Author's note: The characters and places in the following story belong to and are copyrighted by J. Michael Straczynski, PTEN, and Warner Brothers, a subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc. All rights reserved. I'm just borrowing them for a little while, and promise to give them right back when I'm done. (There, that should hold off the lawyers.) The story itself belongs to Sandra R. Brazelton and is copyrighted 1997, and may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. This story is the follow-up to Descent, and occurs at the beginning of season 5. You really need to read Descent, since you'll be lost without it. Events in this story differ significantly from the televised episodes. Basically, this story and Descent form an alternative universe. Fourth, and possibly fifth season spoiler alert. Do not read further if you don't like spoilers. You have been warned. The story contains very mild swear words, nothing you haven't heard on the show. Anything else? Ok then, let's dive in!! JOURNEY INTO DARKNESS Michael Garibaldi sat in a corner of Zack Allan's office and tried, really tried not to smile. He was listening in as Zack spoke to Babylon 5's new commander, Captain Elizabeth Lochley. Not that Zack was actually doing much of the talking besides "yes, maam" amd "no, maam". Captain Lochley tersely ended the conversation with, "That will be all, Mr. Allan," and the monitor screen went blank. Zack gave Garibaldi a pained look. "I really hate when she does that." His expression became almost mournful as he asked, "You sure you don't want your old job back?" Garibaldi finally lost the battle and broke into a wide grin. "No thanks!!" He motioned at the monitor with his a nod of his head. "Looks like you got yourself a live one." Zack sighed, "Tell me about it. She expects me to be in five different places doing ten different things ALL at the same time!" As Zack looked at Garibaldi, he couldn't help but share Michael's smile. It was good to have the Chief back, the real Chief. "So, how's your new job going? Head of Alliance Security, huh?" Garibaldi leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head. "Great, just great!" His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Better hours, no flack from Earth Gov," he paused for effect, "and I got a HUGE pay raise." Garibaldi emphacized the last part with relish. A little dig between friends was almost expected, and Zack was a good friend. One of the few who had welcomed him back with no recriminations. Everyone knew what had happened to him, about the programming by Psi Corps, but bad feelings die hard sometimes. Touching base with Zack was a courtesy call Garibaldi had looked forward to. When President Clark was deposed, Babylon 5 reverted to the Control of Earth Gov. The new Alliance of Worlds, led by John Sheridan, had its headquarters here on the station. If the two groups were going to successfully co-exist, they had to keep the lines of communication open. Zack started to say something when his link went off. Jabbing at the noisy device on the back of his hand, he barked, "Allan here." "Chief," the voice from the link sounded frazzled, "we've got a near riot in docking bay 7. You better get down here right away." "On my way," Zack replied. He stood up and started towards the door, then turned towards Garibaldi. "Wanna come along, Michael?" Garibaldi got up from his chair. "Maybe next time, ok? I've got a meeting with Sheridan in half an hour to set up our trip to Proxima, and I'd just as soon NOT show up in torn and bloody clothes." Zack raised his eyebrows. "You're gonna miss all the fun." "Yeah, yeah, yeah," Garibaldi replied, shooing his friend out of the room. "Get outa here, will ya?" "Ok, ok." Zack laughed, and as he was leaving the office, he called back, "catch ya later." Garibaldi nodded, "You got it." ---------------------------- Alfred Bester sat back in his chair and steepled his fingers as he contemplated recent events. The deadly telepath virus, developed by Edgars Industries, and the antidote to that virus, were safely in Psi Corps posession. A true holocaust had been prevented, and he, Alfred Bester, was the one responsible for saving "his" telepaths. He smiled with self satisfaction. But not everything had gone according to plan. Psi Corps' power had been seriously eroded. John Sheridan had succeeded in deposing President Clark. Clark had given Psi Corps unprecidented power, in return for their support. Now, Clark was dead, and the new leaders of Earth Gov looked on Psi Corps with suspicion. Then there was Michael Garibaldi, back in everyone's good graces. Bester sneered. They actually believed his story, thanks to Lyta Alexander no doubt. Garibaldi had filed a formal complaint against Psi Corps, prompting an investigation which would prove most detrimental to the Corps. Yes, Garibaldi was going to be a problem if not dealt with soon. He pondered the problem. 