Lyta and Ivanova Part 4 of ---(WIP)
Rated PG-10 (Vocabulary)
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DAY 3
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0800 Captain Lochley's office
Susan was making a courtesy call on Lochley when a call from Earthdome
was put through to her. A high ranking official instructed her to prepare
to leave for Earth. He indicated that she would be receiving confirmation
within the hour. When she asked why she wasn't receiving the orders through
her chain of command, she was told General Leftcourt had been in an accident
and was in intensive care.
After the transmission ended, Lochley looked at Susan and said, "They
sure want you and the Ares out of here."
"I discussed that with General Leftcourt the other day and pointed out
that if we weren't here, Babylon 5 would be totally defenseless except for
your interceptor grid and your fighters, and they wouldn't last ten minutes
against a force intending to destroy you."
"You really think there’s that much danger?"
"Seems to me, the attack you suffered shortly after you took over
should answer that question."
"Point made."
"You have your orders. You don't have much choice."
"Oh, but I do."
"Disobeying orders could cost you your career, Susan."
"So what. I can always hit John Sheridan, Michael Garibaldi or even
Lyta Alexander up for a job. They’ll probably hire me, just for old times
sake, if nothing else."
"It's your call," she replied. "On another subject, how are you and
Charles Wayne making out?"
Smiling, Susan replied, "Very funny you should put it that way."
"I assume you and he are hitting it off."
"Yes. How are you and Larry?"
"We aren't. Every time I get him alone, I put my foot in my mouth up
to the hip."
"He seemed like a likeable sort at the restaurant the other night."
"Last night, I told him that telepaths creep me out and that Lyta
terrifies me. I don't think I made many points."
"I agree. Is there anything I can do, if I’m not butting in?"
"I honestly don't know."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Have you ever sat down with Lyta and had her explain exactly why
she took down Psi Corps. I mean besides the obvious one of freeing her
people."
"No. The thought never occurred to me."
"Maybe you should do that. Afterward, you may see Lyta, Larry, and a
good many other people through different eyes."
"I’ll take it under advisement. Are you still baby-sitting Lyta's
daughter?"
"No. She’s baby-sitting me."
"That sounds interesting. May I ask why?"
"I’ll explain it some day in the far future. Then you’ll understand
my feelings about these new orders I just received. I have to be going,
Elizabeth."
"See you later."
Ivanova retrieved Maya from C&C and departed. On her way back to her
ship she met Charles Wayne. He wasn't busy so she asked him to come
visit with her.
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0915 aboard EAS Ares
Aboard the Aries, Susan instructed her communications personnel to
not validate receipt of any further message traffic from Earth. They were
instructed to pass their communications guard to Babylon 5; however, they
were also to continue copying incoming traffic even though they weren't
acknowledging receiving it. She figured the ruse would buy her maybe twelve
to twenty-four hours at most.
Charles had been impressed with the tour of the ship Susan had given him.
Maya tagged along and appeared totally disinterested. As they were returning
to her office they ran into the XO.
"XO could you do me a favor?"
"Sure, Captain."
"Keep an eye on Maya. I have some business to discuss with Mister Wayne."
Looking doubtful, the XO took Maya's hand and led her away.
Susan and Charles entered her office. She locked the door behind them.
"You have already seen the ship, haven't you, Maya."
"Yes, sir. Aunt Susan isn't fooling me."
"I don't understand?"
"It isn't business that Aunt Susan has with Mister Wayne."
Slightly amused, the XO asked, "Let's let them believe they have fooled
us."
"If you say so."
Commander Owens remembered who Maya's mother was and would bet the
little girl was a full blown telepath. He would have to be careful of
his thoughts when she was around.
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1100 EAS Ares
In her office Susan was being hugged from behind by Charles. He was
nibbling her neck and ear lobe. She twisted in his embrace, not to get
loose, but to make his efforts easier. For the first time in her life
Susan was about to use her desk or any desk for that matter for some purpose
other than the one it was built for. They had finished and she was still
perched on the edge of the desk with her legs wrapped around Wayne's waist
and her arms around his neck kissing him very passionately.
