"Marcus?"

"Mmm?"

"Where are we going?"

He smiled before answering - he'd been wondering when she would get around to asking that.

"I'm going to show you a sure-fire way to unwind, release some pent-up tension and forget your troubles for a while."

She raised a sceptical eyebrow.

"And just what does this "sure-fire" method entail?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. Ah, here we are," he said, as the doors slid open.

They stepped out into the corridor. They were on Grey 3, Susan realised, and immediately recognised it as one of the areas devoted to Ranger operations on board the station. Confused, she gave Marcus a questioning look.

"Come on, it's this way," he gave as an answer.

Susan didn't really come down here that often. Since Delenn had become Entil'Zha, and Rangers had started flocking to Babylon 5, she'd only had the occasion once or twice for venturing into "Ranger Space" as some of the crew had started calling it. They turned a corner and entered a large, open room that had racks and benches against the walls and various lines on the floor, but otherwise was quite bare. It was obviously a training or workout area. Susan took all this in, her face dubious. She turned to Marcus, who as yet hadn't said a word.

"So, what, you brought me here because you think I could do with a workout?"

"Well, yes, but not in the way you're implying. This is a training or practicing room for hand-to-hand combat and Dal'Ra - which is sort of like a martial art - among other things. Mainly though, we Rangers use it for working out with our pikes."

"Interesting. That still doesn't explain why I'm here," Susan said, growing impatient.

"Well," Marcus said with obvious caution, "I always come here when I need to relieve some frustration or stress. It's a good way to channel emotions." He paused almost imperceptibly. "Anyway, I always find it most beneficial and I thought you might like to have a go. It's not the same as a real fight, but it's almost as good - with the added bonus of not having to spend time in Medlab afterwards."

On any other day she would have refused, making up some excuse such as an imaginary appointment or meeting she had to attend. But then, on any other day she wouldn't have left her office with him to start with. So instead of thinking up an excuse, she said the first thing that came into her mind.

"I don't know how to use a pike," she said simply.

"Well that's alright, I'll show you the basics. It's easy. Whenever someone puts their pike anywhere near you, stop it with your own, and don't let it get any closer." Seeing the unimpressed look she gave hime, he continued more seriously. "Look, it's not that hard - I'm sure you'll be a natural. I've seen you fight before, remember? It's in your blood. And if you enjoy hand to hand combat, you'll love this."

Still hesitant to agree, she mulled it over. She'd refused to let him teach her Minbari. Why should she let him teach her how to use a pike? So much had happened since that time on the White Star, though, and not just Marcus almost sacrificing his life for hers. She had changed, and she wasn't sure what that meant just yet. Right now though, while her head was screaming at her not to do this, that it would only encourage him and she'd end up hurting him - the rest of her was insisting that there wasn't a single reason why she shouldn't have a little fun. On any other day she would have listened to her head. On this particular day, however, she chose irrationality over logic.

"Sure, why not," she said, throwing caution to the wind.

A smile broke over her features. He was glad - and relieved - that she'd agreed. He had been almost certain that she'd refuse and not let him help her.

"Great!" he replied, and moved over to a rack of long metal pikes against one wall.

He made a great show of assessing her height and build, openly looking her up and down as he chose a suitable training pike for her. In truth he only did so for the pleasure of looking at her so candidly. It was not really necessary - he could have recognised her in the dark.

She received the attention with less than flawless grace, her hands on her hips and one eyebrow raised. Finally, though, he chose one (they all looked exactly the same to her) and lead her out to the center of the room where she stood holding the pike awkwardly in one hand.

"Alright, now it usually takes a couple of months to learn all the techniques, and years to perfect your execution and style when they teach the pike on Minbar. But I've always thought that was because of all the praying, chanting and soul-searching they make you do at the same time. So here's the condensed version, or as I like to call it, Five Easy Steps to Minbari Pike Fighting," Marcus said with a flourish, and extended his own pike with an invisible flick of his hand.

She couldn't help but smile at this, her sense of humour getting the better of her - not the first time where Marcus was involved.

"Now, hold your pike like this..." Marcus said as he started the lesson.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Michael interrupted the story, "Don't tell me. Let me guess - Susan saw your outstanding prowess with the pike, and was so overwhelmed with physical attraction that she fell madly in love with you," he said, his voice the epitome of sarcasm.

Marcus grimaced slightly. "You know, as much as I like to think that's what happened -" he said, earning a sharp jab in the ribs from his wife, "Ow! Unfortunately it wasn't quite that simple," he amended quickly.

"You can say that again!" Stephen added with a chuckle.

"Michael, stop interrupting, we were just getting to the good bit," Lise admonished.

"Now that's the best suggestion I've heard for a while," Sheridan drolled.

"OK, OK," Garibaldi exclaimed, suddenly attacked from all sides. Inclining his head in mock sincerity he said, "Please, continue."

"Alright, now where was I?" Marcus asked them.

"I believe you were about to get to the good bit?" Delenn supplied with a half-smile.

"Ah yes. The good bit. Well, the lesson was off to a good start. Susan was, of course, a natural at the pike. Picked it up almost immediately. You know, I've always found it slightly disturbing that my wife is so adept at learning new ways to inflict pain on others. Well, actually I used to find it disturbing. Now it's just -"

"Marcus?" Susan said sharply, interrupting him.

"Mmm?" he replied nonchalantly.

