Part 1
As Marcus walked from the the shuttle and to the docking bay, His anger clawed its way up his throat like some dark animal trying to get out. //Bugger,damn, Susan Ivanova is the biggest BITCH I have ever had the misfortune to meet, and I, masochist that I am, have to fall in love with her.// At this point he didn't know whether to cry or just strangle someone, anyone. Any one that is except Susan, the bitch, Ivanova.
//What gods did I offend. Was I a Dilgar Warlord in a past life. No, that wouldn't be bad enough for this kind of hell.// Had someone else made him this angry, he would have gleefully killed them, slowly.
His mind slipped back to the mission.
"Marcus shut up, MARCUS shut up." The commander had yelled at the top of her lungs.
"Is that a new spiritual mantra. You know, If you had damn well listened we wouldn't be in this mess, would we." Marcus had begun to get angry himself. He was trying everything he could think of to get the engines back online, and it didn't help when she kept yelling orders in some 'Ivanova' Minbari. If she had yelled one more time 'the cold flarn jacket is pink' Marcus was sure he would have done her bodily harm, not that it hadn't been funny the first couple of times. Then when he had tried to tell her what she was doing wrong, the present argument had started.
BAM! A socket hit him in the back. Before he could think Marcus had turned and walked over to the commander. Only the training his parents had drilled into him and the fact that he really did love her, kept him from decking her right there.
"Susan don't ever do that again. I have never and will never strike you, and I expect the same courtesy." His voice had gone low and quiet.
The look in her eyes was a mixture of anger and remorse, but he didn't look at her for long. With his blood burning he turned and walked away.
The sounds Susan's boots made as she walked down the docking bay woke him from his reverie.
"Marcus, can I speak with you?" Her voice called out from behind.
As he turned, the fearless commander saw something in his eyes that made her step back. The apology she had planned turned into something else.
"You need to learn your place, Marcus." She said, tapping her foot against the floor and getting angrier by the minute. "You're my interpreter on these missions not my CO. I don't expect to have my orders questioned, especially by you."
If anything his face became even more cold. "Then commander maybe you should take Lennier with you from now on." He said as the lift doors closed. He smiled to himself, for once he had gotten in the last word.
As soon as the lift doors closed, Susan broke into a bright smile. She had finally made him angry enough to treat her like a woman and not some china doll.
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Three days later, as Marcus boarded the Whitestar, he deeply regretted having let Susan get the better of his temper. He had even brought along some hot coffee in hopes of apologizing for his behaviour.
"Good morning, Susan, I hope you slept well." He said smiling fondly at the woman he loved.
"What is that, Marcus? Coffee? Are you trying to bribe me or apologize?" She said with one of her rare half smiles.
For some reason her chipper mood made him angry all over again. "No Susan I was just trying to make this trip a little more enjoyable. If you must know we were both wrong the other day."
They stared at each other for a minute neither willing to give an inch.
"I was wrong for getting angry, but I am your second in command and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't give you my opinion now and then." Marcus walked by her towards the bridge.
As Marcus walked out of the door he almost ran over Lyta Alexander. She took one look at Marcus, then looked at Susan and broke into a low chuckle. Susan tried for a serious look, but soon laughed along with her friend.
"What did you say to piss him off this time Susan." The red head asked quietly.
"Nothing I was actually trying to be nice for a change."
This was too much for Lyta. "God Susan he was mumbling about finding Neroon and getting him to finish the job he started!"
Then Lyta stopped laughing and looked into Susan's eyes. "Why don't you just sleep with him and get it over with."
"Sleep with Marcus. You must be joking! He and I aren't right for each other." It was obvious by her demeanor that she didn't want to discuss the matter further.
"Susan you can't lie to telepath. Not even when you are one." The glare Lyta got in return was enough to set her to laughing again.
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When Susan made it to the bridge, she decided to make peace with Marcus.
"Marcus, thanks for the coffee." Marcus turned to look at her and saw Lyta entering the bridge. "Well Susan how do you know that the coffee wasn't for Lyta?" he asked with a smile.
"Mainly Marcus, because I don't drink coffee." Lyta was truly enjoying herself.
"Set course for Minbar." The Commander was positively beaming.
Marcus laid in the course, muttering under his breath about the unfairness of the Universe in general and the wickedness of women in particular.
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As they neared the Jump gate for Minbar they saw a fleet of Shadow ships.
"Susan, scanners indicate at least 250 Shadow ships out there." All thoughts of anger were gone now. All the Ranger could think about was getting the woman he loved out of here.
Susan looked at him sharply. "Marcus they're jumping back to real space right over Minbar."
"Valen's name, Delenn." That was why they were here; to pick up Delenn. Then a shockwave hit them. "Prepare to jump to real space."
"Susan," Marcus said softly, "something is wrong with the jump engines."
"Marcus, either they work or they don't." She had no time for arguments now.
Marcus looked at Susan for a long time before he answered. "Making the jump to real space."
The planet that awaited them was not Minbar, but some other world and the Shadow ships were already locked in combat with ships of a type that Marcus had never seen before.
"I've got a bad feeling about this." Marcus said as they exited they portal.