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1145 EAS Ares captain's office
Hearing the loud clearing of a male throat, she stiffened then looked
over Charley's shoulder to see the holoimage of Draal on the other side
of the room.
"Maybe I should come back," he said then vanished.
Susan and Charles separated and got dressed. Susan was still straightening
her blouse when Draal reappeared.
"I am sorry, commander. It seems my timing leaves something to be
desired."
"It's captain now, Draal, and yes, your timing stinks. I know I’m
going to hate what you have to say."
"Ah, captain. Who is your friend, if that is the correct word?"
"His name is Charles Wayne. Charley meet Draal. Give it to me straight
up, Draal."
"Commander, it has been years since my last visit. One would think you
are not happy to see me."
"It's not that I’m not glad to see you, but the last time you initiated
a visit, I ended up in your machine, and we ended up in a war because of it.
No. Make that two wars."
"That is true, commander. Unfortunately, it is more than true that I
bring bad news now."
"Let's hear it, Draal."
"There is a fairly large fleet of Drakh cruisers on their way here.
They intend to destroy Babylon 5, you, and your ship. Which is very
impressive, by the way."
"How many, Draal?"
"Too many. Thirty or so if I counted correctly."
Silently, Susan mouthed the words to herself. In that instant she knew
why they had been ordered away from the station. She also realized she, her
crew, and her ship would never see Earth again. Against those odds, she had
no chance. The station had even less.
"Draal. I’ll do what I can, but it won't be nearly enough. Can you help
us?"
"I will do what I can, but I am limited to what the planetary defenses
can do. I am sorry, but even with my help, you and your ship will not
survive; however, between us we may be able to save the station."
"It won't be the first time I have been outgunned and outmanned. If I have
my way, it won't be the last. How long before they get here?"
"Ten hours at the most."
"Have you met Captain Lochley?"
"Not yet."
"I’ll call you from Babylon 5, in a little while. I need for you to
tell her what you told me."
"I will be waiting, Captain Ivanova," he said, as his holoimage faded
from view.
Walking to her desk she picked up her communications link and paged
the XO.
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1100 Babylon 5
Lochley was on her way to the mess hall for a light lunch. The lift
door in front of her opened and she entered without looking to see who
might already be in the car. As the door closed and gave her destination,
she realized that Larry Evans was standing in a back corner of the car. He
made no effort to say anything, but he could smell her clean fragrance. It
made his heart skip a beat. Looking her over from head to foot, he couldn't
help but be impressed with the curves that were not nearly hidden inside
her uniform. Before he could think of something to say, she spoke first.
"Good morning, Mister Evans."
"Good morning, captain," he replied.
The car descended for a few seconds. Lochley stopped it between levels
and turned to face Evans.
"Mister Evans. I owe you an apology."
"For what?"
"I made statements and remarks last night that were out of line."
"You stated your feelings and beliefs. There is nothing to apologize for.
There aren't any laws against holding beliefs nor expressing them. You were
honest. Most aren't. I respect you for that."
"Still, I painted you with a brush that you didn't deserve."
"Don't fret, captain. I have been a telepath since I was three years old.
The hatred and loathing are nothing new. I’m accustomed to it. Remember, I
was a psi cop, and all that it entails. I was hated not only by normals, but
by my fellow telepaths. I am quite used to it."
"I had hoped we could start over."
"Captain, I don't want to burst your bubble, but there isn't anything
to start over. We never had a relationship. It was all in your imagination.
"Perhaps, you are correct, Mister Evans."
"At least we agree on something."
Lochley smiled at him and restarted the car.
"Mister Evans. Is it true that psi cops didn't adhere to the rules
about unauthorized scans?"
"Unfortunately, that was true in most cases."
"Have you ever conducted an unauthorized scan?"
"Yes. There were a number of instances. I wasn't given a choice."
"How did you feel about it?"
"I consider an unauthorized scan to be the same as rape. Only, it’s
mental, instead of physical. I would give anything to go back and undo the
damage some of those scans caused, but time only flows in one direction."
"You don't seem to like being a telepath."
"Look at it this way, captain. Suppose you were born a man and then
someone did a sex change on you, without your permission. No matter whether
you wanted it or not, you damn sure can't undo it. Does that answer your
question."
