a
latent telepath."
Lyta looked at Susan and raised one eyebrow.
"I was able to sense his feelings, and at least once it seemed like I
could read his thoughts."
"He is a P-12. No way should you be able to read any of his thoughts,
unless he had his walls down."
"I didn't. She also projected intense feelings of desire. They were
strong enough to get through my blocks," replied Charley.
Maya woke up at this time. "Hi, Aunt Susan."
"Good morning, Maya," responded Susan.
"Mommy. Did you know Aunt Susan is a telepath?"
Lyta looked at Maya. "Why do you say that."
"Yesterday, I saw and felt it when I shared her mind."
"Is that what you call it?" asked Susan.
Maya shook her head in agreement.
Lyta made a call and ordered breakfast from one of the delivery
restaurants in the Zocalo. She then asked Susan to have a seat. Susan
sat down on the sofa that was to the right side of the main room, as
referenced to the entryway. Lyta sat down beside her and told her to relax.
"If it weren't for the blocking your mother taught you when you were
a child, you would be screaming your head off now, or worse, Susan,"
commented Lyta.
"What are you getting at, Lyta?"
"You are showing signs that your telepathic abilities are beginning to awaken."
"Must not be much to them. I can't read any thoughts."
"That's because you are just beginning to use them and you have a hatred
for it. This is hampering your ability. It may be for the best though. You
have a natural, more or less, aversion to invading people's privacy."
"How strong will I be when it is all said and done?"
"I don't know yet, but you read Charley and he is a high P-12 and had
his guard up."
"I think I may have a solution, Lyta," said Charley.
"You want to train her?"
"It might not be a bad idea. After all, we do have a working relationship.
Besides, she needs someone nearby, just in case."
"Susan?" asked Lyta.
"I agree with Charley, but he can't do his job and be with me all the time."
"I can," interjected Maya.
"You?" asked Susan.
"It works fine, Susan," said Lyta. "Maya can stay with you while you
are here at Babylon 5 and Charley can go with you when you leave. It shouldn't
take long for you to learn enough to keep out of trouble. You have hidden
your truth for almost forty years, a few more shouldn't be a problem," she
continued. "Remember, Maya may be as strong as I am. She is much stronger
than a normal P-12."
It was a few minutes after they had agreed that Maya would shadow Susan
while she was at the station, that their breakfast's arrived.
Right after breakfast, Charley left to make preparations for that day's
business.
**************************************************************************
"Tell me about it Susan?"
"Not much to tell. I think I am in love with him and I don't know why."
"Maybe you see in him the qualities of Marcus."
"You may be right. I look at Charley, and somehow I feel that Marcus
would heartily approve of him."
"Steven told me that once when he was on Mars with Marcus, Number One
asked him to dinner and Marcus gave him some good advice."
"Which was?"
"Happiness doesn't often come to us and you should take it when it is
available, but when it calls you by name, don't ignore it, or words to
that effect. I think he would tell you grab Charley and hold on for all
you're worth."
"If it is to be, I damn sure will," she answered. "Maya are you ready
to be my babysitter?" she asked.
"I am ready, Aunt Susan."
"You know what to do, Maya?"
"Make sure Aunt Susan keeps her blocks in place, and help her if they fail."
"She is all yours, Susan. Take good care of her."
Susan and Maya left for her ship.
***********************************************************************
Still wearing her dress from the evening before, Susan and Maya debarked
the shuttle to find the XO and CDO waiting for them.
"Babysitting again, captain?" asked Owens.
"Other way around, XO," she replied. "I need to get changed into something
better suited to work."
"That general has been calling every fifteen minutes, captain. He is
getting to be a pain in the ass."
"XO. Language," admonished Susan, indicating Maya.
"My apologies."
*********************************************************************
Ivanova's call went through and General Leftcourt's face appeared on
the communications screen in her office.
"Good morning, Captain Ivanova. What can I do for you? I am assuming
this isn't just a courtesy call," stated Leftcourt.
"General, I just want to make sure I understand my position as commanding
officer of the Ares."
"I wasn't aware of a problem, Susan."
"General, I arrived at Babylon 5 almost two weeks ahead of schedule due
to the efforts of my crew. Unless I receive official orders from your office,
I intend to stick around here for a week or ten days. That will get me back
to Earth three or four days ahead of my present schedule. My crew has worked
very hard and has had almost no chance for a break in more than a year.