'How do I eliminate Garibaldi, and discredit his case, without leaving any traces back to the Corps?' Bester spent several minutes in thought. Then a cold, thin smile found its way to his face as a plan began to form. He contemplated all the angles, thought of every possibility. Nothing would be left to chance. His smile broadened. Yes, it was perfect. He contacted Psi Corps headquarters, and as he requested, was immediately connected to the Covert Operations division. He carefully studied the woman whose face appeared on the screen before asking, "Do we still have Corps members working within the Ministry of Justice?" "As a matter of fact, we do," she answered. Bester nodded his head. "Have they filed any reports about the investigation into the deaths at William Edgars' compound on Mars?" The woman glanced away from the vid monitor momentarily, then returned her gaze and answered, "Yes, they have. The investigation has stalled. They had a few suspects, but the Ministry was unable to complete their investigation after the Mars Colony gained their independence." Bester leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Then I think we should help them. Tell our operatives to go through the personnel files of Edgars Industries' headquarters on Earth, especially any file dealing with Michael Garibaldi." The woman looked puzzled. "May I ask, exactly what are they looking for?" Bester looked thoughtful for a moment, then answered, "A motive for murder." ---------------------------- It was "night" on the station. The lighting was subdued, and most areas of the station were deserted. It was quiet. Michael Garibaldi sat in front of the lines drawn in the sand of the Japanese Stone Garden, staring intently. What had Jeff called this place? 'A pool for Zen skinnydipping.' A wry smile crossed his lips. 'I still miss you, ya know', he thought. Missing Jeff still hurt, but, it seemed, not as much as before. Other hurts had taken its place. Hurts, and regrets, and even guilt. 'I still feel bad about what I did', he thought, 'I know it wasn't my fault, but still......' He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't hear her enter the Garden. Ambassador Delenn was surprised to find him here. Only once before had she come upon Mr. Garibaldi lost in thought. He was not normally a contemplative man. In the weeks since his return from Mars, he appeared to be back to being his former self. But on a few occasions, such as now, she noticed his profound sadness. He looked up, noticing her for the first time. "Ambassador, is there something I can do for you?" He started to rise. "Please, Mr. Garibaldi, do not get up," she said, "I did not mean to intrude." As he retook his seat, she sat down beside him on the bench. He looked at her with a sad smile. "I was just thinking about Jeff," he said. "He used to come here alot." She nodded and said, "Yes. I, too, miss him very much. He was a good friend." She looked at the lines in the sand, knowing that missing Jeff was not the only thing Mr. Garibaldi was brooding over. She knew that not everyone had accepted his return, and she suspected that he still might feel guilt and remorse about what his programming had made him do. Jeff had once told her that Garibaldi always tried to do the right thing, even if it meant going up against the powers that be and suffering for it. His actions while under the influence of Psi Corps' programming went against everything he believed in. They sat in silence as she tried to think of a way to broach the subject. She was still learning to deal with humans, they were a very complex and emotional people. Perhaps an indirect approach might be the way. She sighed deeply, a sad look crossed her face. "Ambassador, is anything wrong?" Garibaldi's face showed genuine concern. She looked at him and said, "I do not think that John and Captain Lochley are getting along well at all. I sense a great deal of hostility from her, and from those who fought against us in the war." "Yeah," he said in agreement, "I've noticed that too. It'll take a long time to 'bury the hatchet'." Delenn looked puzzled. "'Bury the hatchet'? Why would they bury a hatchet?" She leaned towards him, "And what exactly is a hatchet?" Caught completely off guard, Garibaldi couldn't help but smile. Sometimes Delenn was way too literal. "It's an Earth expression," he explained. "When two enemies decide not to fight any more, they symbolically end the conflict by getting rid of their weapons." Symbolism was something Delenn understood well. "I see," she said. "I wonder when this hatchet burying ceremony will take place." Garibaldi shook his head and replied, "No telling how long it'll take. People on both sides thought they were right, and the other side was wrong. Bad feelings take a long time to get over." Delenn sensed an opening. "And how long will it take you to get over your bad feelings? Over the guilt you seem to feel about something that was not your fault?" From the expression on Garibaldi's face, Delenn knew she had scored a direct hit. He looked at her for a moment, realizing now that Delenn had steered the conversation in this direction deliberately. He shook his head, and sighed. "I know, I know, it wasn't my fault. But I can't help feeling that, maybe if I'd fought them harder, I could've..... I don't know....." "You could have single handedly fought both the Shadows and the Psi Corps, and won. Even though it took the entire Army of Light and the First Ones combined just to defeat the Shadows. I was not aware, Mr. Garibaldi, that you thought you were that powerful." Delenn wore a surprised expression. 'She gotcha right between the eyes,' Garibaldi thought to himself. "Yeah, I know, but I still feel bad," he said. "Mr. Garibaldi," Delenn began, "you are a man of strong moral character. You have been forced to do things which go against your knowledge of right and wrong. Things you normally would not have done. You must learn to forgive yourself, just as all of us must forgive ourselves for the things we have done." Thinking of her own actions in the past, Delenn rose from the bench, and took a few steps before stopping. She turned towards him. "Do not let this guilt consume you. You are a better man than you know." With this, she walked towards the exit. "Ambassador," Garibaldi called out. Delenn stopped and turned towards him. He smiled at her and said, "Thanks." She bowed slightly, and continued into the corridor. He slowly rose from the bench, taking one last look at the Zen Garden. "Goodnight, Jeff," he said, and slowly