The transport car glided through the tube system, illuminated only by its 
interior lighting system.  Garibaldi slouched down in his seat, pulled his 
hat down over his eyes, and pretended to be asleep.  The stop for Syria 
Planum and the secret Psi Corps base would be coming up shortly, and he 
didn't want to be spotted now.  Not when they were so close.  He chanced 
a look at Lyta, sitting beside him and wearing a shoulder length dark 
brown wig.  She seemed lost in thought, hopefully she was scanning the 
few other passengers in the car.  He had to admit that Lyta was the best 
person to watch his back right now, she could tell if anyone gave them 
more than a passing notice.
  
He still didn't know why she had come along.  She knew how he felt about 
telepaths, knew he didn't trust them, and still she was here, helping him 
prove his innocence.  Risking her life for him.  Even after he'd fired her 
on William Edgars' orders, which had forced her to go back to Psi Corps.  
Even after all the slights, big and small.  Going against her own people 
to find the truth.  Another friend he didn't deserve.  Well, she was a 
"teep", but she was more than all right in his book.

"Next stop, Syria Planum," intoned the public address system.  Garibaldi 
sat up, but left his hat pulled down part way over his eyes.  He whispered 
to Lyta, "We in the clear?"

She nodded her head slightly and whispered back, "So far, so good."
    
They readied their backpacks as the car came to a stop.  They didn't exit 
until everyone else had gotten off first.  They stood on the platform, 
waiting until everyone had left, then started on their way towards the 
Psi Corps base.


-----------------------------------------  



The kilometer walk to the base passed in silence.  Every nerve Garibaldi 
had was on edge.  He expected an ambush at any time.  He didn't believe 
for a minute that Psi Corps had left the base undefended.  It was only a 
matter of when and where they'd be attacked. 
 
He tried to concentrate on what he needed to do, but unexpectedly found 
his thoughts going back to the last time he was here.  Lise.  A flood of 
memories washed over him.  Pain, despair, regrets, a lifetime of regrets.  
He knew he hadn't dealt with her death.  He'd run away, back to the damn 
bottle, just like he always did.  He wondered if he'd ever live long enough 
to get it right, if only once.

Lyta's soft voice jolted him back to the present.  "Michael, you ok?"

"Yeah," he lied, "I'm ok."
  
"We're almost there," she said, pointing to the entrance, "and I don't 
like the looks of things."

He looked at the entryway to the base.  The door hadn't been repaired.  It 
stood open, just as they had left it the last time.  "I don't like this," 
Garibaldi agreed.  "This is way too easy."  He looked around suspiciously.  
"Lyta," he asked, "do you sense anyone around?"

Lyta concentrated, calling on talents no one would ever fully understand.  
Talents enhanced by the Vorlons.  And then she noticed it, nothing 
substantial, just a faint brush against her mind.  A telepathic touch.  
Quickly withdrawn, but there nevertheless.  "They're here," she told him, 
"somewhere inside."

"How many?"  Garibaldi pulled out a PPG and armed it.

Lyta searched with her mind, but could no longer sense the ones who waited 
for them.  She remembered the telepathic brush against her mind.  "I'm not 
sure.  Two, maybe three of them," she said.

"Ok, Lyta.  This is where you bail out," Garibaldi said.

Lyta shook her head and said, "No way, Michael.  They know we're coming, 
and against telepaths, you don't have a chance by yourself."

"I know," he said.  "It's just that....."  He looked at her, and knew she 
was right.  He couldn't prove his innocence if he was dead, now could he.  
"Never mind," he said, "we've been over this enough times already."  He 
pulled out one of his backup PPGs and handed it to her.  "Here, you'll 
need this."

Lyta took it and said, "Thanks."  She'd finally gotten through that 
stubborn, thick skull of his.
  
Garibaldi held his PPG close to his chest as he eased up to the entryway.  
"Stay behind me," he ordered, "and let me know if you sense anyone."

Lyta nodded in agreement.  Her heart was pounding as she felt the rush of 
adrenalin course through her body.  She tried to calm her nerves, 
determined to be ready for anything.

"Ok," Garibaldi said as he looked at her one last time, "let's do it."  
He eased around the door, and immediately crouched down, PPG held out in 
front of him.  He half expected to get blasted right away, but nothing 
happened.  As Lyta crouched down beside him, he said, "Damn, I wish we had 
some cover."

Lyta nodded, then asked, "Which way?"