Babylon 5 is unique, and I am going to let them blow off steam for a while,
and when we get back there shouldn't be the kinds of problems that have been
experienced in the past with other crews."
"Sounds like a well thought out solution to me. I suppose you are
getting calls from General Nelms. He obviously isn't familiar with your
record or he wouldn't be bothering you. When he calls again, refer him
to my office and I will put a halt to him."
"Thank you general."
"Susan, is that a child there with you?"
"Yes sir."
"Yours?"
"No sir. She belongs to a friend."
"Whom?"
"I'd rather not say, general. She is helping me with a personal problem
that has come up. I will be happy to explain when I get back," hesitating
she added, "I notice that except for the Ares there is no protection for
the station. Considering my experience with the Drakh, isn't this a little
short sighted?"
"I wasn't aware of the situation. Captain Lochley hasn't mentioned it
in any of her communiqués. I will look into it and get back to you ASAP.
I appreciate your concern, Susan."
"I'm am looking forward to buying you a drink. I have something for you,
too. I think you will like it. Good day, Susan."
The transmission ended.
As soon as he broke the connection he started making inquiries. Susan
had been correct. Leaving Babylon 5 undefended by at least a token destroyer
or two, or the equivalent from other alliance members, was a bad error in
someone's judgment.
***********************************************************************
"He likes you, Aunt Susan."
"How do you mean that. You can't read minds over a transmission link.
Can you?"
"No. He likes you like mommy likes me."
"I see. You may be right. I never thought of that before."
It explained a lot about Leftcourt's reactions to the things she had
done in the past. He had been one of her instructors at the academy when
he wasn't directing operations against the Minbari during the Earth-Minbar
War.
Susan's communications panel sounded an incoming signal beep and she
accepted. The man on the screen was unfamiliar to her.
"I am General Nelms," said the image without hesitation.
Susan studied the image for a full minute. She was even less impressed
by the man on the screen than she was when she first heard of him. Something
in her demeanor must have irked him.
"I have been trying to reach you for most of the morning. I am charged
with the ‘Welcome Home’ celebration that is planned for your ship. Even
though you are ahead of schedule, your XO tells me you have no intention
of arriving in Earth orbit early."
"You have your information straight, so what's your problem?"
"I have been told to move up the date of the event two weeks since you
are ahead of schedule."
"With all due respect General, you are not in my chain of command. I
suggest you call General Leftcourt's office and speak to him. Since I am
in command of this ship, until I get official orders from his office
changing my schedule, or I am officially relieved of my command, I will
do as I please, and it pleases me to give my crew some well earned R&R."
"You will regret this captain."
"Don't threaten me, general. I’ve recorded this conversation, and the
one I just had with General Leftcourt."
"As you wish, captain."
After the transmission ended, Susan said under her breath, "Pompous ass!"
From the doorway of her office, "Captain. Language," said her XO.
"You heard?"
"Enough. He could make trouble."
"He can die, too. I’ve been through too much to let some lowlife paper-pusher
tell me what to do with my ship."
"They can issue orders."
"I can ignore them, and complain that I had to guard the station,
until they got a decent guard stationed here. That would be the truth."
"I think I’m beginning to understand some of the rumors I heard about
you, before I became your XO."
"They do have a tendency to precede me. Now, what can I do for you, Pat?"
"I’m wondering if maybe we shouldn't keep a couple of the plants at full
power. If anything happens, and I hope it doesn't, we might be hard pressed
to respond."
Looking at him seriously, "Do it. Pat. Have them keep the rest on hot
standby, but I still want max liberty for the crew. Make sure the crew
understands that they will be subject to short notice recall. I wouldn't
want to try to fight without a minimum crew."
"You got it, skipper."
***********************************************************************
Back on Earth, General Nelms called General Leftcourt.
"What can I do for you, General Nelms?"
"I just talked to Captain Ivanova, CO of the Ares."
"Did she tell you to piss-off?"
"Not in those words."
"Let me give you some good advice, general. Leave Captain Ivanova alone.
Screw with her, and she will hand your head on a stick."
"I have a job to do, General Leftcourt. Some very influential people
want to make a grand show of the Ares returning from her maiden voyage.
Captain Ivanova got her last command shot up so badly, we had to scrap
the ship."
