"LSD and Rohypnol? Are you certain?" Marcus trembled as he heard the news. He couldn't believe it; LSD had affected Neroon's personality. The hallucinogenic had caused the paranoia and the warrior's abnormal behaviour. The ranger also knew what effects Rohypnol had on users. Ever since it had appeared on the market centuries ago, it had been known as the date rape drug.

"I'm sure, Marcus. I did the analyses myself. There's no doubt that the drugs were administered to him without Neroon knowing about it. He had no chance fighting that combination."

I wish I could believe you, Stephen for that would mean that Neroon wasn't himself when he stalked me. It would also explain the changed behavior. Once the drugs were no longer slipped to the Minbari the behaviour returned to normal... Well, normal... Neroon had been lucky that the drugs hadn't done any permanent damage.

"Why are you telling me this, Stephen? Why not Neroon?" The ranger really wanted that answer. If he understood Stephen correctly then Neroon had known this since yesterday evening.

"I think he's afraid that it would seem like he's putting the blame on someone else."

Marcus felt truly lost now. He didn't understand why Shakiri would do this to Neroon even if the Shai Alit feared the influence humans were gaining. Suddenly, Marcus realized that he wasn't the only one who had been hurt in the process. Neroon was the other victim. What if Neroon had turned his anger and violence on himself? Perhaps that was Shakiri's intention?

"Stephen, I don't know what to think anymore. I've never been this confused before."

The doctor looked at the tormented face of his friend and somehow understood the emotional pain Marcus was in. He decided that the best course of action would be to offer silent support. Marcus would confide in him if he needed his help. It was obvious that Marcus was trying to decide whether or not to trust him and ask his advice.

The ranger appreciated the fact that Stephen didn't push him. Several minutes passed in silence before he felt confident enough to address Stephen. "I wish I knew what my feelings are for Susan and Neroon."

There was a silence as Stephen tried to find a way to make Marcus open up to him. "Why don't you we talk about Susan first. What are your feelings for her?"

Leaning back against the headboard, Marcus tried to sort out his feelings. Actually speaking the words scared him. He had to come clean now, no more lies or pretence. "I idolized her. I wanted her to fall in love with me, but I knew that the chance of that actually happening was very slim. I do care for her very much."

Stephen realized that Marcus was making a very hesitant start to look at his feelings. This wasn't easy on the ranger and the doctor knew that he had to take this slow. "And what about Neroon? What are your feelings for him?"

Still playing with the cloth of his tunic, Marcus lowered his head and tried to make sense of all contradicting emotions inside him. Better speak them out loud before I get cold feet.

"I don't know... Neroon confuses me even more. After our fight in Down Below I developed respect for him and… we're both of the same kind... Damn, why is this so difficult?"

"Because the drugs changed your perception of Neroon. Sounds to me you like Neroon, but after what happened to you... you're afraid to trust him. Hell, I can understand you. But.... what do you think of the Neroon who has been taking care of you? Do you like him? I probably shouldn't mention this to you, but before I knocked on the door I peeked inside...You looked rather comfortable in his arms." Stephen hated doing this to Marcus, but the ranger had to look inside himself to find the answers he needed. And there was a chance that Marcus didn't like what he was going to find.

Marcus' head snapped upwards as he tried to focus on the doctor. "What?"

The doctor could tell that Marcus felt embarrassed. His face became flushed and Stephen knew he had to dig a little deeper. Marcus' feelings of shame were evident on his face. "Marcus, what do you think of same-sex relationships?"

The ranger gulped and struggled to get his breath back for some moments, but remained silent.

"These kind of relationships are considered very normal. Did you know that Susan had a thing for another woman once? " That got the ranger's attention and Stephen smiled. Perhaps Susan had been right in her assumption that Marcus felt ashamed for feeling attracted to Neroon.

"She did? I never knew that. Does she... even like men.... in that way? Damn, you know what I'm trying to say!"

"I honestly don't know about Susan, Marcus. But I do know that there's no reason to be ashamed should you have feelings for Neroon. Love isn't about a body, it's about the mind that attracts you. You should let go off any shame you might feel, Marcus."

That's easy for you to say! It wasn't only the gender thing that bugged him. Neroon was a Minbari and except for Delenn and Sheridan, Marcus had never heard of a human and a Minbari being involved together. He had no idea what to expect and that kind of scared him a little. I'm answering my questions by wondering about a relationship with Neroon. If I only wasn't that scared. I can't get the images of Neroon forcing me out of my head.

"I'm not saying forming a relationship with Neroon will be easy, but for what's worth... I think he loves you. Shahaam told me some things. Perhaps you should give the two of you a chance. The fact that we are only talking about Neroon at this point should tell you something about your feelings for him, Marcus."

Marcus wished the floor would open and swallow him. The things Stephen were telling him made a lot of sense, but he was too emotional to look at his feelings in a rational way. It was hard on him to admit that he was attracted to Neroon and that scared him. "I never thought I would say this one day, but I'm scared, Stephen. You're telling me to let go of any shame, but how can I? I'm afraid to face my feelings; the fact that I might actually love Neroon...  I've been fighting that feeling from the start."

Stephen leaned in closer. Marcus had given himself away. "So you admit to having feelings for him? Why don't you stop fighting them? Why not give him and yourself a chance?" The doctor knew he was repeating himself, but he had to get through to Marcus. The ranger deserved someone who loved him, and it shouldn't matter if that was a man or woman. Stephen didn't have any prejudices of that kind.

How can I ever accept that I have feelings for Neroon? It isn't right... but then Stephen says that it's all right to feel like that. His mind was in turmoil and Marcus was beginning to feel dizzy.

"Give it some thought, Marcus. I need to prepare for surgery." Stephen realized that there was nothing more he could do to help his friend. It was Marcus who had to come to terms with himself.

///

It was silent in the small room as Marcus waited for Neroon to take him to the laboratory. He'd spent the entire day thinking about his feelings for Neroon. Remembering the shivers that had run down his spine as Neroon had touched his fingers during that first dinner, he forced himself to face his feelings. Deep down he'd always known that the attraction was mutual. Stephen was right. He should give this relationship a chance, even if he still felt scared. The knock on the door tore him away from his inner struggle.

"Yes, enter." He knew it was Neroon who entered the room. The strange tingling in his head told him so. Marcus was getting used to that odd sensation and he wondered why it was there in the first place.

"Are you ready to go, Marcus? It's almost 2000 hours."

"Neroon? Before we go.... sit down and talk to me for a moment?"

Neroon noticed the strange expression on Marcus' face. He had seldom seen Marcus this serious before and sat down on the edge of the bed. He'd missed Marcus' company during the day, but he'd been busy preparing for his trip tomorrow. Barely refraining from stroking Marcus' hair, he waited for the ranger to speak his mind.

"Stephen told me about Shakiri and the drugs."

I should have known that human doctor would tell him before surgery..  Neroon was uncomfortable; should he say something or not? He decided to wait a little longer.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why should I? Does it change anything between us? No. The damage is done and can never be repaired, Marcus. We both know that. Whatever I feel for you is irrelevant."

"What about what I feel for you?" Marcus whispered in a scared tone. This is it! There's no way back from this point. I have to know if I can trust him.  Marcus heard the quickening of Neroon's breath and knew he'd captivated the warrior's attention.

"Marcus, you do not have to do this to yourself. As soon as you have recovered you can return to Babylon 5 and resume your duties as a ranger."

Is he trying to push me away? Can it be that Neroon is just as scared as I am?  The thought comforted him and Marcus realized that he had to plunge into the deep. I only hope I'm making the right choice… I'll never forgive myself if I'm wrong.

"Neroon?" A silence crept into the room as Marcus reached out for him and curled his fingers around the Minbari's hand. His heart beat wildly. I must be crazy to actually think I can do this.

"Yes, Marcus?" The soft, warm fingers were twined around his and Neroon wondered what Marcus wanted from him. The eyelashes fascinated the warrior and Marcus was very close... Neroon composed himself and began to draw back from Marcus, but the ranger didn't let him.

"I never thought I'd ever ask you this Neroon, but… would you kiss me?"

Neroon wondered if he'd heard correctly. Had Marcus really asked him to kiss him? Impossible! Why would Marcus make such a request? "Kiss you? Marcus? What are you talking about?" Neroon was at a loss and needed Marcus to clarify his request. The ranger trembled slightly and he wondered why Marcus was doing this to himself. There was agony written all over Marcus' face and it pained Neroon to see that emotion. He wanted to take that hurt away.

"Neroon… please, I don't think I've the courage to ask you a second time."

The warrior didn't know what to say or to do. He'd envisioned kissing Marcus, but had always thought that there was no more chance of a relationship with the ranger. This move utterly surprised him. Marcus' expression was grave and although Neroon saw some traces of fear in those green eyes, he also recognized the anticipation in them. "Marcus, are you certain that you really want to do this?"

Marcus nodded, afraid that the trembling of his voice would give him away. He wished he could see Neroon's face. Wondering why it took Neroon that long to reach a decision, Marcus tightened his grip on Neroon's hand. He was afraid, but there was also a feeling of excitement raging through him.

Mixed feelings mingled within the warrior as he realized that he couldn't deny Marcus. If the ranger wanted this… He was willing to give him that one kiss, nothing more. The warrior trembled himself as he cupped Marcus' face in his hand. Freeing his other hand from Marcus' hold, he ran his fingers through the soft hair, leaning in to gently brush his lips against the ranger's. Neroon observed Marcus carefully the entire time. Then he drew back, creating some distance between the two of them. Marcus was panting slightly, his mouth agape.

As Neroon's fingers wandered up his neck, Marcus forced himself to relax. The kiss was tender and he felt the attraction increase. He'd been fooling himself the entire time. I have feelings for Neroon, period. The fingers tangling in his hair and the soft lips tenderly pressed to his, aroused him. Marcus couldn't deny that any longer. The moment Neroon released him, he felt strangely relieved, but at the same time even more deprived and abandoned.

"We should go now. Doctor Franklin is waiting for you." Neroon tried hard to sound casual, but inside him the powerful emotions were battling. Kissing Marcus had been bittersweet torment and the ache still lingered in his body. The ranger didn't react and Neroon was worried that something was wrong. I should never have given in to his demand. He waited a little longer and watched the play of emotions on Marcus' face; emotions Neroon couldn't put a name on."Marcus, are you all right ? I shouldn't have done that."

"No… I'm fine. Shaking a bit, but… I know now."

Neroon was surprised when Marcus claimed his hand again. The ranger's hand was clammy and Neroon began to feel concerned. "What do you know now?" Gently pulling the ranger to his feet, Neroon waited for an answer. He wasn't sure what was going on. Marcus seemed lost in thought.

" I… have feelings for you, Neroon. Feelings, I've been fighting because I thought they were wrong," Marcus finally admitted.

Slowly absorbing the ranger's answer Neroon felt torn between hope and despair. Hope, that Marcus would one day be able to love him, despair because Neroon knew that Marcus had been hurt so profoundly that the ranger was unsure about his own feelings. Only time would tell which way they would be headed.

"Marcus, I know you have a lot of soul searching to do, but this is not the time for it. You have to go the laboratory now, and after the surgery I will help you sort out whatever you're troubled about." Neroon slung an arm around Marcus' waist and steadied him as they walked out of the corridor. Marcus was unusually quiet and that worried Neroon even more. The ranger's admission still occupied his thoughts and Neroon tried to repress all hope he was feeling.

"Why did I lie to myself all this time?" Marcus wondered aloud.

Marcus' question took Neroon by surprise and Neroon honestly didn't really know what Marcus was referring to. "Marcus, you have to remain calm. Working yourself into a frenzy seems hardly desirable before an operation."

The ranger heard the words, but didn't respond to them. He was too wrapped up in his own world. Neroon had expressed his feelings openly and Marcus wanted to do the same, but he couldn't find the words. Marcus knew that Minbari didn't limit them to one gender. It mattered little whether or not their loved one was of the same gender or not.