Garibaldi pointed with his PPG.  "Straight ahead.  Second hallway on the 
left."  He stood up, pressing against the wall, offering the smallest 
target he could as he moved along the corridor.
  
Lyta stayed right behind him.  Suddenly, she became aware of something 
brushing against her mind.  "Michael," she shouted, "get down!!!"

Garibaldi instantly obeyed her, and both he and Lyta dove to the floor 
just as weapons fire sailed over their heads.  They returned fire, hoping 
to keep whoever was shooting at them from getting a good target.  It was 
hard to tell where the weapons fire was coming from, but Garibaldi guessed 
it was probably from the first corridor.

As she fired her PPG, Lyta reached out with her mind, sending out a message 
she hoped would slow down their attackers.  'Sleep'.  She kept sending out 
the message, putting everything she had into it, trying to screen Garibaldi 
from its effects.

Garibaldi was the first to notice that their attackers had stopped firing 
at them.  "Lyta," he said, putting his hand on her arm, "hold your fire."
  
He listened for any tell-tale sound, and not hearing anything turned to 
Lyta.  It was only then that he noticed her intently staring straight 
ahead.  He knew their PPG shots couldn't have taken out all their attackers, 
so she must have done it with her mind.
  
"You get 'em?", he asked, gently shaking her arm.

Lyta slowly nodded and said, "Yeah, I think so."

"Only one way to find out," he said.  "You ready?"

A wordless nod was all he got.  He rose, and hugging the wall as tightly 
as he could, proceeded down the corridor.  Lyta stayed right behind him.  
He held his PPG in front of his body as he edged around the corner into the 
corridor.
  
What he saw was simply amazing.  Three men, breathing but out cold, laying 
on the floor.  "Yep," he turned to Lyta and smiled, "you got 'em.  How long 
are they gonna be out?" he asked.

Lyta shook her head.  "I'm not sure," she replied, "we'd better hurry."

They cautiously continued towards the control room, balancing their need 
to hurry with the knowledge that they could be ambushed again at any time.  
Lyta reached out with her mind, scanning for any more attackers.  She was 
met only with silence.  As they approached the entrance to the control room, 
Lyta said, "As far as I can tell, it's clear."

Garibaldi nodded, and carefully peered around the corner into the room, 
ducking back immediately.  He took a second, longer peek into the room, and 
it was only then that he felt it was probably safe to enter.
  
He eased around the corner, weapon ready to fire.  The room was fairly 
small, with no place for anyone to hide.  He lowered his PPG, and put it 
back in his shoulder holster.  Walking to the room's only console, he said 
to Lyta, "Let's see if I can get this thing to work."

Lyta stood by the door as Garibaldi turned on the power and began to work 
the console's computer controls.  Reaching out with her mind, searching for 
any hint of trouble.  Occasionally, she could hear him swearing softly as 
he tried password after password.

"Got it," Garibaldi exclaimed, "I'm in!"  He worked the computer terminal 
with added determination.  "Now to find the file," he said, mainly talking 
to himself.  "Damn, everything's been erased." 
 
He continued working at the computer, trying every trick he knew in his 
attempt to reconstruct the data.  He felt his frustration building as 
nothing he tried worked.  "There's got to be a way," he said, "but.........
wait a minute.  Let's try this."

He entered a series of commands into the system, and was rewarded with a 
disembodied voice which intoned, "File accessed, data retrieved."

"Gotcha," he said as he smiled with self satisfaction.  "Now, let's see 
what you've got."  As he read the data, he couldn't help but whistle in 
amazement.  It was all here, everything.  His alteration by Psi Corps, the 
raid on William Edgars' compound, Lise's death.  The only thing missing 
was Bester's involvement in all of this.
  
Lyta spoke to him from the door.  "I'm going to go out and make sure our 
'friends' stay asleep."

Garibaldi looked up from the computer.  For a minute, he'd forgotten she 
was there.  "Be careful," he told her.

"I will," she said as she slipped into the corridor.

He turned his attention back to the computer file.  He briefly considered 
downloading it into a data crystal, but thought better of it.  Too risky, 
he decided.  If they were caught or killed, the information would never 
get out.  No, a better idea came to him.  He activated the communication's 
link, and put in a call to Babylon 5.
  
Lyta returned, and told him, "They're still asleep, and will stay that way 
for quite awhile."  He nodded wordlessly.  After a few moments, he said, 
"Lyta, I think you should stand out of the view of the console.  I've put 
in a call to Babylon 5.  No sense letting them know that you're with me."

