FOR THE LOVE OF THE SHI ALYT - PART 5 By Sunraven Neroon nodded his head. "Then you can treat me if I need it. Not that I agree that I need it, of course." "Oh, you don't agree, do you?" Annoyed, she pushed her fist into the broken rib, which was the fifth one down on the left side of his chest. It wasn't very professional of her, but he was so damn irritating! And to give her credit, she had sensed that the break was just a crack, and since Minbari ribs are over a half inch thick, she knew it wouldn't do any further damage. But it would hurt. He flinched, then grabbed her in arms that closed like a vise. "What are you doing, woman?" Her face was smashed into his armored chest from the pressure of his hold. "Loosen up, you black-suited gorilla, you're hurting me! I was just proving to you that you do need to see a doctor. You've got a broken rib there. As well as a torn ligament in your knee and a torn left decipitus muscle in your chest. It's a wonder you're still walking! Don't even pretend to me that you aren't in any pain." He loosened his grip. "A warrior doesn't show...." "That they are in pain, I know, I know, it is a sign of weakness to do so." She had to smile at that. "Do you know the joke about Warrior Caste Physicians?" When he shook his head, she continued. "What is the procedure that Warrior Caste Physicians are the most practiced in?" "What procedure?" "The last rites, because that's when their patients finally come in for treatment." Neroon smiled at that. "I like it. I will have to tell my personal physician, Dakiri, that one. He will enjoy it." She noticed that he wasn't letting her out of his arms. Having his citrus-like smell this close to her nose (which was still pretty close to his neck from the way he was holding her) was making her body have some rather uncomfortable reactions. "Neroon, if you have a personal physician, why in Valen's name didn't you go to see him? You must have realized how badly injured you are." "I am the Captain of the Ingata now that the Shi Alyt is gone to the Sea, and I must not appear weak. I must appear strong so that my crew can be strong as well during this time of great sadness. Also, Dakiri was also the Shi Alyt's physician, and his friend. He is mourning deeply, and I didn't wish to bother him." She sighed. "And probably didn't want to listen to his advice if you did bother him, as well. I guess your reasoning makes a sort of weird Warrior Caste sense. If I treat you secretly, then no one will know that you aren't all-powerful, is that it? All right, if I agree to treat you, will you give your word that you will obey my instructions?" "As long as it does not interfere with the mourning ceremonies for the Shi Alyt, yes." "Okay. We have four hours until the viewing ceremony. I have a complete medical treatment facility in my lab. It is private, so no one will disturb us there. Let's go there now, so I can get more specific information on what's going on with you than my gift can provide." She pushed out of his arms with both relief and regret and stood up. "Oh, and do you mind not sending any more baby Star Riders to chase after me? I think I frightened 10 years growth out of poor Rekon." That started him laughing, which caused his rib to hurt so badly he grabbed his side. "Umph, perhaps this has not been such a wise decision. You might end up killing me before you treat me." "Shut up and come on. And leave your organic buildings behind, unless you want them to know the horrible truth that you are being treated by a Human physician." "Yes, Satai Terra!" She ran the scanner over his body. "Yes. This confirms that you've got a cracked rib, a torn ligament in your knee, and a torn right decipitus muscle in your chest. Do you have any idea how you got these?" "I.... have been extending my weapons practice periods since the Shi Alyt grew ill. It was probably during them that the injuries occurred." "Extending them? Extending them how much?" "My normal routine was two hours a day, but I have increased it to five hours a day." "Five hours a day! Good God, Neroon. Why, for Valen's sake? And I'm assuming that you've not been eating or sleeping regularly while you've been doing this?" "I extended my training because watching the Shi Alyt's body waste away while his mind stayed healthy was a battle that I could do nothing to win. Weapons practice helped take my mind off of the situation for a few hours. And you were correct. I have not been sleeping well since the Shi Alyt fell ill four months ago, and I have been on a mourning fast since two weeks before he went to the Sea." "Two weeks before..." Her eyes widened. "You haven't eaten anything for three weeks?" "Actually, more like four. I just haven't felt hungry." "Well that explains how someone managed to do this much damage to you. Your strength and your attention span have probably been halved, at least." He looked at her in surprise. "Is that a compliment, Terra?" She ignored him as she put the scanner down on a table then went to a computer terminal and sat down. "I'm going to synthesize a mixture of nutrients and vitamins in a skin tab for you to wear, that ought to correct some of the nutritional imbalances. While that is preparing, take off your clothes and I'll treat the torn ligament and then I'll tape your knee up for you. I'll tape up your rib, and treat that torn chest muscle with a muscle growth accelerant. Then..." She looked up at him. He hadn't budged, and he, was he smiling at her? "Neroon, what are you doing just sitting there? Didn't you hear me?" "Yes. I heard you. Are you sure you want me to remove my armor? Remember what happened the last time I took it off?" Yes, he had a definite smirk on his face. Terra blushed furiously, suddenly hating her fair skin that showed up blushes so easily. "Well, Neroon, maybe I'll just put on the skin tabs through a half a foot of armored cloth. They will be very effective that way, don't you think? Damnit, take the clothes off now, or I'll cut them off with a scalpel!" The fierceness of her words was mitigated by her crimson face color. In self-defense she turned to check on the status