Neroon felt relieved as they arrived at the laboratory. Marcus hadn't spoken since his admission and Neroon was determined not to push Marcus. The warrior knew that human society didn't really support same gender relationships, even if they were accepted. And the fact that he was a Minbari and Marcus a human complicated the situation even more. Well, Neroon had to admit that he had never thought that this situation could transpire either: it must be even stranger to Marcus. Neroon could still hear the ranger's astounding admission echo in his head.

"Ah, there you are! You're late." Stephen Franklin hurried to his friend's side and supported him.

"Sorry, Stephen." Marcus allowed them to ease him down on a bed and began to feel nervous. Too much was happening in this short span of time!

"I'm going to give you the pre-med injection now. Doctor Edwards will assist me during the operation. Any last words before I put you out, Marcus?" Stephen studied Marcus' expression and could tell that something bothered the ranger. Had Marcus looked at his feelings and reached a conclusion?

"Yes, Neroon?" Marcus murmured.

The warrior had moved to the back of the room to give the doctors the necessary space to hook Marcus up to several devices. As he heard Marcus call out for him, he moved towards the bed. Marcus' hand was searching for his and Neroon knew that Marcus needed support. "I'm here, Marcus."

"Neroon?" Marcus felt the needle slip into his flesh and knew he would lose consciousness in a few seconds. But before he could surrender to the nothingness he had to say one more thing. "I love you too."

The words hit Neroon unprepared. The warrior watched as Marcus' eyes closed and the ranger's breathing became slow and deep. Neroon felt Stephen's eyes on him and returned the inquiring glare.

"It took a lot of courage to admit that to you."

Neroon nodded hearing the doctor's words. He wanted to stay with Marcus, but knew that the doctors had to start surgery. "I know."  Other words seemed inappropriate. Neroon locked eyes with Stephen once more. "Please contact me when he wakes up. I have to leave for a meeting with the Warrior Council later tonight."

"I will send you a message."

Neroon slowly walked out of the room. Once more glancing back, he saw how Marcus was put on a respirator.

///

It took Stephen 2 hours to remove the blood cloth and one more hour to repair the damage done to the optical nerve, but at the end of the operation the doctor was sure that Marcus would be able to see again. It would take the optical nerves some time to recover and Marcus would have to be patient.

Doctor Edwards proved to be a valuable assistant and after the ranger had been wheeled to the improvised recovery room, Stephen decided to run the standard tests after surgery like this. He had to make sure he hadn't damaged any brain areas. One of those standards tests was a neural scan and Stephen was baffled upon seeing the results. He ran the scan again, but the outcome was the same. Sitting down next to Marcus, the doctor looked at his friend. It looked like Marcus had been hiding a lot more than just his blindness.

The ranger stirred and turned to lie on his left side. The anaesthetic was wearing off; Marcus would wake up in a matter of minutes. Stephen also knew that Neroon would want to be there the moment Marcus regained consciousness, so he sent the warrior a message. But before Neroon could get here, Stephen had to ask Marcus some questions. Impatiently, he waited for Marcus to wake up.

Feeling groggy, Marcus tried to open his eyes. It took him some seconds to realize that they were bandaged. Bugger, he wanted to know whether he could see or not!

"Marcus? The surgery was successful, but I have to ask you some questions. Do you understand me?"

"Yesss…" The only sound Marcus was capable of was moaning. He was feeling sick and tried to move as little as possible.

"Good, what's your last name?"

"Cole and what kind of daft question is that?"

Stephen repressed a chuckle. He had to make sure the anaesthetic hadn’t affected Marcus. The ranger seemed all right. Now came the hard part. Stephen wasn't looking forward to putting the next question to Marcus. "I ran some standard tests on you after you came out of surgery and I found something that puzzles me."

"What kind of tests?" Marcus forced himself to pay attention and not to doze off again.

"Marcus, I ran a neural scan on you."

The feeling of nausea was growing quickly and the ranger felt a tight knot in the pit of his stomach. Apprehensively, Marcus waited for Stephen to continue. The ranger knew what Stephen had discovered. He'd been hiding it, dreading the day someone would discover the truth about him.

"Why didn't you tell me that you're a latent telepath? I thought I was your friend."

Marcus cringed as he heard the hurt tone in his friend's voice. How could he explain this to Stephen without hurting his feelings?

"The gene was dormant. But yes, I knew I had it." Only silence answered him and the ranger knew that Stephen was waiting for the rest of his explanation. Marcus sighed and hoped that this hadn't shattered the friendship between them. "There were some telepaths in my family. I was told I had the gene when I joined the rangers, but because it was dormant, I never paid any attention to it."

Stephen checked the other readings while he listened to Marcus. He could see that this was difficult for the ranger. "Any idea what caused the gene to become active?"

Pulling the thermo blanket closer to him, Marcus nodded hesitantly. "When I woke up blind in Medlab, I felt that something was different. I think all this emotional crap happening to me caused it to become active. I have no other explanation."

"I should test you, you know."

"Please Stephen, not now. I can't take much more. I'm tired, weary..."

As Stephen turned he saw Neroon standing in the doorway. The expression on the Minbari's face told him that Neroon had overheard their conversation. Patting Marcus' hand, the doctor beckoned Neroon to come closer.

Marcus had been so caught up in the conversation that he'd ignored the tingling in his mind telling him Neroon was near. Suddenly, he realized that since the tingling was present, Neroon had heard every word of his admission. Seems like all my secrets are coming in the open. The ranger was afraid of Neroon's reaction to this news. He could feel the warrior's presence close to him. As far as he'd been able to establish the only one he had some sort of connection with was Neroon. The only thing that had baffled him was that the Minbari seemed to be able to receive his thoughts sometimes.

Neroon studied the expression on Marcus' face and knew that the human was scared. Marcus' confession had stunned him, but now certain things began to make sense. Like the pull he'd felt when they'd freed Marcus from his prison, or the times that he'd heard Marcus' unspoken thoughts. He moved towards the bed and nodded to Stephen as the doctor left the room.

"Marcus?"

"You heard everything?"

"Yes."

Momentarily lost for words, Marcus was relieved as Neroon gently claimed his hand to caress the soft skin.

The warrior had to make a confession of his own. "Marcus, amongst us Minbari telepathy is a highly treasured gift, which we respect very much. I am not sure why you are uncomfortable with the idea of being a telepath." He stopped briefly to stroke the black locks and shivered feeling the softness beneath his fingers. "I certainly do not condemn you for owning this gift or for not telling me about it, but I think there is something you need to know about me." Neroon's smile was filled with sorrow as he continued his monologue. "There is a number of Minbari who are capable of sensing thoughts. They are not telepaths, but somehow find it easy to read thoughts. They're called mind recipients and I am one of them. You could compare it with being an empath. I can feel strong emotions and sometimes I can pick up thoughts. I think that is how I found you when you were abducted and why I can answer your unspoken thoughts sometimes. I cannot send my thoughts to you or read your mind. I can only receive what you send to me."

"So, you're not mad at me?"

"Why should I be?"

Marcus sighed, relaxing slightly. He'd been terrified that when his secret came in the open, his friends would desert him. The ranger enjoyed the sensation of Neroon's hand tangling in his hair and surrendered to his fatigue, slipping into sleep.

Neroon remained seated at the ranger's bed and his gaze dropped to the floor. The package was still there.

///

Stephen had changed his clothing and watched Neroon sit down next to him. There was a thoughtful expression on Neroon's face.

"Will Marcus be able to see again?" Neroon wanted to know.

"Yes, surgery was successful."

Neroon looked at Marcus through the glass window and remembered the package in his hands. "Would you give this to Marcus?"

Accepting the package, Stephen identified the clothes. It was a ranger's uniform.

"Master Durhann was so kind as to provide some replacement clothing for Marcus," Neroon mumbled.

There was another item in the bundle of clothes. It was a ranger pin, an exact copy of the one Marcus had lost.

"I will give them to him. When will you leave? Marcus needs your support."

Neroon knew the doctor was right, but Shakiri had to be stopped. There had been several reports of Minbari fighting amongst themselves. This madness had started when Delenn had broken the Grey Council. The delicate balance between the Castes had been lost and Neroon knew that it was only a matter of time before the situation would grow worse. A civil war was at hand. He had to unite the Warrior Clans. Shakiri's scheming had to be stopped. Snapping out of his musings, he remembered he had been talking to Stephen Franklin.

"I will try to return as quickly as possible, but for Marcus to be safe I have to take care of Shakiri first."

"And how are you planning on doing that?"

As he walked over to the doorway, Neroon looked at the doctor. "If necessary I will invoke Denn'Sha."

"That's how Marcus ended up in Medlab in the first place when he tried to defend Delenn?"

"Yes. It's a fight to the death."

Stephen didn't really like this particular idea. It meant that Neroon could get killed as well during that fight.

///

"Alright Marcus, listen carefully. I want you to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them. Understood?" Stephen instructed his patient.

"Yes." Marcus was nervous as hell. He'd woken up several hours ago and had been disappointed to hear that Neroon had left to speak before the Warrior Council. He had wanted the Minbari to be present when he opened his eyes for the first time after the surgery. Will I be able to see again? Please Lord, I know I haven't prayed in a very long time, but please give me a break after all what happened to me lately. 

The bandages were cut away and Marcus felt them fall off his face. Shivers ran down his spine as he realized that the moment of truth had finally arrived. His first impulse was to open his eyes, but he remembered Stephen's instruction just in time and kept them tightly shut.

"Marcus, I want you to open your eyes very slowly… now."

Obeying the doctor, Marcus took his time opening his eyes. He sucked in his breath as colours swirled through the room. Colours, I can see colours…

and some shapes. They're not really lucid, but it's no longer black…

"And? Tell me, Marcus."

"Stephen, I can see colours."

"Well, that's a start."

The light hurt his eyes slightly, but the ranger gladly endured the discomfort as the shapes began to grow better defined. The light was giving him a headache, but Marcus smiled as he recognized Stephen, who was anxiously hovering over him. His sight was still too blurry to read any expression on Stephen's face, but Marcus felt overwhelmed by the fact that he could see again. Only days ago, he'd resigned to living in complete darkness for the rest of his life.

"Marcus, try to focus a bit more. I know this must be tough on you, but…"

"Don't worry. I'll do whatever you want me to."

Stephen smiled at his friend. Marcus was obviously very relieved the surgery had paid off. He switched on a scanner and ran the medical device over Marcus' face. Everything looked all right.

Marcus panted as his eyesight improved little by little. No longer could he hold back his tears. It's true… Oh my God, I can actually see again… I can't believe this. Stephen's face became more detailed and Marcus could swear that his friend was forcing back a tear of his own. The ranger grabbed his friend's hand and cried silently.

Stephen was a silent support to his friend as he waited for the waves of emotion and relief inside Marcus to subside.

///

Neroon watched the young Minbari pilot the flyer. He'd thought it wise to bring some of his most loyal warriors along in case Shakiri was luring him into some sort of trap. He'd contacted Shahaam before he'd left and the priest had been worried. It would take him one more hour to get to Alzaraan, where the Warrior's Council was based. His thoughts spun around Marcus. He'd left Danzi in charge and was convinced that his second in command would do anything to protect the ranger. Intent on getting some sleep before they would arrive at Alzaraan, Neroon forced his eyes to close. Years of disciplined meditation allowed him to fall asleep almost instantly.

///

Several hours later, Marcus woke from an undisturbed sleep. He'd been out for far too long and suspected that Stephen had slipped something into his tea. A bit hesitant to open his eyes, he stalled. An irrational fear that he'd lost his eyesight once more flooded through him and he forced himself to open his eyes. A sigh escaped him as he discovered that he could see.

Stephen Franklin chose that moment to enter the improvised recovery room. The doctor pulled up a chair and wordlessly handed Marcus a small bundle.