Lyta wanted to protest, but thought better of it.  He was only trying to 
protect her, she knew.  She backed off into a corner of the room.

After what seemed like an eternity, Captain Lochley appeared on the 
communication screen.  She looked less than happy.  "Mr. Garibaldi," she 
said, "where the hell are you?"
  
Garibaldi fought his irritation with Captain Lochley.  He took a deep 
breath, and said, "I'm at the Psi-Corps base on Mars.  I've found all the 
evidence I need to clear me of all charges.  I'm uplinking it to the 
station on a sub-channel."  He pressed the controls that would send the 
reconstructed Psi-Corps files to Babylon 5 C&C.
  
Lochley turned her attention to another monitor in C&C, reading the 
information Garibaldi had sent.  A few moments later, she turned her 
attention back to Garibaldi.  Her voice dripped sarcasm as she said, "Of 
course, Mr. Garibaldi.  You just happened to miraculously stumble accross 
this very enlightening information.  How convenient for you."

Garibaldi felt his anger boil to the surface.  "I did NOT make up this 
information.  I hacked into the Psi-Corps computer.  It was all right 
here."

Lochley didn't look convinced and said so.  "Of course it was. Everyone 
knows you have a score to settle with the Psi-Corps.  And you know what?  
I don't blame you.  But fabricating evidence isn't the way to go.  It just 
won't wash."

Lyta had been standing out of the way, listening to Garibaldi's 
frustrating attempts to get Captain Lochley to listen.  She decided to 
do what needed to be done before Garibaldi said something really stupid.  
She stepped beside Garibaldi in front of the monitor screen and addressed 
Captain Lochley.

"Captain, would it help if a registered member of Psi-Corps verified 
everything Mr. Garibaldi told you?"  She took a quick glance in 
Garibaldi's direction.  He was looking 'daggers' at her.  With her 
attention turned back to the vid screen, she continued, "Everyting he 
told you is the truth.  He did not make any of this up."  Her appearance 
had the desired effect on Captain Lochley.

"Miss Alexander," she said, "are you willing to testify to that effect?"

"Of course," Lyta answered.
    
Lochley turned her attention back to the second monitor screen in C&C.  
Damn, this was major.  This information will blow the lid off of 
everything.  She turned back to Garibaldi and Miss Alexander.  "This does
seem to clear you of the charges, Mr. Garibaldi.  I will forward it to 
Earth Dome in Geneva, but as of right now, the charges are still pending.  
You'll have to turn yourself in to the proper authorities."

Garibaldi shook his head 'no'.  "Not a chance," he said.

Lochley was never one to take no for an answer.  "I seriously doubt that 
Earth Gov will dismiss the charges while you are still a fugitive, Mr. 
Garibaldi.  The best way to end this is to turn yourself in."

Garibaldi knew she was right.  He knew if he succeeded it would come to 
this.  "Ok, but I'm not surrendering anywhere but Babylon 5.  Psi-Corps 
doesn't have any control there.  They could be anywhere in Earth Gov, and 
I wouldn't last five minutes in their hands."

Knowing the information she did, Lochley was forced to admit that Garibaldi 
was right.  "All right," she said, "get you butt back here and turn 
yourself in.  In the meantime, I'll forward the data you sent to Earth Dome.  
Lochley out."  And with that, she cut the link.

Garibaldi slumped as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his 
shoulders.  Actually, it had.  He felt Lyta's hand on his arm.

"Come on, Michael," she said.  "This isn't over yet.  We have to get out 
of here before our 'Sleeping Beauties' wake up."  Her soft smile brought 
him back to reality.

"Yes, maam," he said, executing a precise military salute.  He was smiling
now, too, as he took one last look around the room before heading to the 
door.


--------------------------------------



Garibaldi pushed his plate away and groaned.  Many more feasts like that 
and he was sure he'd never fit into any of his clothes again.  T'Lon had 
surely outdid himself this time.
  
T'Lon entered and began clearing away the dishes.  As he worked, he told 
Garibaldi about the arrangements to get them back to Babylon 5.  A shuttle 
would be waiting for them, later in the day, which would take them back to 
the Narn cargo ship, and then on to Babylon 5.