"Yes. I suppose it does."
"Captain. You said you were terrified of Lyta. Consider, she never asked
to be a telepath. Then, the Vorlons reengineered her at the genetic level,
she didn't ask for that either, and they didn't bother to give her an
instruction manual telling her how to recognize her abilities, or how to
use them. Did it ever occur to you that she may be as terrified at what she
is becoming as you are? Like my example, she can't undo what has been done
to her."
"You have made your point, Mister Evans."
The lift door opened and Evans got off.
************************************************************************
1230 Babylon 5
On her way back to her office, Lochley ran into Lyta who was going in
the same direction. They got in the same lift car. Lochley looked oddly
at Lyta when she realized they were both headed for C&C.
"You have business in C&C, Lyta?" asked Lochley.
"Not that I am aware of."
"Why’re you going there?"
"I got a call from Captain Ivanova, asking me to meet her there."
"Did she give you a reason?"
"No."
Lochley looked frustrated.
"Captain. Before you develop an ulcer, remember, Susan called me and
made a request. As soon as I learn what she wants, I will be out of your
space. You don't like me, but why not give Susan the benefit of the doubt?"
"If you knew I detest you, why did you invite me to dinner the other
night?”
"Let's just chalk that one up to a mistake on my part. It won't happen
again."
"If you didn't want me to see Mister Evans, why did you introduce us?"
"Like I just said, chalk it up to a massive mistake on my part."
They arrived in C&C to find Susan waiting for them.
"In your office, Elizabeth," said Susan.
They were in Lochley's office and seated when Lochley demanded an
explanation.
"Sit down, Elizabeth, and listen," commanded Susan. Raising her link
to her mouth, she told C&C, "Tell Draal we're ready in Captain Lochley's
office."
Less than a minute later Draal's holoimage appeared.
"Captain Ivanova, I take it the other captain is Captain Lochley, the
station commander. Hello captain. I have been remiss in my duties by not
having introduced myself to you before this." Then he looked at Lyta. "Who
invited her."
"I did Draal. She saved my ass when the Zeus was attacked by the Drakh."
"She is dangerous, Captain Lochley," stated Draal.
Lyta got up and was at the door before Susan asked, "Where are you going?"
"I know when I’m not wanted. You three have fun," Lyta replied, and left
the office.
"Was that necessary, Draal?" asked Susan.
"I didn't intend for her to leave," he replied.
"Would one of you explain to me just what is going on here!" demanded
Lochley.
"Show her, Draal."
"First Captain Lochley, let me explain myself." Draal proceeded to
explain the great machine to Lochley.
Draal stepped to one side of the office and another holoimage appeared
in the middle of the room. It showed a large fleet of ships moving through
hyperspace.
"What am I looking at?" asked Lochley.
Draal stepped into the holoimage and pointed at one of thirty ships
that all looked alike. "This is a Drakh cruiser. It has more firepower
than a regular Earthforce destroyer, like the one you commanded, Captain
Lochley. They normally have seventy-five fighters attached to them. These
other ships are heavily armed escorts and support and troop ships. If the
communications I have intercepted and decoded are to be believed, they will
arrive here in just over nine hours. Their mission is to capture then destroy
Babylon 5."
Lochley's mouth dropped open. She had just heard her death sentence
and that of everyone onboard Babylon 5.
"What are our options?"
"We fight," replied Susan. "Draal will use planetary defenses where
possible to destroy what he can. I will place the Ares between the
attackers and the station and take out as many as I can. The rest is up
to you. The Ares will not survive. If we are very lucky, the station may
have a slim chance. That is our only option, Elizabeth."
"Considering what you have just shown me, why was Lyta called here?"
"She may be our only hope for survival," replied Susan.
"What can she do that you and Draal can't."
"If she were in the machine instead of me, she could kill everyone in
the Drakh fleet and destroy their ships where they are now. As it is, she
will have to wait until they get here. She has been aware of the Drakh
fleet for at least two days now."
"How could she manage that?" asked Lochley.
"Just believe Draal, Elizabeth," commented Susan. "I have seen what
she can do. You would not believe me, even if I told you."