of the nutritional supplements. By the time she had picked up the finished product, he was undressed. She handed him a robe, more for her own peace of mind than because he wanted one, and performed the medical treatments in silence, still irritated as hell at him because he wouldn't drop the smug look. She pressed the last skin tab to just below his collar bone. "There. The vitamin supplement tabs are good for 24 hours each. I've given you three of them, which should be all you need as long as you start eating properly again. The tissue accelerants can stay on until the bandages come off." "Are you still angry at me?" He asked when she was finished. She sensed the amusement that he felt because of her embarrassment. Damn fair face, blushing at the slightest hint of flirting from him. "Yes. Now, as of this moment, no more mourning fast. You won't honor the Shi Alyt much by dying of starvation. I want you to eat something, and I will watch you do it, just to make sure. I don't trust you as far as I can throw you, Neroon. And needless to say, since I can't even pick up your armor, I can't throw you very far. Put back on your clothes, I'll wait for you in my office." She turned around and walked away, sensing his amusement grow even greater. He was even more infuriating than she remembered. She was reading something from a file when he came to her office. She stood up and came over to him, took his left hand, pulled off the glove, and slapped a pain tab on the back of his bare hand. "Here. This is for the pain. My working with the injuries made it worse. This won't make you drowsy, it will just take the edge off of it." He opened his mouth to say something, but she leaned close up into his face and said before he could, "And don't say one single word about it being a sign of weakness to use a pain killer, because I don't want you limping around for the viewing ceremony!" He closed his mouth, leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips, then said only, "Thank you." Her annoyed expression changed to startlement and then to a smile. "You're welcome. Now let's go back to your quarters and get you something to eat." They did so, and she watched him eat every mouthful of his favorite Minbari dishes that she had ordered. When he finished, she nodded, looked at her wrist chron, stood up, and said, "I think you have time for about an hour of sleep before you have to get ready for the ceremony." He smiled, not a smug one this time, but kind of sweet, considering that it came from about 220 lbs of Minbari killing machine. "Are you going to watch me do that, also?" "No. I already know your true face in all its honorable and extremely irritating glory. I don't need to watch you sleep to see it. But I will insist on you giving me your word that you will lie down and try to rest, okay?" "I will try." "Goodbye, then, Neroon. I will see you at the ceremony." She came over to him, looked into his eyes for a minute, took his tray, then lightly stroked his face with her free hand. "Good rest, my friend." Then she left, handing over the used tray to one of the guards outside the door. The viewing ceremony started as most Minbari ceremonies do, with the chime holders coming in first, then Delenn and Neroon in full ritual dress. Jeffrey and Garibaldi followed behind them. Neroon came up to the coffin and spoke some stirring words that brought tears to Terra's eyes. Then two Star Riders folded up the clan flag draped over the coffin, and gave it to Delenn. Terra found herself really crying for her dead friend when they did that. Neroon moved to the coffin, opened up the top, then let it fly back, shouting in a cracked voice, "Where is the Shi Alyt?!!" Delenn and the two Earthers moved up to look in the empty coffin. Meanwhile, Terra's gift picked up a surge of almost Berserker fury starting to come off Neroon and some other Star Riders in the room. Without thinking, she butted people aside and ran to where Neroon was standing. He was only a heartbeat away from Berserking himself. She came right up to him from behind and unthinkingly grabbed his arm. He turned with lightening quick warrior's reflexes and swung his fist at her. She managed to dodge the killing blow that whistled by her head, barely, mostly because he pulled it at the last minute when he realized who she was. Then she shouted with both voice and empathy, "Neroon! Your men are Berserking! You've got to stop them! They'll only listen to you. Stop them! There are too many of them and too strong emotions. I can't do it. You're their Captain! Stop them NOW!" Finally getting through to him, he turned and shouted loudly to his very angry clansmen, "NEI! ZHOUDA NELAT RELNA! ZHAT!" Terra took the opportunity to back away from him and the anger coming off of him that shot through her like a ppg, backing unknowingly into Jeffrey, who had apparently followed her. He grabbed her arms, turned her to face him, started shaking her, and shouted in her face, "Dammit Terra! What in the Hell do you think you're doing, running up to an angry Minbari like that? He could've killed you!" "Jeffrey, stop shaking me!" He did, and she continued, "let's get out of here and go to your office." Back at the office, she looked into his and Michael's angry faces. "I had to distract Neroon. His men were ready to start killing everyone in sight! And so was he. Have you ever seen a Minbari go into a Berserker fury before?" He shook his head, but Michael nodded grimly. "They are almost unstoppable when they go into one. All of their body systems gear up for one massive effort, and the only way to take them down is to cut them to pieces. And if they aren't killed during the frenzy, then the stress of the berzerker fury on their systems almost always kills them afterward. If Neroon had died on top of the Shi Alyt's body missing, we would be at war in a heartbeat. Now, I desperately need to get somewhere and clear my shields. They're overloaded and I can't think straight. Don't lose your temper with him, Jeffrey, Michael. I will be back soon to help, I promise." She headed out the door at a quick walk. After meditating to rebuild