"Yes, she did. I believe it was determined that if it had been anyone
else they wouldn't have gotten back alive. So, what’s your point?"
"My superiors aren't going to like this."
"Send them to me. I'll take you off the hook. She’s probably our best
combat commander and, as such, she gets leeway in doing what she wants
with her command. Do you understand my position?"
"Completely, General Leftcourt."
Leftcourt knew this was not the last he was going to hear about this.
***********************************************************************
The XO had gone to carry out the captain's orders. Susan was busy working
her way through a stack of messages and ship's status reports. Maya was laying
down to take a nap on her couch.
It was almost noon when her link beeped. It was Wayne.
"Captain Ivanova, I hope I am not interrupting anything important."
Looking at the report in her hand, "No such luck, Charley. What can I do
for you?"
"I was thinking dinner and a show. They are having a small stage play at
the Fresh Aire tonight."
"I accept. I’ll see you about 1800, unless something comes up. In which
case, I'll let you know."
She went back to the stack of papers, but her mind was already on dinner
and beyond.
Waking Maya who had been sleeping for almost two hours, Susan said,
"Come on, munchkin, it's time for me to do a walk-through inspection
of the ship."
With Maya in tow she left for the tour.
********************************************************************
"What's bothering you, Larry?" asked Lyta looking at him over her lunch
plate. "You've
seemed a bit put off today."
"I was just thinking of last night and Captain Lochley."
"Problems?"
"I’m not sure. I’m one of your senior staff members and represent Glenthor
in these trade issues."
"So. What's the problem?"
"Captain Lochley is, by default, the senior EA representative on the
station."
"Not really. She is Earthforce, but after Sheridan and Delenn went to
Minbar, Earth sent a trade council representative, who is effectively a
separate diplomatic entity, not associated with the command functions
of the station."
"So my seeing Captain Lochley isn't really a breach of ethics or a
conflict of interest?"
"Not from a trade delegation point of view."
"How will Earthforce feel about one of their senior captains seeing a
telepath who represents a foreign government?"
"I don't know, we’ll just have to wait and see. You and Lochley pursue
your feelings wherever they lead. We can make whatever arrangements are needed."
"Thank you, Lyta."
"Don't thank me, yet. She still might turn out to be a head ripper."
"I’ll take my chances."
************************************************************************
"You were unable to get the destroyer to leave Babylon 5?" hissed the
voice from the speaker.
"Yes. General Leftcourt blocked our attempt. It is commanded by his
favorite Captain, Susan Ivanova."
"We are familiar with her name. It will be a pleasure to destroy her and
her ship," replied the hissing voice.
"Be aware, it is the most modern up to date ship in the EA fleet. It is
much more powerful than an ordinary Earthforce destroyer."
"It is of no consequence. We will send more ships and we will destroy
it," insisted the hissing voice.
*************************************************************************
Ivanova dropped Maya off at Lyta's quarters. Emily was there to accept
responsibility for her and Wayne was there waiting for Susan. The evening
went off without a hitch and Susan and Charles had a good time. They
returned to his quarters and she spent the night again.
The next morning she picked up Maya and headed for her ship. No one on
watch even raised an eyebrow when they arrived.
***********************************************************************
"Good evening, Mister Evans."
Larry Evans, sitting at a small table just outside a small bar, looked
up to see who had addressed him. It was Captain Lochley. She sat down
across the table from him.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all, Captain. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Duty’s over for the day, and I just want some good company."
"I'll do my best. Have you eaten yet?"
"No and I am hungry."
They walked across the Zocalo to another small bar that was also a small
restaurant. They had a quiet dinner and Larry once again walked Lochley
back to her quarters.
"I don't suppose I could invite you in for a few minutes. After all, it
is rather early."
"Thanks for the offer, Captain Lochley, but I think it would be better
if I didn't. "
"You didn't call me Elizabeth all night. Why?"
"I consider first names very personal, captain. Using your title keeps
things on a non-personal, professional level. In short, if I don't go into
places where trouble is found, I’m not likely to find it. Besides, like I
said last night, I know how you feel about telepaths, I want to leave it
at that."
"Lyta told you I have no use for telepaths, but she never told you why?"
"It doesn't matter, captain. I’ve known Lyta Alexander a number of years
and you couldn't want a better friend."
"Or a more dangerous enemy," Lochley added.