"You are referring to your dead crewman?" asked Draal.
"You know about that?"
"I know more about Lyta than she does about herself. Yes, to your
question, and that wasn't the first time either, but you will never be
able to prove any of it," answered Draal. "I wasn't aware of her presence
on the station. She shields herself exceptionally well."
"So how does her being here help us?" asked Lochley.
"If she helps, then we will win, but she and her daughter are virtually
impossible to kill, so she may let things take their course."
A very cold chill ran down Lochley's spine and spread throughout her body.
"I can see it now. If we approach her, she will remind us that the only
time we give a damn about her is when we need her to pull our chestnuts out
of the fire, and she will be correct."
"Nicely put, Captain Lochley," commented Draal.
"That may not be necessary. She has some of her people on the station.
She will not stand by and let them be killed. The Lyta that is my friend,
won't let that happen," stated Ivanova.
"Captain Ivanova is correct. Lyta won't allow that to happen. She is
powerful almost beyond belief, but she still has a human soul. Her
compassion won't allow a quarter of a million innocent people come to
harm, if she can stop it, and she can."
"I have to get back to my ship. Elizabeth, tell your pilots that the
weak spot on the Drakh fighters are their engines, also there aren't any
pilots in their fighters. They are remote controlled from their parent
ship. Kill the mothership, and the fighters are just so much junk."
"So, do we approach Lyta, or what?"
"In this case, it is definitely ‘or what’," replied Susan.
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1300 Babylon 5
On her way back to her ship, Susan found Lyta and Maya waiting for her.
"Susan, you should take Maya with you. She can protect you," said Lyta.
"What about you?"
"I can take care of myself, but even if I kill every Drakh as the ships
exit hyperspace, their fighters will be on a collision course with the
station. If they hit, the impact damage will be severe to all outer areas
around the point of impact. Add in the possible damage if the fighter
explodes and the damage might be fatal to the station. So don't be fooled
into thinking nothing can go wrong."
Lyta's statement hit her like a bucket of ice water in the face. "Okay.
I'll take the munchkin. You make sure nothing happens to Charles."
"I’ll do what I can."
Susan put her arms around Lyta and hugged her very tightly. Then she and
Maya hastened down the passageway.
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1415 EAS Ares
Back on her ship Susan held a meeting with her department heads,
division officers and leading chiefs and gave them the bad news.
"Today we learn just how well the new tactics, we’ve been practicing
for the last fifteen months work. I expect everyone to do his job to the
best of his ability. If we had five more ships like the Ares, we might
have a snowball's chance in hell on a hot summer's day of getting out of
this alive. Since there is only we and Draal between the Drakh and the
station, we will let them know they have been in a fight. We are expendable
gentlemen, but I won't waste our lives. There are a quarter million beings
on Babylon 5, we are nineteen hundred-seventy one, the numbers say the
station is more valuable. You have your orders, do it."
Silently her department heads, division officers and leading chiefs
filed out of the briefing room.
"Captain. We have everyone back aboard."
Susan pushed a button on an intercom box mounted on the wall. "CIC this
is the captain, plot a course that puts us one thousand kilometers from
Babylon 5 directly opposite Epsilon III. When you have the course plotted
get us underway at best speed. Captain out.”
"Did you have to tell them that we wouldn't be surviving this conflict,
captain?"
"No, I didn't, Pat, but I feel they have a right to know what we’re
dying for. It’s a small reward for the price we’ll pay for our career
choices."
"Why did you bring the little girl?"
"Lyta thought she might be able to protect us."
Commander Owens looked at his skipper as if she were mad. "You can't
be serious."
"I am serious commander. She is a telekenitic in addition to being a
telepath. She may keep us from being hit by the one that would destroy us."
"I find it hard to believe, Lyta would subject her daughter to this
much danger."
"That's the point, Pat. She’s in no real personal danger."
The XO shook his head in disbelief.
"Remember what Lyta did the night of the dance?"
"Sure. I'm not likely to ever forget it."
"Well, Maya is as powerful as her mother. Don't let her human appearance
fool you. She is at least half Vorlon with a little bit of Lorien thrown
in for good measure."
"Whatever you say, captain," answered Owens with doubt ringing in his voice.