A totally surprised Marcus found that the package consisted of a ranger uniform. A small box had been wrapped up in the clothing and curiosity urged the ranger to open it. His breath caught when he saw the ranger pin inside. Marcus fought back the tear he felt making its way through. "How? Why?" Marcus concentrated on Stephen's face. It was so unreal to actually see his friend.

"Neroon told me to give it to you. I think he planned to give it to you himself, but you were asleep and he had to leave."

Respectfully, Marcus' fingers caressed the jewel.

"So, I take it you managed to sort out your feelings?"

"Kind of, Stephen. I'm still awfully confused, but I do know I've feelings for Neroon."

"Then you made a decision?" Shifting in his chair, Stephen eyed his friend.

"I think I have. You were right, you know. I do feel ashamed for being in love with another man, but… I'll have to accept that it's part of who I am."

"Want me to send a message to Susan? I think she deserves to know about your decision."

Marcus cringed. He knew it was the right thing to do, but he knew he would choke up the moment he would see her. He wasn't ready for that confrontation yet.

Stephen saw Marcus' anxiety and realized that he had pushed Marcus too far. The ranger had only just begun to accept his feelings. Franklin knew that he had to back off. "Marcus... just try to get some sleep."

Marcus didn't answer him. He focused on the green and blue of the stone in his hand; relishing seeing those colours again. Stephen would surely think him a coward, but the idea of facing Susan terrified him. He avoided his friend's face as he noticed that Stephen was trying to lock eyes with him.

"Do you want me to fasten that pin to your shirt?"

Marcus' glance was filled with longing as he stared at the ranger uniform on the chair. It took him some time to answer Stephen's question. Shaking his head, he whispered his answer. "No… I'm not worthy to wear it anymore."

The words were barely audible and Stephen was taken aback as he heard them. "Why not? You're a ranger." Stephen didn't get an answer from Marcus. The ranger simply stared at the pin and closed his fingers over it.

///

His own clansmen welcomed Neroon and as they lowered their eyes to pay him respect, he knew that they were still loyal to him. The Star Riders Clan had never been overly aggressive. Shakiri's Clan however, was the most militant of all Clans. The Clan leader of the Moon Shields, Malaan, was approaching him.

"Malaan, I greet you."

"Neroon, I'm glad to welcome you at this meeting of our Council."

They bowed respectfully to each other and then moved to a secluded area in the back of the room. Before he entered the main hall Neroon had to know who would back him up.

"I have never seen Shakiri this driven and determined before. He demands that you should be removed from the Council, and he is after the Anla'Shok's blood," Malaan stated.

Neroon had never thought Shakiri would voice that threat this openly. "Where do the Clans stand in this?" Neroon studied Malaan and knew that the older Minbari would support him, but what of the other Clans?

"The Night Walkers dislike Shakiri's hunger for power, but they will give him their support. They agree with Shakiri that the humans have to be subdued. I've been talking to the Fire Wings and although they won't support you openly, they're inclined to move against Shakiri."

"What am I accused of?" Neroon fell into step beside Malaan as they entered the main hall. All places in the Council were occupied except for his own seat. Shakiri was pacing the hall like a madman. Neroon was determined to leave here victorious.

"You are charged of dishonoring the human Anla' Shok and… betraying our ways by consorting with a human."

The second part of the charge carried far more weight to the assembled Minbari, Neroon was aware of that. He knew that most Minbari wouldn't be bothered by him dishonoring a human. How arrogant and self-absorbed have we become to value a human life less than a Minbari one.

"Thank you, Malaan. You are a true friend."

"I fought alongside your father, Neroon. You are a worthy Clan leader, like he was."

Neroon took a deep breath and stepped in front of the assembled Council, which should consist of ten warriors, but his own seat was empty. He now faced the nine Minbari Warriors and their Chairman, Danan. He heard Shakiri formulate the charges and Neroon felt confident now that he knew that he had the support of half the Clans present.

"Neroon. You are charged with two very serious offences. You will now be given time to defend yourself," Danan said.

The chairman of the Council, Danan, was a respected and feared warrior of the Wind Swords; Shakiri's Clan. Neroon knew he had to be very convincing if he wanted to remain a member of this Council. He was ready to make his first move. "Who charges me with these so called crimes?"

"I do!"

Turning on his heels, Neroon faced Shakiri once more. Shakiri's eyes were dilated and Neroon could almost feel the poison feeding Shakiri's soul. "And how have you learned of these supposed crimes?" Satisfied, Neroon saw that Shakiri was momentarily speechless. "I ask again. How do you know of these so called crimes?"

"One of my most trusted warriors is stationed on Babylon 5 to monitor the half-breed's moves. He informed me."

Had it been Shakiri's warrior who had slipped him the drugs while he'd been stalking the ranger? Neroon addressed the Council once more. "It's true. I dishonored the human Anla' Shok."

A loud rumour swept though the hall as the assembled Clansmen uttered their astonishment that Neroon would admit such a crime.

"But I did it because someone was feeding me drugs without my knowledge. That someone used human drugs to make sure there were no traces that would lead back to him. I think that this Minbari never expected me to find the drugs in my blood stream, but I did." Neroon's eyes never left Shakiri's face and he enjoyed seeing the baffled look on the Shai Alit's face. Neroon refrained from naming that person at this point. He had to hold on to that trump a little longer.

"Are you telling us that you were drugged on purpose? To make you violent and abusive?" Danan had risen to his feet. This was a serious accusation Neroon was bringing forth.

"Yes, and the Anla'Shok paid the price." Waiting for any kind of response, Neroon watched how the Clansman of the Moon Shields and Fire Wings rose to their feet and moved to stand behind him. The Wind Swords remained at their place, watching Shakiri. The Shai Alit was becoming outnumbered very quickly and the expression on Shakiri's face was one of sheer contortion. Neroon hardly recognized Shakiri any longer.

Danan tried to stay calm, but the tension in the room was evident as he spoke to Neroon.

"Will you give me the name of this Minbari who acted so dishonorably and supply us with the evidence? This warrior shamed his Clan and should be judged accordingly to our laws."

Shakiri who was very agitated at this point interrupted Danan. He stepped in front of the Chairman and bared his teeth. "Why would you believe him? He has no proof!"

"But I have proof, Shakiri. The blood sample I brought with me contains alien substances. This madness began after I refused to kill Delenn as you ordered me to."

Another wave of concerned voices was to be heard as Danan addressed Shakiri.

"You did what?" Danan faced Shakiri and regretted he was one of Shakiri's Clansmen as he realized that Shakiri had ordered one of their own to be killed. He was horrified that Shakiri would try to kill another Minbari.

"You did not know that, did you? Shai Alit Shakiri wants to divide our Caste in this time of war when we should move against the enemy as one." Neroon's voice was the only thing to be heard in the hall as he spoke again. "The humans are not our enemies. They want to join forces with us in battling the Shadows. The real enemy is our arrogance, our feeling of superiority. I used to agree with Shakiri; I thought that humans were inferior and should not be treated as our equals."

Neroon turned to face the hundreds of Clansmen. "Then I was challenged to Denn-Sha by a human! A human Anla'Shok who faced me with a Minbari fighting pike he could hardly have used more than two cycles. I defeated him and was prepared to strike that last and fatal blow when this human invoked the name of Valen. This ranger was willing to die for Delenn when I was intent on killing her. I believe when the priests tell me that humans have Minbari souls. Never before have I witnessed such courage and dedication. That ranger's name is Marcus Cole and I'm proud to name him my Kirmana. I see no betrayal in that, no shame."

There was a dangerous edge to Neroon's voice as he moved to stand opposite of Shakiri, who was staring at him with a startling rage in his eyes. "Do you want to know why did I named him my Kirmana? Because you made me dishonor him. You gave me those human drugs. It was you, Shakiri who abducted Marcus Cole and tortured him in that abandoned cell. Are you proud of your actions, Shakiri? Kidnapping a blind Anla' Shok and then preying on his fear and helplessness?" It was deadly quiet as Neroon waited for Shakiri's reply. It was obvious that the Shai Alit never expected the confrontation to develop like this.

"Is this true, Shai Alit Shakiri?" Danan's voice shook as he stared into Shakiri's eyes.

"He is a liar! The humans tarnished his mind. You can't believe his lies!"

"Did you drug Alit Neroon? Was this Anla'Shok abducted on your command? Shakiri, answer!" Danan towered over Shakiri and already knew the answer before Shakiri reacted. The madness was written all over Shakiri's face.

"The humans are unworthy! They need to be stopped, eliminated!"

Danan slowly turned his back on his Caste leader and lowered his eyes after he had looked at Neroon. One by one, all Minbari turned their back on Shakiri, who'd fallen silent at this point.

Neroon was the last one to turn his back on Shakiri. It had been Neroon's intention to invoke Denn-Sha, but it appeared that wouldn't be necessary. Even Shakiri's own Clansmen had deserted him. As the Shai Alit stormed out of the hall, Neroon looked at the united Minbari and was proud they had chosen his side.

"Neroon." Danan raised his head and beckoned Neroon to take his place amongst the other members of the Warrior Council.

He had won this battle, but Neroon knew that this war wasn't over yet. Shakiri was still powerful and even more dangerous now he had been exposed. He was determined to get back to his stronghold as quickly as possible. He feared for Marcus' safety.

///

"Stephen, when can I get out of here? I would be fine in my room."

Franklin sighed. Marcus had been whining for one hour now and although Stephen was on the verge of giving in, he didn't want to release the ranger just yet. Marcus had spent the night at this laboratory only because he had insisted. Marcus needed a lot more rest to make a complete recovery. "Stop whining, Marcus. I won't release you before I'm sure that there will be no complications."

Marcus knew that Stephen was about to give in; it amused him that he could still play Stephen if necessary, but he stopped bugging Franklin. The truth was that Marcus didn't really want to be alone. He needed someone's company to keep him from brooding.

"Stephen? Have you heard anything from Neroon yet?" Trying to hide his concern, Marcus averted his eyes. He still hadn't fully accepted his feelings for Neroon yet.

"No, not yet. But we could ask Danzi if he received any messages at all from Neroon. Would you like me to do that?'

Marcus nodded. One day had passed and they hadn't heard anything from the warrior. Stephen left the room and Marcus realized how much he had missed being able to see. The ranger uniform was still waiting for him on the chair. Stephen had urged him to put it on. Marcus had refused. He wouldn't wear that uniform or attach the pin to his shirt. Those were things of his past, a past he felt ashamed of. Although he knew that neither he nor Neroon were to blame for what had happened between them, Marcus no longer felt worthy of serving Delenn and the rangers. Franklin had tried to make him see that his reasoning was wrong, but Marcus hadn't listened.

Danzi entered the room and Marcus was forced to stop his pondering. It was the first time he actually saw the Minbari and was surprised how young Danzi was. There was friendliness in the young warrior's eyes Marcus had never expected to see. Danzi smiled and Marcus hesitantly returned the gesture.

"I received a recorded message from Alit Neroon some minutes ago. All is well and he will arrive in a few hours." The young warrior was careful not to mention how concerned Neroon had been. The Satai had informed him of Shakiri's downfall and Danzi knew he had to be even more careful now. The Anla'Shok had become one of Shakiri's targets.

"Thank you, Danzi." Marcus wavered, but continued through to the end. "It's nice to know the face of the person I'm talking to."

"I'm glad the surgery was successful."

As Danzi lowered his eyes, Marcus felt momentarily awkward, until he remembered that Minbari lowered their eyes to show respect.

Danzi turned on his heel and left the room.

///

As Neroon finally arrived, Danzi greeted him. The journey had tired him, but Neroon knew his presence had been necessary to unmask Shakiri.

"Welcome home, Alit. "

"Thank you, Danzi. How is the ranger doing?" Neroon didn't know yet if Marcus could see or not. The last time Neroon had seen Marcus, the ranger's eyes had been bandaged.

"He has regained his eyesight, but Marcus looks depressed to me."

Neroon nodded in understanding. He'd realized before that Marcus would need a lot of time to make a proper recovery. "And our defences? I do not want any strangers inside the stronghold as long as I have not taken care of Shakiri."

