The Delicate Balance of In-Between" by Jimmy, June 2, 2001 "Stephen!" The voice was so clear and brimming with such good memories - it managed to cut through all the traffic noise dominating the waiting area. Heads turned to notice a small woman strutting across the floor with confidence born of experience. She sported earth look, complete with fuchsia-dyed hair, but there were influences of other worlds in her jewelry. And she didn't throw one curious glance at the aliens surrounding her; pure earthers would have been agog at the various life forms rushing about the place. Dr. Franklin smiled widely and with true pleasure. A look of happiness so rare, Zack's curiosity was immediately snagged. He watched as the doctor threw open his arms and the stranger fell into them with little hesitation. "Beano!" Stephen greeted his friend. "Am I glad to welcome you on board!" She looked up at the smiling face, "You lost weight. What happened to that butch athlete I knew?" "Food plan." Franklin replied succinctly. "It helps, especially when one lives in a space station." "Ahh, but I heard anything can be had in Babylon 5, for a price." "You always did have a knack for getting things wrong. Where's your stuff?" "Probably still on Mars." She replied in exasperation. "Two days of nothing but delays. And can I tell you just how boring Mars really is?" He laughed. "I'll make sure they get to your quarters. So, how was the trip?" "Sat next to a Centauri named Doaruo. He told me unholy things, things best left in the dark. And then had the damn gall to try and demonstrate." Franklin gave her a sympathetic pat on the back. "They're a pleasure driven race, Beano." "Is that what you call it here? We still call it a felony on earth." "Damn glad to see you here." Franklin admitted. "I had forgotten how it used to be before I came on Babylon 5." She shook her head, "Well, now your hell is my hell. Lead forth, Dante, and show me the Circles." Franklin examined her clothing with close scrutiny. "I have to introduce you to Command Staff first." She shook her head. "I'm not changing. You know how I feel about the military. The only reason I agreed to this whole damn thing was the chance to practice my craft. Not kiss up to some brass' derriere." "The brass is John Sheridan, and as far as brasses go, he's not that bad looking." "Star Killer." Her voice softened immediately. "There was a lot of hoo haa back on earth when his appointment became official. The Minbari had lots to say about Sinclair's replacement, and you know they're not exactly the most vocal of races. How are things?" "Tense. But then things are always on the ropes here. That's what makes Babylon 5 such a fun place." "Stephen," She said blandly. "If I wanted tension, I would have taken the tenure in Geneva." "Then why did you accept my offer?" He asked, "Truthfully, I was surprised you said yes." She shrugged her shoulders, an elegant and age-old useless gesture. "I needed a break." "You're not going to tell me, are you?" "Of course, not. To do otherwise would break tradition." "And you're not going to change your shirt either, are you?" "No, of course not ..." "To do otherwise would break tradition." Stephen finished his friend's argument. "Come on, let's get this over with then." * * * * * * * * Ivanova spotted them first, an incongruous sight and she was used to seeing the unusual on daily if not hourly basis. Franklin was in his uniform, but the woman accompanying him was not. She sported black pants and a shirt that could only be described as bright using polite language. Migraine-inducing was closer to the truth, but Susan spotted the easy friendship between the intense doctor and his friend, and didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. Something she was well known for in spite of her best efforts. "This is Commander Ivanova." Franklin said, "And this is my new forensic xenopathologist, Doctor Sabine Quietbrook." The newcomer kept a polite distance, allowing Susan to make the first move. Ivanova appreciated the gesture and decided the stranger could be forgiven for her rather atrocious choice of clothing. "Welcome to Babylon 5. Dr. Franklin's been singing your praises ever since he got your message." "Then you have my sincerest apologies. I've heard him sing." Susan smiled, "Apology accepted. So, you've hitchhiked across more worlds than even Dr. Franklin?" "Definitely." Franklin answered for his friend. "Beano's seen more alien life forms than anyone I know." "Beano?" Susan echoed. "Sabine turned to Bine. And after couple of rounds, it metamorphosised