Susan went to her cabin to retrieve Maya. In her cabin, she told Maya
what was expected of her. Maya nodded assent and said, "I will do my best
Aunt Susan, but remember, I have never tried anything like this before."
"There’s a first time for everything, sweetheart. Why don't you take a
nap? I’ll wake you when the time comes."
Maya lay down on the couch and within three minutes was fast asleep.
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1445 Babylon 5
In her office Lochley received the news that the Ares was underway and
proceeding to a station one thousand kilometers off the starboard side of
the station. Lochley walked out into C&C to watch the ship in its maneuvers.
Lt. Corwin commented, "She sure is a big mother."
"Didn't you put in for duty aboard her Lt.?"
"Yes sir, but the competition was too stiff."
"How do you mean?"
"Well, sir, Captain Ivanova hand picked her all officers and most of
her very senior enlisted personnel. She apparently wanted people who weren't
afraid to say no to the boss, and had metric tons of space combat in their
records."
"I was in competition for CO, but she had the edge in hard combat
experience, even though she is a junior captain. She is General Leftcout's
rising star, too. He has been impressed with the way she has handled so
many hairy political and military misadventures in the past. No doubt
about it, Lt., she is very damned good. Having John Sheridan push through
her promotion before he resigned didn't hurt either. Having the only true
Earth-Minbari War hero in your camp is better that credits in the bank."
"Do you think, they’ll get out of this alive?"
"Not a chance Lt. Not one damned chance in hell."
"But if she does?"
"Hell Lt., If she gets out of this alive, I'll personally punch her
ticket for JCS."
"She isn't even a general yet."
"She would have been, if she had made it back to Earth. They had a big
celebration of the Ares' return to coincide with her early selection."
"Doesn't that irk you just a bit, seeing them give someone so junior a
promotion ahead of you?"
"They wouldn't be giving her anything. She has earned everything she
has. You served with her for several years on board this station. How
would you rate her?"
"I see your point. Even when she was a LCdr., she behaved and did the
job the way you would expect a veteran senior officer. She was efficient,
focused, dedicated and hard as nails."
"You have answered your question; however, it’s a moot point. If she
had five or six ships like the Ares, she might have a chance."
"I keep remembering what she did to Clark's advanced destroyer squadron.
She was totally outgunned and outnumbered. She won that one. I won't print
her and her ship's obituary until I see a dead body and the ship in pieces."
"Your attitude demonstrates why she is so successful."
Lt. Corwin looked at Lochley with a puzzled expression.
"She hasn't been here for four years and you still believe in her and
her abilities. She brings out the best in her crew. Many would chafe under
a CO like Captain Ivanova, but she has a way of letting her people know she
really cares for them. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't learn that from
Sinclair and Sheridan."
"Captain. Look at that maneuver. Can you believe anything that large
can turn that fast?"
"Yes. Captain Ivanova had input into the ship's design. She insisted
that the ship be built to twist and turn like one of those whitestars she
commanded. It took some real head knocking, but the brass saw the advantage
that would give a ship that has artificial gravity. It also has the reactors
placed throughout the ship instead of being clustered in the stern and all
major power conduits and signal and control cabling runs down both sides
of the ship about fifty meters off the centerline. You have to destroy the
entire ship to put it completely out of action. You won't kill that ship
with one lucky shot. She even had them put in three complete control centers.
In old Earth terminology, the Ares is bad."
"I was reading up on the published specs. She has more firepower in her
weapons systems than any three of the old type destroyers. I am told it was
developed from data gleaned from the Shadow battlecruiser that was found
on Ganymede."
"I have heard that, but have never seen anything you could call proof."
At that, Lochley went back into her office and called security to check
on the progress of getting people moved away from the outer hull area. She
was going to copy Ivanova's idea of filling the outer hull areas with inert
gases. Hopefully it would lower the chances of fires spreading and becoming
uncontrollable. Problem was that some of the lurkers were hiding out and
refusing to go. They were told, if they stayed they would be suffocated by
the gasses that would flood the spaces they were occupying. She would be
damned if she would let some derelict keep her from protecting the thousands
of others on her station.