"You, Sheridan, and the others never trusted her. You used her then left
her swinging in the wind. Did it ever occur to any of you, captain, that
if you had taken care of her as well as you do your lowest enlisted man,
she would most likely never have joined Byron's group. But then, if she
hadn't, she wouldn't have eventually destroyed Psi Corps, so I guess it
wasn't all bad."
"As a matter of fact it did, long after the fact, and we both know you
can't turn back a clock. Yes, I find telepaths creepy, but Lyta actually
terrifies me."
"Why? What has she ever done to harm you, even after you slugged her
and threw her into the brig? What has she ever done to harm anyone who
wasn't trying to hurt or kill her?"
"Absolutely none. She has never threatened me or anything else. I don't
know of her harming anyone who didn't try to harm her first."
"Then what’s your problem, captain. She could be the best friend you
have ever had, if you give her a chance."
Lochley mulled Evans's last statement over, but didn't reply.
"As you said, captain, telepaths creep you out, and for the record, I
am a telepath. Goodnight, Captain Lochley."
Larry turned and walked away. Lochley entered her quarters, once again
feeling a pain in her heart.
************************************************************************
On his way to his quarters, he ran into Lyta heading toward hers.
"Evening, boss."
"Larry. My name is Lyta, not boss."
"I know, but ‘boss’ has a ring to it."
Lyta laughed and asked, "I saw you earlier with Captain Lochley. Did you
strike out again?"
"I didn't even go to bat."
"Why not, if I am not being too personal?"
"She told me flat out that telepaths creep her out. She said you terrify
her. I then reminded her that I was a telepath. So, I think that’s all over,
kaput. It’s just as well. With her feelings toward our kind, it was doomed
to failure."
"Sometimes we have to play against a stacked deck, Larry. Psi Corps may
be gone, but we’ll suffer from their legacy for the next hundred years or so."
"I will admit, I find Captain Lochley extremely attractive and she certainly
has sex appeal. I can't figure out why someone hasn't had any success with her."
"She’s a powerful woman, Larry. That frightens most men. Maybe the ones
it doesn't frighten just don't appeal to her."
"Men like me."
"I suppose so."
"Do you have that problem?"
"You mean no men pursuers?"
"Yes. I mean, you aren't singled out as a powerful woman by a uniform
or position."
"I never thought about it. I have had a psi cop rogue as a lover. I
have a Minbari warrior caste whitestar captain who would like to find me,
and he knows more about me than you do, so no, I don't think I have a
man problem."
They were at Lyta's door, so Larry bid her goodnight and went to his
quarters.
***********************************************************************
In her quarters, Lochley tuned in ISN and poured herself a cup of tea.
She was sitting watching the news when an item about Ivanova's ship came
on. It was a short piece featuring stock footage of the ship's commissioning
and a sound bite and voiceover of Ivanova's short commissioning speech.
It stated that there was a big celebration planned for the ship's return
from her maiden patrol. There followed the routine talking head filler
and comments on Ivanova's career to date. Her exploits during the civil
war were included, she had a very impressive career to date. Then she
thought about the message she had seen concerning particulars about the
ceremony, not included in the broadcast. Four years as a captain and early
selection to flag rank was in her future. Well, she had earned it the hard
way. It never occurred to her that Susan was unaware of her impending
promotion.
She mulled over the scene with Evans this evening. It seemed she just
couldn't get anywhere with him. Her mouth had scotched any chance she might
have had with him. Why in the hell had she opened her mouth about telepaths
creeping her out and even worse, trashing Lyta hadn't helped. It was
painfully obvious that many telepaths considered her a saint for bringing
down Psi Corps. (If Lochley had known Psi Corps' real agenda she would
change her mind about the redhead in a minute.)
Evans had been the first man in years who hadn't been intimidated by her
position of power and authority. He simply wasn't afraid of her, and if
dancing with him had been any indication, he found her attractive. Maybe
it was the attitude she projected at him. Unfortunately, she had no one to
discuss it with. She supposed she could run it past Ivanova.
Later when she finally went to sleep, her dreams featured Larry Evans.
***********************************************************************
Larry Evans turned out his light and tried to go to sleep. It would be
so much easier if he had never met Lochley. He kept telling himself this,
until he fell asleep.
Susan and Charles were not having any problems at all.
***********************************************************************
END PART 3