"Your orders are being carried out as we speak. I understand the earnestness of this situation."

"I will visit Marcus now. Be alert, Danzi. Shakiri is even more dangerous now that he has nothing more to lose."

///

Stephen had allowed Marcus to return to his own room, but had made him promise to rest. The ranger had given him that promise. Marcus hit the send button and realized that there was no way back for him now. He'd recorded a message for Susan Ivanova, explaining to her that he'd made his choice. His voice had trembled as he told her that he wanted to give Neroon a chance. The ranger knew that she would be disappointed that he told her the news this way, but it had taken him an enormous amount of courage to even record this short message. After he'd sent the message he'd felt like a coward for not talking to her in person. He would do that later, when he had some of his self-confidence back. At this moment he felt lost.

Curling himself up in the chair Neroon had placed in his room, he realized how awfully tired he was. His ribs still hurt and his arm ached. He was a bit startled as he realized that Neroon's scent still lingered in the fabric of the chair. The sun was setting and another day had passed.

Mesmerised, Marcus looked at the beautiful colours the sunset supplied him with and he felt a tear make its way down his face. He never thought that he would be able to see the Minbari sunset again. The tingling in his mind returned and he knew that Neroon had to be close. Marcus was cold, but didn't bother to get up and cover himself with a blanket. He felt strangely numb, like all strength had deserted him. Marcus didn't wait for the knock on the door, which would announce the presence of the warrior. "You can come inside, Neroon."

Neroon wasn't surprised to hear the invitation. He'd been receiving some bits and pieces of Marcus' thoughts. What startled him most was the darkness in which Marcus' thoughts were shrouded. Danzi was right; the ranger was depressed. The cold metal tube attached to his belt might cheer the ranger up. As he opened the door, he was surprised to find the ranger sitting in the half-dark. The sun still supplied enough light for him to see Marcus sitting underneath the window. Neroon felt a bit apprehensive about facing the ranger now that Marcus was able to see him. "Marcus?"

The ranger stalled as long as possible, but knew he had to confront Neroon. He raised his head and his heart missed a beat as he saw Neroon standing in front of him. The warrior looked different, not like he remembered him. The violent expression in Neroon's dark eyes was gone and had been replaced by a gentle shade. Neroon was wearing his warrior uniform and the ominous black clothes reminded Marcus of the time that Neroon had stalked him. He fought the fear that crept into his mind as he saw the uniform.

Marcus sensed that Neroon was somewhat uncomfortable; he could literally feel it. The ranger knew that he was mentally connected to the warrior. Neroon didn't block him as he tried to see what feelings were lurking inside Neroon. Marcus trembled as he read the desire in Neroon's mind, but there was also shame, love, and tenderness. The ranger had never before tried to read someone's mind and Neroon's sincere emotions threw him aback momentarily.

Feeling Marcus tentatively reach out for his mind surprised Neroon for one moment. Then he opened his mind to allow Marcus to peek at his emotions. Marcus reached out hesitantly and Neroon waited until the ranger had found what he'd been looking for. It was obvious that Marcus was unsure of how to proceed. All secrets were gone and both men felt rather exposed in front of the other. The warrior took a few steps towards Marcus and remained standing in front of him.

Marcus slowly rose to his feet. He had never expected Neroon to open his mind for him and the ranger felt like he had invaded Neroon's privacy. They looked at each other.

It was Neroon who broke the deafening silence. "I am glad that you are able to see again. I would never have forgiven myself if you had been blind for the rest of your life."

Although the sling provided ample support for his broken arm, Marcus slipped his left arm under the fractured limb. "You're not to blame for what happened. The drugs made you act that way."

The silence returned and Neroon began to feel uncomfortable. He looked at the ranger uniform and pin on the chair, then returned his inquiring gaze to Marcus. "You are not wearing the uniform master Durhann sent you?"

"No… I don't think I'm worthy to wear it any longer."

Neroon crooked his head and studied Marcus' expression. It wasn't only the shame that was suffocating the ranger. There was something else. Marcus had accepted that he'd feelings for him, something the ranger had always denied. Now that he had faced a part of himself he had denied for so long, Marcus had begun to doubt the other truths in his life as well. The human was lost in the sea of emotions inside him.

"That is nonsense and I will not allow you to talk yourself into things. You are going to put on that uniform right now and I will not take no for an answer. I will wait for you in the corridor to join me or do you require help to get dressed?"

"No… I can do that myself." Reading the expression on Neroon's face told him that the Minbari was serious. As Neroon left the little room, Marcus walked over to where his uniform lay. His fingers ran over the cloth and he began to change his clothing. He took off the sling so he could put on the pants and turtleneck. He slipped into the tunic and fastened the belt around his waist. That little action made him aware how much he missed attaching his pike to it. After he pulled on the long cloak he slipped his arm back into the sling. Stephen had already attached the ranger pin to the garment. As he straightened out the cloak, he sighed. This felt like coming home after a long and dangerous mission. Remembering that Neroon was waiting for him in the corridor, he started moving.

"That is better. Now we will go for a walk. You have been hiding in that little room for much too long."

"Neroon..."

"Come," the warrior whispered softly.

Marcus didn't want to leave this place where he felt safe. The only people he had been in contact with were Stephen, Danzi and Neroon. Having to face strangers made him feel uncomfortable, but he followed Neroon out of the corridor. He felt rested after having slept this much. Neroon slowed down and fell into step beside the ranger. The tension between them was getting to Marcus. Now that he'd made his choice he knew he had to get over his fear and shame, but it was hard.

Marcus hardly noticed the few Minbari they encountered, as he was trying to sort out his thoughts. Walking out of the building, Neroon led him into the gardens. Marcus wondered where they were headed when they left the gardens behind them. A soft breeze was tangling his hair and Marcus felt the wind grow wilder.

Neroon heard the unspoken thoughts, but chose not to comment on them. He led the ranger to some cliffs hanging over the shore. Waves were crashing onto the rocks far below them.

As Marcus looked down into the crevice, he began to feel dizzy. "Where are we?"

"I used to come here to meditate. Let's sit down." Neroon gestured at a couple of rocks that had been shaped by the weather into chair like forms. The strong gale was sweeping the waves into a mad rhythm and Marcus stared down the cliffs. The sea was raging underneath him.

There was a wild beauty to this place and he had to tear his eyes away as the waves seemed to cry out to him to throw himself from the cliff to join them in their passionate play.

"Taking your own life is no solution, Marcus."

The voice had been hardly audible above the wild music of the wind and waves. Marcus wavered and knew Neroon was right. He was a fighter, but he couldn't tear away from the beckoning gloomy waves and he stood there, paralysed.

The warrior knew what battle was raging inside Marcus. The ranger wasn't shielding his thoughts and Neroon moved until he stood next to Marcus. Knowing that Marcus wouldn't leap, didn't take away his concern. A sudden gust of wind could sweep the ranger from his feet and pull him over the cliff.

Feeling Neroon's strong arm curl around his waist brought Marcus back to reality. He allowed Neroon to pull him back from the abyss and together they sat down on the rocks.

A bit more sheltered from the squall, Neroon acted on impulse and wrapped his arms around Marcus who was still trembling.

The ranger hadn't realized how strong the urge within in him was to end his life. The intensity of that need had taken him by surprise. If it hadn't been for Neroon to pull him back from that abyss... He felt safe in Neroon's embrace and wondered why the warrior would feel attracted to him; he was only a shadow of his former self. Marcus rested his head on Neroon's shoulder. "I'm afraid. I really wanted to jump, you know."

"No, you did not. You feel lost, but that feeling will disappear in time." Neroon released Marcus from his embrace and waited for the ranger to raise his eyes. "I want to give you something."

Surprised, Marcus watched how Neroon uncovered an ancient looking Minbari fighting pike.

"Here, I want you to have this."

Hesitantly, Marcus accepted the pike as Neroon placed it in his left hand. There was something strangely familiar about this pike. This is the pike Neroon used when I invoked Denn-Sha.  He opened and closed the pike. "I can't accept this, Neroon. This is your pike and by the looks of it, very old and valuable. It must be precious to you." Extending his hand to return the gift, he was amazed to see the determination in Neroon's eyes.

"No. It has tasted your blood and you have earned the right to carry this pike. It was my father's and I would be honored if you accepted it."

"But what about you? You can't be without a pike."

Neroon uncovered a second pike from his belt. "I will be fine. You need a pike to start our lessons."

Touched by Neroon's gesture, Marcus attached the pike to his belt and suddenly realized that all his ranger regalia had been restored to him.

"We should return to the house now. There' i a storm brewing and I have no desire to be caught in the midst of it."

"Neroon? Thank you," he mumbled, awed and confused.

"You are welcome, Marcus."

They were standing very close and Marcus was startled to feel a sexual response in his body as Neroon rested his forehead against his.

Neroon saw the frightened expression in Marcus' eyes. Receiving Marcus' confused thoughts made him understand what was scaring the ranger. Marcus wasn't ready yet to deal with his sexual feelings and Neroon respected that. They walked in silence, but Neroon was able to receive most of Marcus' troubled thoughts.

///

Marcus' eyes searched Neroon's private chambers. He had never been here before and was amazed to find them very Spartan. A desk, some chairs, several cupboards and a sleeping platform made out the room. Marcus was staring at that platform. He shivered as he realized that it was big enough for the two of them. Neroon had disappeared into the adjoining bathroom and Marcus began to panic. What the hell was he doing in Neroon's private quarters?

"Are you going to sleep in all those clothes?"

Neroon's voice startled him.

The warrior emerged from the bathroom, wearing some dark robes. "Well?"

Neroon was obviously waiting for some kind of reply, but he was speechless.

"Here, put these on. "

Marcus caught the identical robes Neroon was wearing and finally understood. He slipped into the bathroom and told himself to calm down. Although his arousal had disappeared, he wondered why he had felt like that in the first place. Because I desire him? My mind hasn't accepted yet that I'm attracted to Neroon, but my body knows instinctively what I am trying to hide. As he changed his clothing he watched himself in the mirror. He had lost weight these last weeks, but his muscle tone was still well defined. Tearing his eyes away from his reflection, he pulled the robe over his head. It was made of a very soft material and it seemed to caress his skin.

Opening the door, he realized that Neroon was lying on the sleeping platform. Marcus wavered, wondering what the hell he was doing here, but his feet carried him to the tilted bed. Neroon was lying on his back, eyes closed, his breathing regular. Was the Minbari already asleep? Marcus sat down on the bed and fought the sudden urge to run out of the room. This fear was a result of the abuse he had been subjected to. Lying down, he felt how exhausted he was. Feeling shy all of a sudden, he tried to get as much distance between him and Neroon.

The warrior stirred, sensing Marcus moving away from him and gently pulled Marcus to his chest.

Marcus surrendered and rested his head on Neroon's arm. Sleep claimed him quickly and he didn't realize that he snuggled up to the warrior in his sleep.

Neroon opened his eyes once he was sure that Marcus was soundly asleep. The ranger was lying on his left side and had moved into his arms. It was a blissful feeling to have Marcus this close to him. It was all he desired and while he stroked Marcus' hair, Neroon fell asleep as well.

///

Babylon 5

Commander Susan Ivanova replayed the message she received moments ago from Marcus. Stephen had told her already that Marcus had regained his eyesight and she'd been happy to hear that news. Relieved, she listened to Marcus trying to explain to her that he'd chosen to be with Neroon. Marcus had looked nervous and perhaps a bit afraid of her reaction. Susan stopped the recording and leaned back on the couch.

Staring at the ceiling she had to admit that Marcus' decision didn't surprise her one bit; she had actually expected it. She'd known that Marcus had feelings for Neroon, but shame had made him fight them. She hoped the ranger could accept this facet of his personality. So how did his decision affect her; made her feel?