itself to Beano against my wishes." "Then you shouldn't have bought the rounds." Franklin replied immediately. "Poor excuse for an explanation, even poorer for an apology. Thanks to you, I'm known across eleven races as Dr. Beano." "Well, I'll leave you two lovebirds alone." Susan interrupted, equally amused and annoyed. "Captain Sheridan's in his office if you dare to approach him there." Franklin thanked her. His friend turned away first, and Susan took the opportunity to point at the woman's outrageous shirt. He shrugged as if to say it wasn't his fault before following his friend out of C&C. "Nice shirt." Corwin said as the door slid closed behind the visitors. "Wonder who she blinded on her way here." "I have to admit, she's not what I expected." Ivanova confessed to the junior officer. "But I'm glad she's here." "Why?" Corwin asked, making sure to avoid eye contact. "You hardly know her." "Ever since The Children of Time incident last year, I've been worried about Franklin. Who heals the healers?" Susan asked no one in particular. "Franklin doesn't like to let his guard down. It's not in his nature. He's so tightly wound, if he lets go - the whole station could start rotating off its axis. I knew when he asked for her presence on board, there had to be a damn good reason why. I'm just glad she accepted." Corwin gave a single nod of agreement and returned his attention to the station in front of him. He didn't know how to react when the Commander became relaxed. It was uncharted territory, and he didn't want to ruin the experience by inadvertently raising her ire. * * * * * * * * "Captain Sheridan, if you have a minute," Franklin announced as he stuck his head into the room. "I would like to introduce you to a friend of mine, Doctor Quietbrook." The military governor of Babylon 5 glanced upwards and the open face broke into a genuine smile. Franklin was always taken back when Sheridan smiled. It made him look years younger and handsomer than he usually was. Sheridan stood up and waited for the guest to follow her host. "Glad to have you on board." Sheridan said, extending his hand. He seemed unaffected by the woman's outrageous garbs unlike others. "Good to be on Babylon 5, finally." Sabine replied, giving a curt handshake. "This is some operation you've got here." "You could say that again, though I think you're being optimistic when you say this is my operation. Commander Sinclair was heading Babylon 5 until recently. I'm still trying to get used to all this." "I'll probably be in the same boat with you for a while then." Sabine said. Her eyes flitted across the many objects on Sheridan's desk and the artwork decorating the wall behind his chair. The captain couldn't decide if she approved of him or not. But then he wasn't surprised he couldn't read her. He was never able to second-guess her mother, so why should he have any more luck with the daughter? "Well, we'll leave you in peace." Franklin said, "Just wanted to say hello." Sabine didn't say anything, only a nod of farewell before exiting the office. Sheridan stared after the two, his face regaining its usual thoughtful poise. "Captain?" Ivanova's voice attracted his attention. He turned to the com on the wall. "I guess you met the new doctor?" "Yes, I did. Interesting woman." "I noticed." She said, allowing her amusement to filter through. "Can we say Civi?" "You don't know who she is, do you?" Sheridan asked, surprised. Ivanova's face immediately showed her displeasure. His second-in-command had intense dislike at being kept in the dark. "No, sir. I do not." "Her mother was Admiral Naomi Hakada." "Of the Agincourt?" Susan blurted out. "Are you serious?" Sheridan nodded, "Very. Dr. Quietbrook is the only surviving member of that family. The rest all perished in the Earth-Minbari War." "I knew her father was killed alongside the Admiral on The Battle of The Line." Susan said, "But I had no idea what his name was." "I served under Admiral Hakada for a year. She was the stuff of dreams, Susan. The kind we read about in history books but never find in real life. Did you know none of her pilots survived? They all died trying to hold the Line. I don't think anyone else could inspire such fanatic loyalty." "Dukhat did." Susan answered slowly. "And that didn't bode well for us." "No, I guess it didn't." Sheridan agreed sadly. "I knew her brother, Neth. He was a fine pilot. He managed to survive until The Line. Joshua wasn't and paid the price early on. I can't even begin to imagine how the Admiral felt when she learnt of her sons' deaths." "Thank the