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1700 on station 1,000 kilometers to starboard of Babylon 5
The Ares was in position and Susan's crew members were finished with
their preparations. They were in the process of double checking to make
sure nothing had been missed. Her fighters were ready for launching. It
wouldn't take but a few minutes to launch them, and she wanted them to
have full fuel tanks when the fray began. They wouldn't get a chance to
refuel until the battle was over, if her plan worked. If it didn't work,
there wouldn't be anyplace for them to land anyway.
*******************************************************************
2100 Babylon 5
"Lyta. I am taking our contingent to the waiting areas in the central
core. It will be as far from the outer hull as we can get, and should be
the safest if there are hull breaches," stated Larry Evans.
"Good luck, Larry. I hope to see all of you when this is over. You better
get moving. The Drakh will be here in less than an hour."
Larry and his band moved off and Lyta returned to her quarters. She sat
down on the floor in the center of the room and began to stretch out her
senses. In a few moments she could "see" the Ares, the local jumpgate and
the planet. Her expanded senses told her that the Drakh would be there in
under thirty minutes. She minutely examined the Ares and its crew, including
its pilots and the pilots of Babylon 5. When she started the slaughter, she
didn't want to kill any innocents.
Lyta had never killed on such a wholesale basis before, but her
programming left no doubt in her mind, she could do it without compunction.
She had disabled the door opening mechanism, so no one would be interrupting
her.
********************************************************************
2115 Babylon 5
"Captain Lochley," called Lt. Corwin.
Coming on deck in C&C from her office, she asked, "What's wrong Lt.?"
"We just detected a very large energy spike from somewhere on the station."
"Did you get a location?"
"No sir. It saturated our receivers."
"Just what we need another problem. Keep monitoring maybe it was a fluke.
By the way, is there anything on our hyperspace monitor beacons yet?"
"No sir."
"Captain. We are getting something on the outermost set of beacons,"
said one of the monitor console operators.
Looking at the large monitor screen off to one side of the space Lochley
and Corwin got their first look at a Drakh cruiser and the fighters in
close escort under the center of the ship.
"They look nasty, Captain."
"Yes they do, Mr. Corwin. Yes they do. Launch our fighters and have
them take up station between the jumpgate and us and between us and the
Ares."
"Captain. The Ares hasn't launched fighters yet."
"Send this feed to Captain Ivanova."
***********************************************************************
2130 EAS Ares
"They are here Aunt Susan," said Maya. "They will exit hyperspace in
about ten minutes."
"Launch fighters. Have them take station between us and the station."
The fighters began launching from their bays and moving to their
assigned waiting points.
"To all fighters in the area, this is Captain Ivanova of the EAS Ares.
Keep out of our line of fire. Concentrate on any fighters that get by us
that are headed for the station. Remember, these fighters are most likely
remote controlled, so they can out maneuver you. You must completely destroy
them so they cannot go ballistic and hit the station. Ivanova out."
Ship to ship the fighter pilots made their last checks then hit the
launch button. Each one, wondering if he would see the end of the day, was
determined to take these Drakh down, if it could be done.
***********************************************************************
2140 Epsilon III jumpgate
The local jumpgate energized and a Drakh scout ship started to exit.
On the tracking station the Captain watched as the jumpgate energized.
Onboard the Ares the fire control systems locked onto the jumpgate the
instant it energized and onto the scout ship as it appeared in the vortex.
A long pulse from one of the main batteries on the Ares and the scout ship
vanished in a small explosion.
"Not bad considering the distance. The next targets won't be as easy,"
commented Captain Ivanova.
***********************************************************************
"I hope that was an enemy ship," commented Lt. Corwin.
"Were we expecting anybody at this time?" asked Lochley to the various
console operators and received no answer.
**********************************************************************
On Epsilon III, Draal was watching the approach of the Drakh fleet. He
felt the touch of Lyta's mind as she reached out and familiarized herself
with the non-enemy minds. When he had told Lochley that Lyta's was
dangerous, he had not been joking. She was one person who could kill him
in spite of The Great Machine. He also realized that with her in the game,
the only really big danger to the Ares and the station would be the fighters.
***********************************************************************
END PART 4