She was happy that Marcus had reached a decision and although that decision was in Neroon's favor she wanted the ranger to be happy. At least now she knew that she could move on. Deep down she felt sad that Marcus hadn't chosen to be with her, but she could deal with his decision. Ever since this madness had started she'd been forced to look at her own feelings and she'd started to open up a little more to the people around her.

That had also included getting to know Lt. Harris better; Sacha. Susan had been amazed to find that the redhead had been born in Kiev; she was Russian by birth and that created a bond right from the start. Sacha's mother had married an American, but the family had stayed in Kiev. Sacha had only left Russia to join Earth force. The officers working in C&C had been petrified as they noticed that Sacha Harris tended to curse in Russian when she was angry. Susan had laughed as she heard the curses in Russian for the first time and they started to spend some time together, but Susan had kept her distance; waiting for a word from Marcus. Well, I know now where to go from here.

"How did you get these real coffee beans? The aroma is superb!"

Looking at the tall and slender woman in her kitchen, Susan stretched. "There is a lot you don't know yet about me, darling."

Sacha Harris was momentarily taken aback as she heard that last word. A bright smile appeared on her face and she carried the two mugs to the couch. Susan placed the mugs on the table and studied the expression on Sacha's face. The two of them would work out...Ivanova was surprised to feel Sacha lean in closer. Their lips brushed and Susan wrapped her arms around her.

///

Stretching comfortably, Marcus realized that Neroon was holding him firmly in his sleep. Neroon's head lay on his shoulder and the warrior had draped a leg over his waist during their sleep. All kinds of emotions were running through the ranger and he tried to block the unpleasant ones from his mind. Neroon had been right. He'd been hiding for so long; he had to stop running and accept who he was. There was a part of him that desired, loved, Neroon and he knew he had to stop fighting the prejudice in his head. But how to accomplish that?

Very tentatively, he raised his left arm and it remained poised in the air above Neroon's chest for some moments. At last he forced himself to lower in onto Neroon's chest. The warrior didn't stir in his sleep, so Marcus grew a little bolder and moved his hand to Neroon's face, tracing his jaw line. The skin felt warm underneath his fingers and feeling curious, Marcus ran his fingers over the bonecrest. Too late did he realize how sensitive that area must be as Neroon opened his eyes and stared at him. Marcus swallowed nervously; sensing the love and desire emanating from Neroon, but there was another feeling as well; patience. Marcus didn't feel threatened and he forced himself to stay relaxed. The ranger knew that Neroon would never hurt him and that knowledge enabled him to look at Neroon with a certain amount of vulnerability in his eyes.

Marcus' touch awoke Neroon. He was delighted to find Marcus looking at him. The warrior knew what was going on inside his mind; Marcus was sending him his feelings. Marcus started to pull back his hand, but Neroon shook his head. "I enjoy your touch."

"You do?"

"Marcus, you must know I do. You are touching my mind at the moment."

"I am? Sorry, that wasn't..."

"Marcus, you can stay inside my mind as long as you want to. But you should consider getting some training to handle your new- found ability. I can receive your every thought."

Marcus hadn't realized that he'd been reaching out for Neroon's mind. The warrior was right; he had no idea how to use this ability. "You know what I'm thinking?" That thought somehow soothed Marcus. This mental link made him feel safe.

"Yes. I know about the shame and desire hiding inside you. There is no need to feel ashamed, Marcus. It is very normal to be attracted to someone else and it should not matter what gender or species that person is."

"I know… and I want to accept this... us."

"Us?" Neroon captured Marcus' hand in his own and held it tight. "I think you have just taken your first step in ridding yourself of this shame by saying that."

"I did, didn't I?" Marcus laughed, not sure if he was just nervous or trembling with anticipation. "Neroon, I want to take another step."

Neroon nodded, knowing how hard this was for Marcus. "I will walk that road with you if you let me."

"I think I would like that."

Neroon smiled and allowed his hands to tangle in the soft hair. He was thinking of a way of taking that first step and realized that he had to take this slow. It would be a lot easier on the ranger if Marcus were the one in control. Once again he felt Marcus' mind search for his and Neroon knew that Marcus was beginning to trust him. Maintaining eye contact, he raised his arm and pulled the ranger closer to him.

Reading Neroon's intention in his mind comforted Marcus. Neroon's lips brushed his and he hesitantly returned the kiss. It felt so right. Marcus began to pant softly as Neroon's tongue traced his lips. The ranger hesitantly parted his teeth, allowing Neroon access to the inside of his mouth.

Sensing Marcus' insecurity, Neroon refrained from using this opportunity. "Would you be comfortable with the idea of me giving you a massage?"

"On this tilted bed?" Marcus chuckled and Neroon grinned.

The ranger did have a point here. A horizontal surface would be desirable. Something Rathenn told him once came to mind. Rathenn, a former member of the Grey Council, had been assigned to ambassador Jeffrey Sinclair. The Minbari had despaired over the fact that the Earth force Captain daily rigged his platform to make it stay horizontal. If only he could remember the trick.

Something was occupying Neroon' thoughts and Marcus only got some very incoherent bits and pieces what the Minbari was thinking. He watched how Neroon rose from the platform and made his way over to the bathroom. "Neroon?"

"Just give me a moment." Carrying a damp towel, Neroon strode back to the platform.

Marcus had seen this trick used before by some rangers and was about to get off the bed as Neroon told him to stay put. Neroon wedged the towel into the mechanism and rigged the bed.

"That should do it."

"How do you know about this trick, Neroon?"

"A little secret of mine." Neroon grinned and Marcus read the answer in the warrior's mind. He had completely forgotten that Neroon and Sinclair knew each other. Marcus waited for Neroon to sit down and looked at the second item the warrior had brought with him. It was a crystal vial and he smelled the spicy fragrance as Neroon opened it.

"Do you trust me, Marcus?" That's what it comes down to in the end, doesn't it? Do I trust him? Then the ranger realized that Neroon knew what he was thinking. There was a trusting expression on Neroon's face. Yes, I trust you, Neroon. Valen help me, I think I love you. Marcus felt how relieved and full of anticipation Neroon was as the Minbari received that message.

"Then sit up and rest your back against me."

Marcus sat up and felt how his robe was loosened a bit. The garment dropped to his elbows. Shivers ran down his spine as Neroon's hand touched the back of his neck. The warrior had moistened his hands with the ointment.

"You are comfortable with this?" Although Neroon could sense some of Marcus' thoughts, the ranger's mind was strangely quiet at this point; too caught up in the moment to form coherent thoughts.

"Yes… It feels nice."

"Good."

Marcus enjoyed Neroon's touch, but moaned as the Minbari started to work on some cramped muscles. The ranger hadn't realized that he felt this tense and surrendered to Neroon's ministrations and began to feel comfortable with Neroon touching him. One of Neroon's hands caressed the back of his neck and Marcus relaxed even more, leaning his body against that of the Minbari. He didn't see Neroon smiling, but he could sense the feeling of contentment in the warrior.

"Will your ribs allow you to lay down on your stomach?"

Marcus had been half asleep and it took him some time to answer the question. "As long as you don't put too much pressure on the area I should be fine."

"Then lay down. Can I disrobe you a little more, Marcus?" Neroon was intent on giving Marcus some control of this situation. If he went too quickly and too far, he would scare the man he loved.

Marcus wavered as he answered. "How much more?"

"To your waist."

Marcus shivered slightly, but gave in. He needed to have faith in Neroon and in himself.

"You are not sure? Tell me and I stop."

Turning around to face Neroon, Marcus saw the sincere expression on the warrior's face. The ranger knew that Neroon intended him no harm, but the memories were fighting their way back into his mind. "No, I don't want you to stop." Taking the initiative, Marcus pulled his robe down until his upper body was exposed. "You'll have to help me remove the sling. I can't lie down on my arm." Marcus focused on Neroon's eyes and together they removed the sling. Lying down, Marcus rested his head on his left arm and waited for Neroon to continue the massage. The ranger did feel somewhat vulnerable, unable to see what Neroon was doing.

Neroon was touched by the trust Marcus had in him. Looking at the bandages around Marcus' ribcage, he knew he had to stay clear of that area. Opening the vial, he drizzled some of the oil onto the ranger's skin and knelt down on the platform.

Marcus was a little startled to feel the coldness of the oil on his skin.

Neroon began to spread out the oil, rubbing it gently onto Marcus' skin. The warrior felt how tense Marcus was and kneaded the moist skin beneath his hands. Hearing Marcus whimper, he stopped. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, I never thought I would enjoy this so much."

Neroon's hands moved below the bandages to work on the small of the ranger's back and Marcus froze involuntarily. He hoped Neroon wasn't going to move his hands further down.

"I won't. Remember, I can sense your thoughts. I won't betray your trust in me." Neroon continued to work on several nerve endings. "Marcus, will you allow me to guide you in taking another step with me?"

"Yes." Marcus was curious; what was Neroon up to? He tried to stay out of Neroon's mind, but sometimes he slipped into the warrior's mind without realizing it. No longer were Neroon's fingers massaging his skin; the touch changed into a caress. Marcus shivered. Desire was quickly building in his body. Neroon's hands were caressing his back and neck and then the warrior's lips pressed on his skin, leaving a trail of tender kisses on his back The ranger was taken aback as Neroon's tongue lingered at the small of his back, tracing small circles. His body began to come alive under Neroon's touch. He was becoming aroused very quickly and his erection began to throb.

Feeling Marcus begin to react to his caresses, Neroon slowed down. Although the ranger was willing to let him explore his body, the warrior felt the wave of confused thoughts emanating from Marcus as the ranger discovered that he was becoming aroused.

"Marcus?" Neroon gently pulled the ranger back into a sitting position and was amazed to see that Marcus' eyes were big and full of anticipation. "Do you want me to stop or take another step with me?"

"I don't know. I don't want you to stop, but... this is going a bit fast."

"I understand." Continuing to caress the soft human skin underneath his hands, Neroon concentrated on what he knew wouldn't scare or confuse the ranger. Leaning in, Neroon brushed Marcus' lips. He didn't expect Marcus to start kissing him back; the ranger's response was tentative but determined. This time, Neroon's tongue gently explored the inside of Marcus' soft mouth. Their tongues duelled for a moment and when they tore apart, both of them were panting slightly. Neroon's lips moved down Marcus' throat, tasting the salty sweat.

His body was screaming out for more and Marcus drew his head back to give Neroon better access to that sensitive area. Feeling Neroon licking the back of his neck, drove him wild with desire. He was inside Neroon's mind once more and Marcus didn't know what felt more intimate; Neroon's skin against his or being inside his mind. The ranger forgot to breathe as Neroon's tongue flicked over his nipple. Now that he had let go of his feelings of shame, he discovered that his body ached for Neroon's caress.

"You can touch me as well, Marcus." Neroon looked him in the eyes and placed Marcus' hand on his chest.

The ranger felt the rippling muscle even through the fabric. Slowly, he eased down Neroon's robes a bit and ran his fingers over the Minbari's shoulders. Realizing that his injuries limited his movements, he looked at Neroon.

Smiling at his lover, Neroon gently pulled the ranger on top of his body. The warrior leaned back and had no other choice as to lie down horizontally. Well, I am not going to get much sleep anyway. Neroon observed Marcus carefully. He felt the ranger's erection and smiled.

Now that he was lying on top of Neroon, Marcus felt the warrior's erection press against his own lower body and briefly went numb. The old fear resurfaced.

Neroon stopped touching Marcus, resting his arms on the bed. Marcus had to decide where to go from here. Neroon knew this was hard on him. Fear and desire were battling inside the ranger and Neroon tried to send him some reassurance that he was safe.

Receiving Neroon's assurance snapped Marcus out of his stupor.

"Come here." Neroon pulled Marcus closer to him until the ranger's head rested on his chest. Then he wrapped his arms around Marcus. They remained that way for some time.

It was Marcus who broke the silence. "I want to stop now."

"I know. I never intended us to go all the way. We will do this in small steps."