her shields, she went back to Jeffrey's office. He definitely looked stressed, the expressive brown eyes tortured. He looked up when she entered, though, and smiled. "You look better. Whatever you did, do you think you could give me some?" "Here, let me try this instead." She came around his desk and started rubbing his shoulders. He relaxed quickly, and when she finished, he smiled his thanks. "How bad was he?" "Pretty bad. He was really upset, and was threatening to bring his clan's fury on Babylon 5." "Actually, that's probably pretty mellow for him. Was Delenn there?" "Yes. She tried to settle him down, but didn't have much luck." "No, she wouldn't, I think. Those two would only annoy each other more. I'd better go see him, then. Maybe I'll have more luck calming him down." He nodded and said, "Good Luck. Just stay out of range of his fists this time. He came awfully close to crushing your skull when he hit at you." "Jeffrey, if Neroon had wanted to kill me, then you and I wouldn't be chatting here. I'd be with the Shi Alyt right now. He pulled the blow once he saw it was me." 'You must trust him a lot to have risked that he would see you in time." She smiled. "Well, I wasn't actually thinking of the danger to myself at the time, but yes, I do trust him. He has great honor in his heart. Though he is also extremely annoying, as you have found out." Again standing face to face with the organic buildings, they again let her by without arguing. Neroon was in his quarters doing a blinding kata with his denn-bok, a fixed angry look on his face. "Neroon! Stop that right now. You'll re-injure yourself." In one heartbreakingly beautiful movement, he came to rest position and compressed his pike, his face and emotions charged with murderous anger, intense loss, and helplessness. Reacting on automatic, she moved up to him and slipped her arms around his rigid body, denn-bok and all. "It's all right, dear one. They will find the body. Come over to the couch and sit with me and try to relax, okay?" He nodded grimly, and followed her to the couch. "Here let's make you more comfortable." She reached up, unclasped his armor, and tried to slip it off. Since the stuff weighed more than she did, she didn't have much luck. He took it off with one hand and casually dropped it over a chair. Terra went over and sat on the couch, trying not to think about what would have happened if the immense strength in that arm had impacted with her head. She patted her lap. "Lay your head here." Again he started to do as she asked, without speaking. Before he could lay it down, though, she said, "Neroon, wait! Let me get a pillow to protect my legs. I don't want to get poked." That finally got him to smile, but the smile was such a contrast to the expression in his brown eyes that she just felt like crying for a second. When he was down, he closed his eyes, and she started working on the muscles of his face and jaw, which were lumped up with tension. With her gift she projected caring, calmness and relaxation. Finally his exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep. She let him sleep for a few hours until her urge to go to the bathroom became overwhelming. Now she had a problem. She knew from long experience that you never wake a warrior suddenly. If you do, you are likely to get seriously injured. But her bladder was not a happy camper at the moment, and she did need to wake him up. She gently stroked his face and the tender skin around his headbone. "Neroon?" She said quietly. She whispered his name again, while continuing to caress him. Without opening his eyes, he said in a voice even deeper than usual, "If you continue to touch me in that fashion, I will not be responsible for the consequences." Then he did look up at her, and what she saw in his eyes made her shiver deep inside. "How long have I been sleeping?" The spark was definitely still there between them, though life had molded their spirits in such very different ways. Too different, she suspected. "About two hours. I thought you wouldn't want to sleep any longer than that." He sat up abruptly, making her wince from the pain she picked up from his rib. Of course he totally ignored the pain. "You were correct. I need to check with the Commander to find out what progress has been made." Suddenly his shoulders slumped. "Terra, why would someone steal the Shi Alyt's body? It is of no value to anyone but us." He sounded so confused that she again took him into her arms. "I don't know, Neroon. But I can tell you that antagonizing the Humans isn't going to get his body found. You have got to try to keep your temper under control." She smiled at him and reached out to again caress his sensitive scalp area. "I know it's a lot to ask you not to be belligerent and imperious, after all, you are Warrior Caste, but at least try not to start another war, please." He took her hand as she was pulling it away, and held it against his face tenderly for a moment. She got up, pulling on his hand. "Come on sleepy-head. Let's go see what's been happening." He got up and pulled her by the hand until he was holding her in his arms, then he hugged her and murmured in her ear. "I want to say thank you for stopping me from Berserking. Though I don't wish to think how close I came to striking you down. You took a tremendous risk doing what you did." His tortured thoughts at the possible damage he could have done to her struck her with almost physical force. She hastened to reassure him. "No, Neroon, there was never any risk. I knew that. You're honorable and brave, and would never hurt me. Scare me a little, well more than a little, sure, annoy me, absolutely, but hurt me? No way. Listen, you go check on the progress of the investigation. Please try to be civil to the Commander, okay? And keep the Ingata's gun ports closed! I need to check on something. I'll catch up with you later, all right?" He nodded, and she went to her quarters, where she used the bathroom with a great deal of relief. Then she went to find Commander Sinclair. Part 6 - We found it, we found it, we found the Minbari body - well his ashes, anyway.