L-rd for small mercies then, sir." Susan quipped. "So, should I remain quiet about her choice of dress?" "Definitely." Sheridan allowed Ivanova to lighten his mood. "She's a military brat. They always tend to dress outrageously, if only to get back at us. I'm just glad she didn't come with pierced nostrils." "Now that would have been interesting. Good afternoon, Captain." Sheridan chuckled at the black screen. Susan's pokey sense of humor was only outclassed by her timing, and he was wise enough to appreciate the combination of the two, especially in a place like Babylon 5. * * * * * * * * Franklin smelled Garibaldi before the man even had the chance to greet the doctor. Michael insisted he didn't like Downbelow but somehow managed to spend most of his time there, and usually wafted the appropriate odors when he emerged from the morass. "And what can I do for you?" Franklin asked, his back towards the Chief of Security and his attention still focused on the display screen in front of him. "I hear you have a new best friend. A rather attractive lady who would look even more attractive without clothes." Franklin chuckled. "Can I quote you on that?" "No, you may not." Garibaldi promptly replied. "So, where is she?" "Sleeping." Franklin replied. "You, dog, you." "Get your mind out of the gutter, Garibaldi. She's exhausted from all the traveling she's been doing the last two weeks." "So, how did you two meet again? I don't remember." Garibaldi said, making himself comfortable in Franklin's chair. "That's because I never told you." Franklin finally turned around, facing his inquisitor. "And what's your interest in her anyway?" "Zack was at the docking bay when she got in. He said he has never seen you so happy. I got curious as to why, and here I am." "She's a friend from school." "And ... that's it? She's an old school buddy?" "Beano also happened to be one of the brightest human being I've ever met." "But you said you were number one in your class." Franklin nodded, "True, but that was only because Beano was busy being a doctor. You should've seen her, juggling twenty-seven duties simultaneously while making Grand Rounds. There are two kinds of healers. There are those like me. And the others are ... like Delenn. Beano, she straddles both worlds." "You did change since you came on Babylon 5." Garibaldi said in wonder. "But if Beano's such a good doctor, what's she doing as a pathologist?" "Honestly? I don't think she could stand to see human beings suffer into their deaths. And I think she has a plan, one that she isn't willing to tell anyone. Beano likes to keep to herself." "Is she good at what she does?" "Yes. She's one of those people who can always see the big picture. Give her a box of puzzles; she won't need to see the picture on the lid. All she has to do is stare at the pieces for a while before putting it together. It's a knack I don't have." "Sounds like Med Lab's going to be an interesting place." Garibaldi whistled. "Good to see we've got competent people coming into Babylon 5. Always helps to have someone whose brain is ticking at full steam." "Beano's that." "By the way, can I call her Beano?" "When hell freezes over." "Just checking. So, who ended the relationship, you or her?" Franklin looked at Garibaldi in bemusement. "Is it that obvious?" "No, but I'm the Chief of Security, and that makes a whole hell of a difference." "We both did. We decided we liked each other better as competitors than as lovers." "So she said no first." "Something like that." "But you still have a thing for her." "With people like Beano, you don't forget, Garibaldi. Besides, I don't want to. It's nice to know that I am capable of attracting women like her. Now, all I have to do is find a way to keep them." "And when you have that figured out, my friend, contact me. I'll give you half a year's worth of pay just to find out how." Franklin turned his back on the man and returned to his work. Garibaldi didn't take offense at the dismissal and left the room cheerfully whistling a song neither could identify. Michael had yet to sum up Franklin's old friend, but whoever she was, he welcomed her with open arms. Anyone who could positively affect the doctor was a godsend. He wondered if he should swing by and greet Beano personally. Then the thought of earning Franklin's annoyance stopped him. His physical was coming up soon and Garibaldi didn't want to do anything that might jeopardize the examination or the speed in which it was usually carried out. "Beano," Garibaldi muttered to himself. "What the hell kind of name is Beano?"