Their eyes locked and Marcus sighed. He had a long way ahead of him, but they were going to walk that path together.

///

"Will you join me for a bath before breakfast?"

Neroon's question confused Marcus. The ranger pulled his robe back in place and sat on the platform, thinking about what had happened between him and the warrior. He'd learned some things about himself during their intimate moments; he wanted Neroon. "Bath? Like in the bathroom?"

"No, we could go to the public baths. As Alit, I hold the privilege of having it to myself during this hour. No one else will be there. Afterwards we will visit Doctor Franklin to have your bandages changed." Neroon walked over to the platform and offered Marcus' his hand. The warrior had never before seen Marcus blush and the sight was exquisite.

Marcus sensed Neroon's admiration and it made him feel awkward. The ranger had never before considered himself to be handsome, but Neroon's thoughts told him different. He accepted the offered help and Neroon pulled him slowly to his feet. The warmth inside Neroon's mind made Marcus feel wanted and before the ranger realized it, he was kissing Neroon in a passionate way.

Neroon didn't expect this outburst of passion, but savoured it while it lasted. The softness of the ranger's mouth was enthralling, exciting, and Neroon wrapped an arm around him.

The blush on Marcus' face deepened and Neroon couldn't help smiling as he stroked back some black hair. "Come with me..."

"But shouldn't we get dressed before we leave here?"

"That won't be necessary, Marcus. The baths are only a few minutes away and after your bandages are changed, we will return here and get dressed. It's still very early, Marcus. We won't encounter many people, Danzi perhaps... no one else."

They walked into the corridor, both still dressed in soft robes. Marcus didn't mind the fact that the Minbari's arm rested on his hip and he realized that he was slowly breaking down the walls of prejudice in his mind. It felt good.

The baths were unlike anything Marcus had ever seen. As he stepped through the door, he realized that the baths were partly outdoors. There were several swimming pools and something that resembled a Jacuzzi. The pools were built to blend into the landscape and large trees supplied a shadowy shelter from the already burning sun. He felt the grass underneath his bare feet as he took another step towards the pools. Looking at Neroon in bewilderment, he marveled at the beauty of this place.

"My father had it built. Shahaam created these baths. I suggest you try that pool over there. It contains some thermal water. I will go and have a swim."

Marcus trembled as Neroon's lips claimed his once more. He was reluctant to release the Minbari and returned the kiss in an attempt to lengthen this moment.

Neroon felt the rush of arousal move through his own body and stepped away from Marcus. The ranger was getting to him and he had to put some distance between them. Shielding his thoughts as well as he could, Neroon walked away from the ranger.

Green eyes followed Neroon's every move as the warrior stepped out of the robe. Marcus' breath caught as he saw the Minbari's naked body. It was rippling muscle. Eyes dropping below the waistline, Marcus couldn't help averting his glance. The warrior dove into the water and disappeared out of sight. Feeling strangely alone, Marcus disrobed and stepped into the pool with thermal water. It was pleasantly warm; not too hot. Seats had been carved into the stony surface and he sat down.

Finally, he completely relaxed and closed his eyes as the water caressed his body. Now that Neroon was no longer in line of sight, Marcus felt bereft of the warrior's mental presence. He was startled as he realized how close the two of them had become in such short span of time.

Climbing out of the water, Neroon grabbed a towel to dry his skin. He felt refreshed. His arousal had vanished and he slipped back into his robe. As he walked over to Marcus, he picked up the ranger's robe. Neroon sat down on his heels. It was time to get dressed and to have some breakfast. Realizing Marcus was dozing, Neroon ran his fingers through Marcus' hair. "Wake up, Marcus. Time to get those bandages changed."

Opening his eyes, the ranger realized that he was naked and he felt Neroon's admiring eyes on him.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Marcus." Holding the robe in his hand, Neroon waited for Marcus to make his way out of the water. Before handing Marcus his garment, Neroon took his time to study the ranger's naked body. He knew it was making Marcus somewhat uncomfortable, but this was another little step Marcus had to take.

Lowering his green eyes, Marcus wondered why Neroon was looking at him in this way. The next moment, he was wrapped in soft towels and he allowed Neroon to help him dry his skin. After he'd slipped into the robe again, the sling was put back in place.

"Let's go and have those bandages changed."

This time it was Marcus who wrapped his arm around the warrior's waist.

///

Stephen Franklin was in a foul mood. After trying to get some sleep on the tilted platform for most of the night, he'd given up and had gone to the laboratory.

Shahaam was already at work. The old priest eyed the human doctor and knew immediately that Franklin was suffering from sleep deprivation. "What's that expression humans use? You look like hell?" Shahaam was one of the first Minbari to have accepted the fact that Minbari and humans were going to work together. He was very interested in everything concerning humans.

"I don't understand how anyone can sleep at that angle. Ruins the back and puts way too much pressure on the legs." His voice sounded somewhat high-pitched and the priest allowed a chuckle to break through.

"I do know there are some tricks to rig the platform. I have seen some rangers use them."

"Couldn't you have shared that information with me before I spent a night in Hell?" Both men were smiling now and Stephen walked over his equipment. His job here was done and he was preparing to return to Babylon 5. But there was one more thing he wanted to do before he left; running another, more specific neural scan on Marcus to establish his rating.

"Stephen? I think my bandages need changing."

Franklin clutched his head. He'd been under the impression that this morning couldn't get any worse, but had been mistaken.

Marcus and Neroon entered the laboratory. The warrior walked over to Shahaam and began to talk to his mentor in soft tones.

Stephen tried to eavesdrop, but he despaired as he realized that the two Minbari were talking in their own language. "Sit down, Marcus and don't babble."

The ranger grinned at his friend. There were dark circles underneath the doctor's eyes. "I can show you how to rig that bed."

Stephen was tempted to throw something at his friend or to smash an object. Why hadn't they been this helpful before he turned in last night? Grabbing some surgical scissors and new bandages, he strode over to the ranger who was sitting in a chair. Not feeling very talkative, Stephen began to cut away the bandages.

"I just offered you my help, you know." Marcus sounded a bit insulted.

"Marcus, shut up. Don't make me want to hurt you."

"Hum, I always thought you enjoyed making me suffer."

A sigh escaped Franklin's lips as he began to change the bandages. Although he was short- tempered today, he stayed professional and kept an eye on Marcus to make sure the ranger wasn't in any pain. Studying his friend carefully, he discovered that the green eyes were sparkling and they seemed to follow Neroon wherever the Minbari went.

"I was thinking about returning to Babylon 5 tomorrow, but before I leave I want to determine how strong your telepathic powers are."

Marcus knew Stephen would nag until he gave in. Hell, Franklin was right. The idea that he invaded Neroon's mind all the time wasn't something he was comfortable with. Neroon had been right to demand that he got some training.  "Alright, you big worry wart. I'll come in this afternoon and then you can rack my brain with your medieval torture instruments."

"Actually, I 'm looking forward to having a look inside that thick skull of yours, Marcus."

The grin the doctor gave him made Marcus gulp. Franklin was going to harass him every way the doctor could. Well, in time he would find a way to get back at Stephen. The ranger noticed that the pain had lessened considerably since the last time Stephen changed his bandages. It was more like a dull ache at the moment. His eyes moved back to Neroon and wondered what he was discussing with the elder Minbari. "Stephen, who's that?"

The doctor followed Marcus' glance. "That's Shahaam. Strange fellow, but very kind."

So that's Shahaam.  Marcus studied the old priest and shivered slightly as Shahaam's eyes focused on him. That strange tingling returned and Marcus knew that that the priest was a telepath. Ill at ease, he watched the Minbari approaching him.

"I am Shahaam. I will try to teach you what you need to know to control your gift. We will start your lessons this afternoon after the doctor finished his tests."

Exchanging a look with Neroon told him that the warrior had arranged this. Marcus had to admit it was the best solution and bowed reverently to the priest. "I'm honored that you'll teach me." Shahaam's answer baffled Marcus.

"I said I would try. I do not think you will learn these lessons easily."

The comment was accompanied with a dazzling grin and Marcus couldn't help but like the old Minbari.

"But first, let's have some breakfast." Neroon was getting hungry and they still had to change into their uniforms. As if in answer to Neroon's remark, Marcus' stomach began to growl.

///

Breakfast was in a hurry and Marcus found himself being dragged back to the laboratory by Stephen who was anxious to test the ranger's Psi-ability. Marcus tried to resist, but the doctor had been quite firm.

"Sit down, Marcus. I need to hook you up to the machine."

"What happened to the torture-rack? Or the Iron Maiden?" The ranger wasn't happy. He wished he could get out of the room, but he realized that this needed to be done. Marcus swore in Minbari as Stephen placed several electrodes on his temples. "Is this really necessary?"

"Stop whining, Marcus. The fact that I had some coffee --real coffee I might add-- does not mean that I can put up with you annoying me for a longer period of time."

Chuckling, Marcus peeked at his friend's eyes and enjoyed their friendly bantering. "Get it over with, Stephen. I have more important things to do."

Now it was Stephen's turn to grin as he switched on the neural scanner. "Like what, Cole? Getting beat up in a bar in Down Below?"

"That's not fair!"

"Well, you're the one who's always talking about the unfairness of the universe."

That successfully shut up Marcus for a while. The ranger tried to have a look at his readings, but Stephen pushed him back into his chair. "How long will this take, Stephen?"

"A few minutes. Didn't you tell me once that you were still working on patience? This is a good opportunity to work on that character trait."

Marcus did remember mention that to Franklin once and wished he hadn't told Franklin such things. The next minutes passed in silence and to Marcus those minutes seemed to last hours.

At last, Stephen switched off the machine and began to free the ranger of the electrodes.

Marcus was impatient to know the results and moved to stand next to the doctor as the results came through. "How bad is it, Stephen?"

"Looks like you are a P2, maybe 3."

Marcus couldn't repress a sight of relief. "Are you satisfied now? Can I go, Stephen?"

"Yes, Shahaam's already waiting for you to start your lessons."

Following the doctor's glare, Marcus discovered that the priest was standing in the corridor.

Come, child. It's time to start your training.

The ranger was startled to hear the words that clearly in his mind.

///

Marcus rubbed his temples. Shahaam was a ruthless teacher and the exercises the Minbari had made him do, had given him a severe headache. But he had to admit the priest was a good teacher. He'd learned how to shield his thoughts. During his ranger training he'd been taught how to block a telepath, but his newfound ability enabled him to do more.

The day had passed quickly and Marcus felt exhausted. Looking through the windows he saw that the sun was already setting. Without giving it a second thought, he walked into Neroon's private chambers, hoping to find the warrior there; his lover. It was strange how quickly his feelings for Neroon were becoming deeper and more affectionate. The intimate moments they had shared earlier had made him hungry for more.

Neroon was reading a report as Marcus entered the room. "How did the training go? Let me guess, you are exhausted." Neroon grinned and watched how Marcus sat down on the still rigged platform.

"He's given me a bloody headache." Still rubbing his temples, the ranger tried to make the ache go away. Neroon got up from his chair and Marcus felt the warrior's body heat as Neroon sat down behind him.

Stroking back some dark locks, Neroon began to massage Marcus' neck and tense shoulders.

The headache diminished after some minutes and Marcus rested his back against the warrior.

"You shield your thoughts a lot better, Marcus."

"But I don't want to shield them when I'm with you."

"Then don't." Neroon felt how Marcus stopped controlling his thoughts and welcomed the ranger inside his mind. The warrior didn't expect the message Marcus sent him.

I want you, Neroon.

" You do?"

"Yes." Marcus turned in the embrace and faced Neroon. Both were wearing uniforms and Marcus pushed the dark cloak from Neroon's shoulders. The warrior responded by getting rid of the sling and the ranger's cloak dropped to the floor as well. Marcus tried to unbutton Neroon's shirt, but found that hard to accomplish single-handedly. Feeling Neroon's warm fingers close over his, he allowed the warrior to remove the shirt himself. His fingertips burned as he ran them over the chest of the Minbari. Neroon had closed his eyes and savoured the caress. "What have you done to me, Neroon? I can't stop thinking about you… about this morning. I'm sure Shahaam picked up some things during training."