Garibaldi thanked T'Lon, then went over to the couch and sat next to Lyta.  
She had been quiet since they left the Psi-Corps base.  A little too quiet.  
He knew she had gone against her own people by helping him.  He knew he 
owed her more than he could ever repay.

"Lyta," he said, taking her gloved hand in his, "I want to thank you for 
everything you did for me."

Lyta started to say something, but Garibaldi interrupted her.     "No, let 
me finish," he said.  "Not just now, but for everything you've done to 
help.  Like back on Mars, when your scan saved my butt.  I know I haven't 
thanked you enough, we all haven't thanked you enough, and I wouldn't blame 
you if you got mad every once in awhile.  Especially at me."  He gave her 
a sheepish grin.

Lyta held a straight face for as long as she could, and then broke into a 
smile herself.  "Well, it is nice to be appreciated once in awhile," she 
said. 
 
Garibaldi then got serious.  "Lyta," he said, "I don't know when, maybe 
sooner, maybe later, but I know that a war between mundanes and telepaths 
is coming.  It's gonna get ugly.  No matter what happens, I want you to 
know that I'll always be there for you, anywhere, anytime." 
 
Lyta knew he was right about a war between mundanes and telepaths.  As much 
as she didn't want to think about it, she knew, as he did, that things were 
going to get ugly.  A war between mundanes and telepaths.  It was almost 
more than she could bear to think about.  She smiled weakly and squeezed 
his hand.  "Thanks," was all she could say for a long time.
  
Finally realizing how tired both of them were, she said, "It's time we got 
some sleep, and it's my turn on the couch."

Garibaldi looked surprised.  "No way," he said.  "What kind of a friend 
would I be if I made you sleep on the couch?"
 
"A friend who knows what's good for him," she said with a grin.  "Go get 
me a blanket and pillow so I can settle in," she said as she stood up.

Garibaldi rolled his eyes and sighed.  "Telepaths," he muttered.

Lyta gave him a self satisfied grin.  "Mundanes."

They both laughed as Garibaldi entered the bedroom to get the requested 
items.


-----------------------------------------  



The Narn cargo ship started its slow approach to the docking bays on 
Babylon 5.  Lyta, sitting next to Garibaldi, had noticed how quiet he had 
become.
  
"Hey, you ok?" she asked.

He thought for awhile before answering her.  "Yeah, I guess so."  He 
didn't sound very convincing.

Lyta took his hand.  "It'll be ok," she said.

Garibaldi smiled at her and said, "Yeah, you're right.  After everything 
that's happened this past year, this should be a piece of cake."

They felt the ship slow to a stop, and heard the clunk of the docking 
clamps as they held the cargo ship in their grip.

Garibaldi was the first one out of his seat.  "Well," he said, "I guess 
it's show time."  He gave Lyta a lop-sided grin as he picked up his bag.

As they disembarked from the shuttle, Garibaldi noticed that Delenn, 
Sheridan, Captain Lochley and Zack were there to meet them.  At the bottom 
of the ramp he stopped, and made a great show of looking himself and Lyta 
over.

He winked at Lyta as he said, "If we'd known we were going to have such a 
distinguished welcoming comittee, we would've dressed for the occasion." 
 
Zack stiffled a laugh, while Lyta just rolled her eyes and shook her head.  
Delenn smiled.

"Mr. Allan," Lochley said, "take Mr. Garibaldi into custody."

"This is only a formality, Captain," Sheridan reminded her.

"Yes, I know," she replied.  "I've sent the data file to Earth Dome, and 
I expect we'll be hearing back from them shortly."
  
Zack walked over to Garibaldi and Lyta.  "Come on, Michael.  I've got a 
'room' just waiting for you."

Garibaldi tried to sound serious, but couldn't.  "Don't push it Zack," he 
said as they left the docking bay.

Lochley watched them leave.  "Mr. President, Ambassador.  I'll keep you 
updated on the progress of Mr. Garibaldi's case."  With a nod to each, she 
left the docking bay.

Delenn took John's arm as they slowly left the bay.  "John," she said, 
"Lyta and Mr. Garibaldi make such an attractive couple."

Sheridan stopped and looked at her with an expression of both surprise and 
skepticism.  "And YOU are a hopeless romantic."

Delenn knew in a way only a woman knows.  "Didn't you notice they way he 
looked at her?" she asked.

Sheridan considered it for a moment, then shook his head.  "No way," he said.

Resuming their walk, Delenn managed the final words on the subject.  
"We'll see."



The End