"Stop babbling and get on with the story," she ordered.

"Yes Dear," he replied automatically.

Susan rolled her eyes. That was the trouble with letting Marcus tell a story - he always went off on the strangest tangents. She recalled with a shudder the time when, at an Earthforce function, surrounded by Admirals and other distinguished people, he'd started to retell a certain conversation the two of them had had the night before in bed. Dragging her thoughts away from that particular mortifying experience, she focused on what Marcus was saying.

Their pikes held defensively in front of them, they circled one another warily. Marcus' weapon shot out towards his opponent. Susan deflected it easily enough, but then struggled to react in time to divert a second blow which came from another direction. Marcus stepped back.

"No, you see, you parried that second shot well enough, but you left your entire left side unguarded. I could have broken your arm, your ribs, even your leg if I struck hard enough, which would have the added bonus of knocking you off your feet -" he would have continued if Susan hadn't suddenly swept her pike around towards him.

Unprepared for the attack, he suddenly found himself flat on his back.

"Like that?" Susan asked innocently, grinning as she leant against her pike.

Stunned, Marcus nodded from his position on the floor.

"Ah, yes. I guess you could say that."

Leaning down to offer him a hand up, she said, "You know, Marcus, you were right. This is fun."

Marcus made a mental note not to underestimate Susan Ivanova again. Especially if he wanted to remain relatively intact. Oh well, at least she's smiling, he thought, ignoring his damaged pride.

They took up their positions again and continued the mock fight for a while longer, Susan improving slowly but surely as the minutes went by. She found that Marcus had been correct - this was a good way to channel her emotions, and she felt some of the day's earlier frustration leaving her. The steady clacking of the two pikes as they met was a point to focus on as she concentrated on the defensive and the offensive.

Here, at least, was something she could understand - physical combat had always come naturally to her. It was straightforward and uncomplicated and she enjoyed the feeling of strength and power it gave her. She realised with chagrin that Marcus had known this about her - and had acted accordingly by bringing her here. Not sure how she felt about that, she decided not to think about it and instead centred her thoughts on the fight at hand.

Finally, though, they decided to call it a day - both of them feeling a bit worn out from the exertion. Turning as she returned the training pike to its place on the rack, Susan heard the unmistakable metallic hiss of Marcus' pike retracting. Curious, she faced him again.

"Can I see that?" she asked, holding out her hand.

"This? Of course," he replied, giving it to her.

She turned it over in her hands, wondering at how light it was. How the hell do you extend it? she asked herself, as on examining it she could find no catch or button.

Marcus, standing beside her, realised her puzzlement, but decided not to show her how to release it just yet.

"It's several hundred years old, actually. It was given to me when I became a Ranger, along with my pin. That was after I got through all the obligatory ceremonies and rituals, of course. Never had much store for rituals, but then, neither do the Minbari. They try to make it look as if they do, but mostly it's just a test to see whether you have the patience to see something through."

He said all this, and more, absently as he watched her. Her skin glowing, flushed from the exercise, and the stray wisps of hair framing her face, having escaped their tight constraints, were making Marcus very aware of how painfully beautiful she was. He ached to hold her, and was finding it very difficult to control the urge to pull her into his arms.

"Be careful," he cautioned her as she held it rather dangerously, one end towards her face, "It's rather sensitive."

What am I going to do? Hurt its feelings? Susan wondered, and was about to say the same when she suddenly realised how close they were standing to each other. Marcus was slightly behind and to the right of her, and she could feel his eyes upon her. What was more, she could smell him - the over-powering male scent of him sending a jolt through her as a feeling of involuntary desire washed over her. You idiot! she chastised herself harshly. Have you forgotten who you're dealing with? He's in love with you - what are you thinking, encouraging him like that?

She was about to turn and step away. Marcus, however, either letting his control slip or else deciding it was now or never - perhaps a little of both - grasped her arm and turned her to face him. Before she could protest his mouth was on hers, and Susan couldn't help but respond momentarily, instincts she had thought long buried kicking in and taking over.

But even as she kissed him back, Susan regained control of her senses, and it was then that it happened.

"What!?" came the collective outburst as Marcus' dramatic pause lasted a bit too long.

"What happened, Marcus?" John prompted, his voice sounding just a tad threatening.

They were all becoming rather annoyed at how long they were taking to tell this story. Marcus was known for giving long and tedious explanations - but this was ridiculous.

"Well, as I said, we were kissing..."

"Yes..." Garibaldi encouraged him.

Marcus stole a glance at his wife.

"Well, as much as I was enjoying it, Susan got the idea that she wanted to stop."

"No surprises there," Stephen threw in - it was alright for him, he already new what came next.

Heather swatted at his arm. "You're not helping," she hissed at him, then, to Marcus she said, "Go on."

"Well, you see, she still had my pike in her hand..."

A creeping apprehension dawned on a couple of faces as Marcus continued.

"And, as you know, when Susan does something, she usually goes all out. She didn't just pull her head away. No. She put her hands on my chest to push me away. Except, of course, she moved her hand just a bit more swiftly than was advisable, considering our relative positions."

He stopped, unsure how to proceed.

"And...?" Lise prompted.

"Well, the pike extended, as you might imagine..."

"And...?" she prompted again.

"And... she knocked me out cold."

end part four

go to part 5

I love feedback so feel free to email me with any and all comments.

Go back to the fanfic page.