"So what? Are you afraid someone might disapprove? That's their problem, not yours." Neroon unclasped the ranger's belt and pulled off the tunic. Then he pushed his hands underneath the turtleneck and ran them over Marcus' back. The Minbari sensed how Marcus released the passion within himself the ranger had fought for so long. The intensity of that desire baffled Neroon and as he looked into those green orbs he knew the ranger wanted him completely. "Let me give you pleasure, Marcus. There will be other times, when you are not wounded when you can return that pleasure."

Marcus nodded, then caught Neroon's lips and claimed them. The Minbari's hands moved quickly and they had to stop the kiss so Neroon could pull the shirt over Marcus' head and dispose of it. " Just one thing, Neroon… Can I remain inside your mind? I need to; it makes me feel safe."

"Of course. I like to know as well what you're feeling." Neroon focused on his lover and wanted to make Marcus tremble from desire and delight. The warrior caressed the somewhat coarse facial hair, then moved his hands to the exposed chest.

Marcus leaned back and ended up flat on his back. Thankfully the platform's still rigged, he thought.

"Yes, let's hope it stays that way." Neroon covered his lover's body with his own and began to kiss the back of Marcus' neck, his hands teasing the already erect nipples. The ranger moaned and Neroon liked hearing that sound. He was going to make the ranger whimper from desire.

One of his hands now tangled in Marcus' hair, his other hand rolled one of the already erect nipples between his fingers. The ranger had closed his eyes and Neroon felt Marcus' arousal press against his middle. There was a heat building in Neroon's mind and it took him some time to realize that it was Marcus, telling him how much he wanted him. It made Neroon even more determined to do this right.

Marcus felt like a burning fire was raging through his veins. Why had he denied himself these feelings? Neroon's lips were burning his flesh and the Minbari's fingertips were coaxing his nipples to harden even further. He couldn't help moving through Neroon's mind and stopped as he encountered several images of them being together in a sexual way. Suddenly, he realized that Neroon was asking him what he would like to do. He made a decision and sent it to the warrior who grinned as he received his answer.

The zip of Marcus' pants was quickly undone and Neroon pulled at the pants, removing the underwear at the same time.

The ranger shivered briefly as he realized that he was stark naked. "You should remove your pants as well. "

"Are you getting impatient, Marcus? We can take our time. I want to explore the rest of your body first. I love the feel of your soft skin and hair on your body."

The words were whispered into Marcus' ear and the ranger felt his arousal mounting. He was becoming erect very quickly and as Neroon's fingers moved to stroke that sensitive area, Marcus began to pant. Fingers were curled around his shaft and another hand gently squeezed his scrotum. Neroon's tongue flickered over his belly and he instinctively placed his hands on Neroon's shoulders. Marcus knew what Neroon's intention was and trembled as he felt the man's tongue slide over the tip of his moist shaft. "Neroon, you don't have to do this."

"I want to. I want to taste you, feel you tremble when you come."

Another surge of lust coursed through the ranger as Neroon closed his mouth over his throbbing erection. Small sharp knives seemed to have found their way into his belly as Neroon's sharp teeth scratched the hardened flesh. Marcus stiffened and Neroon applied some pressure by very softly biting him. It was a bittersweet pain and Marcus knew that he couldn't take much more of this torture.

Looking at his lover, Neroon smiled. The ranger trusted him completely. Green orbs were shining brightly as their eyes met. His hands were stroking the ranger's body, constantly differing the place of the caress. As the tip in his mouth began to moisten by the ranger's own juices, Neroon realized that it was a sweet taste.

Running his tongue over the full length of Marcus' shaft, he twisted the nipples teasingly with his fingers. At last, he had the pleasure of hearing Marcus whimper from need. He wanted the ranger to come. Taking Marcus' erection firmly into his hand he began to stroke in a slow rhythm, taking the hardened flesh into his mouth deeper with every stroke. Marcus bucked beneath him and tension became unbearable inside the ranger. Flickering his tongue over the tip once more, he ran his now moist fingers over Marcus' scrotum, squeezing in the same rhythm he was stroking his shaft.

I'm going mad! Marcus was struggling for breath as Neroon squeezed his balls. No longer able to remain passive he began to thrust upwards himself, burrowing himself deep inside the Minbari's mouth. The warmth enclosing his shaft was driving him over the edge. He opened his eyes and gazed at his lover who anticipated his thrusts. Marcus came the moment Neroon sucked hard on the tip of his penis. The warm liquid was released and Marcus stared at the warrior. Some semen dripped from Neroon's lips, but the Minbari concentrated on licking the remnants of his cock. Marcus thought he had gone insane as he heard Neroon's comment.

"You taste sweet. I will enjoy doing this for you."

Shuddering, Marcus felt orgasm rage through him, making him feel whole for the first time in his life.

Neroon suddenly looked up at Marcus as he received that thought. A realization hit him hard and he gathered Marcus into his arms as he lay beside him, draping a leg possessively over the ranger. "This was the first time you experienced this? Marcus, did you have any lovers before this started?" The blush Neroon loved so much spread once more over Marcus' face.

"You're my first lover, Neroon."

As Neroon processed that information he felt his own arousal diminish. He regretted that Shakiri had used Marcus in this way. The ranger had been a virgin when this nightmare had started. "I feel even more honored now that you choose me to be your lover..." The Minbari felt the question in Marcus' mind. "No, Marcus, we will go to sleep now. I think we should not rush things."

"I can give you pleasure as well, Neroon."

"I know you can, Marcus." Neroon smiled. The ranger had already pleased him by coming the way he had; by expressing that explicit trust. Neroon felt Marcus' skin grow cold and ordered the room temperature raised. Then he released Marcus from his arms to get the robes and some blankets. He helped Marcus slip into his robe and then replaced the sling.

The ranger watched Neroon undress himself. He had only briefly seen how splendidly the Minbari was built. His gaze was drawn to Neroon's private parts and he swallowed as he realized how well endowed the warrior was. Marcus grinned as he noticed the lack of any pubic hair and decided that he liked what he saw.

Feeling the burning eyes upon him, Neroon turned to look at Marcus. The ranger was changing; no more did Marcus try to hide the desire in his eyes.

"Let's try to get some sleep. Perhaps we can continue this exploration in the morning hours."

Sensing that Neroon wanted to pull the now dry towel out of the mechanism, Marcus laid a hand on Neroon's arm. "Can't we leave it this way? It would enable me to breathe more freely..."

Neroon considered the request and knew that he was more than willing to tempt death just to grant Marcus this request. As the Minbari lay down, Marcus moved into his arms, draping his arm over Neroon's waist. As their foreheads touched, Marcus knew he was going to sleep peacefully tonight; no more disturbing nightmares.

Neroon's lips brushed his brow and he couldn't resist sleep any longer. The sexual act had exhausted him.

Neroon watched him fall asleep.

///

Marcus was the first to awake the next morning. Warm beams of sunlight were making their way into the room and the ranger looked at the Minbari lying next to him. Still asleep, Neroon's eyes were closed and his breathing was regular. Memories of last night returned to Marcus and shivers ran down his spine as he remembered the pleasure Neroon had given him.

Deep inside him Marcus felt the urge to return that ecstasy. Stealing his hands into Neroon's robes, he was surprised to find the Minbari's shaft hard as a rock. Probably having some erotic dreams; I hope I'm in them. The Minbari's slightly higher body temperature seemed to burn his fingers as he touched the warm skin. Exploratory running his fingertips over Neroon's cock, Marcus felt how smooth the hardened flesh was. It felt somehow different, but he couldn't pin that difference down. Grabbing the erection firmly in his hand, he began to pull the foreskin over the tip of Neroon's shaft, only to release it again. He repeated the motion several times.

Stirring from his sleep, Neroon felt strongly aroused. He opened his eyes and stared into mischievous green eyes, which were twinkling at him. As he felt Marcus' fingers curled around his shaft, the Minbari wondered what the ranger was up to. He welcomed Marcus' touch. His body had ached for it for so long and now that the ranger had taken the initiative he felt strangely hesitant. After all they had been through together, he was still afraid to hurt Marcus in any way.

"You won't hurt me, Neroon. I know you, remember?"

Neroon knew that Marcus had been listening to his thoughts and wondered about this strong connection. "You trusted me, Marcus. I will return that trust to you. "

Irritated by the fact that his injuries limited his movements, Marcus realized that he couldn't do that much. Looking into Neroon's eyes, he knew that Neroon would be pleased with what ever he could offer the warrior. Draping his leg over Neroon's body, he continued to stroke the warm and now moist shaft in his hand, ever so slightly differing the rhythm and intensity of his caress. Fascinated, Marcus watched Neroon close his eyes. The warrior's hand tangled in his hair and Marcus wished he could use his other hand as well, but the broken limb still ached.

Feeling the moisture drip from the tip of Neroon's cock, Marcus was curious to know how the Minbari tasted. He briefly released the flesh in his hand and smelled at the transparent liquid. Tasting it, he realized that it aroused him. Marcus was instantly erect. It was hard --literally very hard-- to ignore his own lust and to concentrate on Neroon who was watching him somewhat expectantly. Marcus ran his fingers over the length of Neroon's erection and spread the wetness over the rest of the shaft.

He's driving me over the edge; Marcus has no idea what he's doing to me!  The cool fingers were sending slight tremors of delight through his body. Neroon had had lovers before, but never had he felt so deeply as for this ranger. Surrendering to Marcus, he felt the warmth of Marcus' thoughts in his mind, mingling with the heat raging in his groin. Sensing how Marcus sped up, he couldn't help bucking against the ranger's hand, urging him to go even faster. The ranger complied and leaning in, he claimed Neroon's lips in a possessive way. Neroon savoured the fire inside the ranger and answered the kiss in a similar way. The pressure was quickly becoming unbearable and Neroon moaned as Marcus slowed down, teasing unimaginable little sounds of excitement out of him. Marcus crawled towards him and Neroon shivered as the ranger straddled his hips.

Marcus couldn't help shuddering violently as unbidden flashes of the past tormented him. "I can't do this, not yet."

The voice trembled and Neroon read in Marcus' mind what was bothering the ranger. The memory of the pain of Neroon slamming himself inside during the rape still had a grip on the ranger. Moving a hand to caress Marcus' face, the warrior understood. "Marcus, I'm not asking you to do anything you don't want to do. I do not need to penetrate you in order to be able to make love to you. I just want you to feel pleasure, not pain."

Hearing those words reassured the ranger and he rested his body on that of the Minbari. Neroon wrapped his arms around his lover and gently rolled Marcus onto his back. Now, it was Neroon who was straddling Marcus' hips.

Lowering his upper body, Neroon whispered sensually into Marcus' ear. "I want you inside of me."

Marcus swallowed hard as the words reached his clouded brain. Realizing that Neroon was asking permission to go further, Marcus nodded. His mouth had turned strangely dry all of a sudden and all coherent thought was quickly leaving his mind. Neroon was lubricating the ranger's erect cock with his own wetness, and all Marcus could do was stare in anticipation. Heat was rising throughout his whole body and he shuddered as Neroon raised himself. "Neroon, now..."

"You are impatient, Marcus... You should work on that flaw." Smiling at Marcus, Neroon lowered himself onto Marcus' shaft taking him in inch by inch in an agonizingly slow pace. Marcus panted his name as the tightness clenched him.

The Minbari was delighted to hear the ranger almost chant his name as he took in those last inches. He didn't move for some moments, giving Marcus a chance to adjust to the new sensation. Incoherent thoughts emanating from the ranger were whirling around in his mind and some of the ecstasy Marcus felt, became part of his arousal as well. Stroking back some damp hair, Neroon fingered the dark strands.