walked away. ------------------------------------ Captain Elizabeth Lochley looked at the mountain of paperwork that sat on her desk and sighed. She had been at this for hours, but the pile hadn't gotten very much smaller. She looked at her chronometer, which read 2120 hours. This certainly wasn't like running a ship. All this paperwork was beginning to get on her nerves. Her thoughts were interrupted by a chime from the vid screen. "Yes, what is it?" Lt. Corwin's face appeared on the screen. "Sorry to bother you Captain. A Mr. Myers from the Ministry of Justice wishes to speak with you. He says it's urgent." Lochley rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she hated more than bureaucratic paperwork, it was bureaucrats themselves. "Put him through," she instructed. Corwin's face was replaced by a man who looked well past sixty. "What can I do for you, Mr. Myers?" "Captain," Myers began, "the Ministry of Justice has dispatched a fugitive retrieval team with a warrant to arrest someone from the Alliance of Worlds on your station. They will be arriving at Babylon 5 sometime tomorrow. This may cause quite an incident with the Alliance, so I thought you should be informed beforehand." Lochley's interest was piqued. For her, the Alliance posed more problems than it solved. Having John Sheridan on the station didn't help matters either. This had been his station, and most of the people here had worked for him. Sometimes, she felt like an intruder. Well, this was her station now. "And just who from the Alliance do you intend to arrest?", she asked. "Everyone knows that Earth Gov gave amnesty to all who fought against Earth in the war, even Sheridan." Myers thought for a moment before replying, "I cannot divulge that information at this time. You only need to know that a team from the Ministry will arrive at your station tomorrow, and that you will give them your full cooperation." Lochley counted to ten, keeping her expression neutral, before replying, "Very well, Mr. Myers. I will alert my Security Chief to expect your team's arrival." Myer's expression clouded. "Your Security Chief is Zack Allan isn't it?" "Yes, that's right", Lochley answered. 'Where was this going', she wondered silently. "And before that," Myers continued, "those duties were handled by Michael Garibaldi." Lochley nodded, "Yes, that's correct." Myers hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Would you consider Chief Allan and Garibaldi to be friends?" "Yes, I suppose so," Lochley answered. She had seen them together, and they seemed to get along quite well. "Garibaldi is head of the Alliance's security, and he usually coordinates his activities with Mr. Allan." Myers looked thoughtful. "It would be best, Captain, that you not inform Mr. Allan as to the purpose of our teams' arrival. Tell him that a team from the Ministry is coming, and that he is to give that team his full cooperation. Nothing more." Captain Lochley leaned back in her chair, irritated at Myers' attempt to keep her in the dark. "Let me get this straight, Mr. Myers." She ticked off each point on her fingers as she spoke. "First, you are sending a fugitive retrieval team to my station to arrest someone from the Alliance of Worlds. Second, this arrest will probably cause a major incident with the Alliance. Third, I can't inform my security department of this arrest until it happens, so they will be totally unprepared to handle the consequences. Fourth, you won't tell me who they are going to arrest, and on what charges, so we can be prepared for the fallout. And finally, if this person decides to leave the station before your team arrives, we will be unable to stop him or her from leaving because we won't know who to stop. Have I left anything out, Mr. Myers?" Myers looked alarmed. "Do you know if anyone from the Alliance is planning an off station trip soon?" Lochley hid her smile well. "As a matter of fact, I've heard that President Sheridan is planning a trip to Proxima. Could be tomorrow, could be the next day. Of course, he'll be taking along Ambassador Delenn, a security detachment, as well as other members of his entourage." The trip wasn't a secret, but it's timing was, so she wasn't exactly lying when she said that it could be tomorrow. "Since Proxima isn't in Earth's jurisdiction, you'll just have to wait until your suspect returns, IF he or she returns." Myers thought for a moment, weighing his options. "Alright, Captain. But this is for your ears only, no one else must know about this. The team is coming to your station to arrest Michael Garibaldi." Lochley finally understood Myers' interest in Zack Allan and Garibaldi. "On what charge?", she asked. "For the murder of William Edgars and three others at Edgars' compound on Mars. It seems that Garibaldi was romantically involved with Mrs. Edgars in the past, and his file from Edgars Industries reveals that he still harbored feelings for her. His fingerprints and DNA evidence were all over the compound. The evidence against him is quite substantial." Myers took a deep breath. "You can see how Mr. Allan may not be the best person to be involved in the arrest. Garibaldi is known to be armed, and we hope his arrest will proceed without incident, but if things turn ugly, I don't want your people caught in the middle." Lochley didn't show the surprise she was feeling. "I understand," she said. "Mr. Allan will be informed of your team's arrival, but will not be told of their mission." "Thank you, Captain," Myers replied. "Your cooperation is appreciated." With that, the vid screen went blank. Lochley took a deep breath, and forcefully blew it out. "Sheridan is going to have a fit," she said to herself. She leaned back in her chair. "A royal, pain in the ass fit."