"Open your eyes, Marcus. Look at me." Neroon wanted to see the expression in those fascinating orbs and relished the moment Marcus stared at him with such want in his green eyes that it urged Neroon to move. He raised himself until only the tip of Marcus' shaft was still inside him, then lowered himself in a tormenting slow pace. His buttocks now pressed against the ranger's soft, sweaty skin. His hands had a firm grip on Marcus' buckling hips.

The sensation was almost too much for Marcus and he had to force himself not to cry out of pleasure. His eyes couldn't tear away from Neroon who raised himself once more, increasing the speed with which he was riding him. Bucking underneath the Minbari, Marcus felt how Neroon squeezed his balls. The ranger arched against Neroon, begging him for release and in a fit of passion he took hold of Neroon's erection, stroking it wildly. Inside their minds their lust and pleasure mingled. Thrusting hard into Neroon, Marcus felt hot white flames moving through his body as he climaxed while inside Neroon.

Feeling the warm liquid filling him, the warrior couldn't hold back any longer. Marcus was still stroking his shaft and Neroon watched how his semen shot onto Marcus' belly. The ranger was jerking underneath him and Neroon burned the image of his lover into his mind. This passionate human was truly his match.

Spasms of ecstasy were raging through Marcus' body as he felt Neroon's semen on his hot skin, knowing the Minbari had come as well. Never before had he felt pleasure like this and intense aftershocks of his orgasm were still coursing through his warm body. Feeling his own erection disappear, he felt abandoned as Neroon moved off him. He pulled the Minbari close to him and while watching each other's eyes, they rested in silence.

"You truly are exquisite, Marcus. I love you..."

The ranger trembled, still recovering from their lovemaking. Brushing Neroon's lips with his own, he wrapped his legs around Neroon's waist. Laying his head on Neroon's chest, he sighed, feeling how exhausted he was. But there was one more thing to say; one more thing to do. Locking eyes with Neroon, he spoke words he knew were true.

"I want to be with you, Neroon. You pledged yourself to me. Danzi told me that I wasn't bound to you as long as I didn't make the same commitment. I want to say the words that pledge me to you..."

Neroon never expected this and looked inquisitively at Marcus. "Are you sure? Do you know the importance of that oath? "

" I do…  help me speak those words?"

Neroon sighed, feeling the determination in Marcus' mind. No matter what he was going to say, Marcus wasn't going to change his mind. He recited the pledge for Marcus.

The ranger listened and memorized the lines. His voice was steady as he finally spoke them, looking Neroon in the eye. "I promise that I will stay with you as long as you need me, or want me to stay. I love you and by speaking these words I commit myself to you. I will never hurt you and I will respect your decisions. I extend my protection to you and will keep you safe. From one warrior to another." Running his slightly trembling fingers over Neroon's bruised lips, he knew he'd made the right decision.

///

Danzi was struggling to reach a decision. He had just gotten word from Shahaam that Shakiri had left Minbar. His probable destination: Babylon 5. Now the young warrior had to tell Neroon that Shakiri himself was going after Delenn. Normally, Danzi wouldn't mind disturbing his Alit, but he knew that Neroon was with the ranger and the last thing Danzi wanted was to crash into some intimate scene. Knocking on the wooden door, he waited for an answer. Neroon sounded somewhat irritated as he answered.

"What is it?"

"Alit, it's me. I have news concerning Shakiri. It's rather important."

Inside his private chambers Neroon couldn't suppress a curse. Marcus had slipped into sleep after their sexual exchange and the warrior knew the ranger needed to recuperate. Unwrapping Marcus' arms from his waist, Neroon threw his cloak over the robe. As he opened the door, Danzi took some steps back and Neroon closed the door behind him. "Tell me, Danzi."

The young warrior eyed his Alit. Neroon seemed somewhat tired, but there was also a smirk on his face. "We've gotten word that Shakiri has left Minbar. His set destination is thought to be Babylon 5. Shahaam wanted you to know that he believes that Shakiri is going after Delenn himself."

The warrior inside Neroon took charge. "Does he have a head start?"

"Our latest information confirms that Shakiri has a lead of 1 hour."

"Prepare the Ingata. I want to depart in one hour at latest. Ask Doctor Franklin if he wants to return with us and send a message to Delenn's aide Lennier that Shakiri is after her."

Danzi nodded and left to carry out Neroon's instructions. Now that the Alit was leaving again, he was going to be in charge of the household with Shahaam as his advisor. He needed to know all defences were in place, should this turn out to be a trap.

Neroon returned to his room finding Marcus awake, sitting up on the platform. There was a confused expression on his face. Neroon gasped as he saw the remnants of ecstasy in the ranger's eyes. He had to force himself to address the urgent issue. "Marcus, I got news from Shakiri. He is on his way to Babylon 5. I think he wants to kill Delenn now that I.betrayed him by letting her live."

"Neroon." Marcus placed his hand on the Minbari's chest and felt the turmoil in Neroon's mind. "We've to stop him. I hope you weren’t planning on asking me to stay behind. I want to go with you. I need to; I'm a ranger and although I'm hardly able to defend myself in my current state I need to know that I did everything within my power to protect Delenn."

That was what Neroon had been afraid off. Marcus was going to insist on tagging along. "Then promise me to be careful. Shakiri will not hesitate to get to you as well, should he be given that chance."

"I'll stay close to you, if that sets your mind at rest."

Marcus was grinning and Neroon had the distinct impression that the ranger was up to something. But there was no time to find out. "Get ready to leave. The Ingata will take us to Babylon 5 and I want to leave as quickly as possible."

"I understand." Marcus searched the room for his ranger uniform and as he walked to the bathroom he picked up the several pieces of clothing.

Neroon put on his uniform and left his chambers to go to his study.

Inside the bathroom, Marcus was struggling with his clothes after having taken a quick shower. If only that arm wasn't broken! The ribs didn't ache that much anymore and he knew that they were healing nicely. He was tempted to rip the sling apart. He couldn't get the damn thing properly in place. A knock on the door distracted him.

///

"Neroon!" Stephen Franklin rushed down the corridor as he saw Neroon turn around the corner. He almost bumped into the warrior as Neroon halted to wait for the doctor to catch up with him. "Is what Danzi told me true? Is Shakiri going after Delenn?"

"It would appear so. I'm determined to get to Shakiri before he does any damage. Do you want to accompany us to Babylon 5?"

 Us? The doctor watched Neroon carefully and realized that the Minbari was calm in spite of the threat. There was a sparkle in Neroon's eyes that had not been there before. Stephen knew instinctively what must have happened and couldn't help flashing a grin. "Yes, count me in. By the way, I've been searching for Marcus, do you know where he is?"

Neroon returned the grin and pointed to the door of his private chambers. He hoped Marcus had managed to put on some clothes, otherwise the doctor would be in for a surprise.

The doctor nodded and walked over to the door and knocked. He watched Neroon leave and was curious what had happened. Perhaps he could get squeeze some information out of the ranger.

The door opened and Marcus stepped out into the corridor. Stephen studied his friend's expression and couldn't help smirking. The ranger's face was flustered and Stephen swore there was a hickey on Marcus' throat. Well, Stephen didn't have to worry any longer about Marcus not accepting his feelings for Neroon. "You messed up the sling, Cole." Franklin straightened out the sling and felt how damp the bandages were. "I'll change them later. First we need to get to that Minbari War cruiser. I have the impression that Neroon is in a hurry."

"Don't worry, Stephen. Neroon isn't going to leave without me." Marcus felt his blush deepen and as he looked at Stephen they exchanged a glance of understanding.

Stephen patted Marcus on the shoulder. "Come, we better get going."

///

For both Marcus and Stephen was it the first time that they were standing on the bridge of a Minbari War cruiser. The Ingata had a complete crew aboard and Neroon was overlooking the proceedings with extreme care. Marcus was having second doubts about insisting on accompanying Neroon to Babylon 5. He wasn't completely sure he was prepared to face all his friends yet. Although he had received a message from Susan before they left Minbar, he felt uncomfortable. Susan had been smiling as she told him that she hoped that he was going to be happy with Neroon and that she had met someone else as well. There was no need for him to feel guilty. That had been the underlying message. Marcus had always been apt at reading between the lines. He wasn't afraid of facing Susan, he was more uncomfortable with the idea of facing Delenn for obvious reasons. He would have to do a lot of explaining and then there was that other issue he would have to address. Pushing that thought back he concentrated on the Warrior Caste language, trying to make some sense of it.

"Marcus, doctor, why don't you get some rest? It will take us at least 12 more hours to get to Babylon 5 and I'm sure Marcus can show you how to rig one of the platforms."

"Was that an attempt at being funny, Neroon? You know darn well that I haven't slept properly these last two nights."

"Come along, Stephen. I will help you get the thing horizontal." Marcus pulled Franklin along. Stephen was muttering the entire way to the sleeping quarters.

"Damn Minbari sense of humour… platforms… tempting death… "

The smirk was genuine on Marcus' face as he led the doctor into the sleeping quarters. He felt Stephen's eyes on him as he wedged the towel into the mechanism to rig the platform.

Hesitantly, not believing he could be this lucky, Stephen lay down and sighed as he stretched his body.

Marcus watched amused how his friend fell asleep within seconds. The ranger decided to rig his own platform as well. The ribs hurt a lot less, resting this way. Still a bit tired from his 'morning workout', Marcus rested his body on the platform and closed his eyes.

///

Lennier sighed as he realized that the meditation wasn't working. Ever since Neroon had sent him a message that Shakiri was on his way to Babylon 5, he felt restless. Delenn had remained calm as he told her. John Sheridan who had also been present had risen to his feet, assuring Delenn that security would be tightened and that he would protect her. Lennier knew that the Captain had no idea how elusive and resourceful Shakiri could be if his mind was set on achieving his goal.

"Delenn, I promise you that we'll take all necessary precautions to make sure he won't get close to you."

" John, thank you. I'm sure I'm safe." Delenn looked uncomfortably at John. There was something else she had to tell him and she had no idea how he was going to react to that news. "Neroon sent me the warning. He also told me that he was going to ensure my safety himself by taking out Shakiri. Marcus and Doctor Franklin are accompanying him. They will arrive in a couple of hours."

"That bastard's coming here? I still don't understand how you and Susan could go along with the idea of him taking care of Marcus. The ranger should press charges to put Neroon into prison."

"John, you don't know the entire story. There are things even I don't understand, but we should listen to him. Doctor Franklin assured me that Marcus is staying with Neroon out of his free will. We have no right to judge anyone before we heard their side of the story."

Sheridan knew Delenn was right, but he considered Marcus Cole not only a crewmember he was responsible for, but also a friend. He was determined to keep a close eye on Neroon the moment the Minbari arrived.

///

"Marcus, time to wake up. It is your turn to take over the bridge."

The ranger woke at once. It took him some time to process Neroon's words. The warrior was standing in the doorway, an amused smile on his face. "Me? Take over the bridge?" Marcus wondered if he had heard correctly.

"As my Kirmana you are my second in command. You had better get some command experience. Should something happen to me, you will have to take over."

That part had slipped Marcus' mind and he got up from his platform. He was really uncomfortable with the idea of taking over command of the Ingata. Would the Minbari warriors follow his orders? Did they understand the Minbari he spoke? Marcus still hadn't had the time to learn the Warrior Caste language.

Self-doubt was plainly written on his face and it made Neroon smile. He knew Marcus would be good leader. "They're waiting..." Neroon stretched on a tilted platform and closed his eyes, not willing to discuss his order any longer with Marcus.

The ranger had no other choice as to get moving. He wasn't sure he was suited for commanding a Minbari War Cruiser.

As he set foot on the bridge he watched the crew to see their reaction to the fact that a human was in command now. The only reaction he got was the crew lowering their eyes briefly as a gesture of respect. Relaxing a little, Marcus took the seat in the middle of the room and realized that he had no idea what to do. The ranger was relieved as he heard a warrior address him in a form of Minbari he knew and he had no problem answering him. He hoped this would be a smooth trip.

Concluded in part 3