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Captain John Sheridan wearily trudged the corridors of Babylon 5. Crisis Number 497 narrowly averted, he was heading back to his quarters, disappointed his evening's plans had been interrupted. The door to his cabin slid open and he stopped dead.
"You're still here!" His exhaustion faded immediately at the sight of Delenn. She'd barely budged from where he'd last left her hours earlier.
"John!" she exclaimed, a wide grin spread across her slightly alien features. The usually demur and proper Minbari ambassador leapt to her feet to hug him close. She parted only slightly from his embrace to kiss him passionately.
"Whoa! What was that for?" he asked as the kiss faded to gazing longingly at each other. Though pleased by her actions, he was none-the-less taken by surprise. Still new in their relationship, it usually took them a while to work up to any physical contact.
"I did not want Crisis Number 498 to come along before we were able to complete that." Her eyes twinkled with joy. "Come, let us... shoulder?" She attempted to wiggle her eyebrows suggestively as she'd seen John do, but hadn't quite mastered it yet.
"What?" John asked.
"The activity where we kiss and caress and kiss and hug and kiss some more," she explained. She tilted her head, confused by the fact he did not understand the Earth expression.
"Ohhh." John moved his arm to her waist and guided her to the couch. "Neck. You mean neck."
"There is not much difference between the neck and shoulder, John," she stated. "They are connected to each other."
"Right." He decided not to correct her. He was about to toss the booklet she'd been reading to the floor to make room for them to sit, when her hand closed upon his.
"Wait. Please do not lose my place." She took Relativity 6 from his grasp as they sat down.
"You've been reading those this whole time?" John was amazed, pulling her closer in anticipation of the requested activity.
"I find it quite insightful. Not only by the way it must have shaped your life, but it also gives me a glimpse into the ways of your people." Delenn held on to the book as though it were a priceless artifact. "Thank you for allowing me to share this with you."
"Anything I have is yours," he promised.
She straightened. "I do have a few questions, mostly involving Elaine Goo... Gui... Gaaa... Elaine's speech to the readers."
He cleared his throat, suddenly knowing the necking would have to wait until her curiosity was satisfied. "Of course."
"Every other zine up until now," she said, indicating numbers 1 through 5 in an obviously "read" stack, "have all contained plentiful and beautiful illustrations --this barely displays any."
John thought for a moment. "I seem to remember everyone had become particularly busy that year. But Sharon still coordinated a pretty terrific cover with Peggy, who even managed a few pictures inside -- she was a good sport about the whole thing when she was told on Monday they needed it by Thursday." He chuckled. "And Joy had at least one left over from last year, I think. Her schedule had been too hectic to do anything else."
She nodded, understanding only too well. Time was something no one ever seemed to have enough of.
"Elaine and Jill were always grateful for anything they got because it was always so perfect," John continued. "Besides, they knew very few artists, but plenty of authors."
"Were these chroniclers paid for their contributions? They are all so good, it seems a shame the distribution was not larger so more could enjoy," Delenn praised.
"They were great, weren't they. Unfortunately for them, it was strictly voluntary." He quickly glanced at the Table of Contents for issue six. "Whew! And these were some of the best -- Annita, Becky, Erin, Gina, Jo, Mark, Maura, Pat and Steve felt the work was so important, they did it free, receiving only a copy of the collected works for their troubles." John shook his head. "Our family considers itself pretty damned lucky to have these incredible writers helping us keep track of us," he said, a little bit of awe in his voice.
"And the one called Cathy... To have a spiritual icon involved in your genealogy... I knew you were of a warrior cast, but to mix the religious one in... that is indeed impressive, John."
"What?" John took Relativity 6 from Delenn, trying to figure out what the reference could possibly mean.
"Elaine proclaimed her a saint for allowing a 'dump truck' worth of proofing to be laid at her feet. She felt she would have self-inficted baldness if Cathy had not been there."
"Uh, yeah," he agreed, finding the "pull out my hair" comment in the editor's Twenty More Minutes of Apology. He smiled to himself at how charming he found her misunderstanding of certain phrases to be. "And wait until you actually get to read some of Cathy's stories. She didn't have anything in six or before, but with seven, boy she blossomed -- one right after the other. Probably after Jill, she became the most prolific historian." He cleared his throat again. "Any other questions," he asked, hoping to hurry this phase of the evening along.
Delenn was silent for a moment. "Her thanks to Marianne for her knowledge of Norwegian, Cathy for her Japanese/American dictionary, Kenny Loggins for his musical inspiration and her neighbor, Steve (though she gives no reason for that) all seem pretty straightforward." Delenn pointed at the editorial Elaine wrote. "And I found it particularly wonderful how much she appreciates her co-editor -- almost a full page's worth! I have added many new descriptives to my knowledge of your language tonight." She seemed delighted at this. "But no, I think you've answered all my questions."
"Good." John closed the book and laid it aside. "I'll help you find your place later," he informed her, pulling her close.
She smiled at him in anticipation.
The viewscreen came to life behind them. "Captain, oh, sorry -- as always." Commander Susan Ivanova didn't even bother to hide the laugh behind her hand this time. "Number 498, Sir." She sighed, shrugging her shoulders.
"I'll be right there." He glanced at Delenn. "I'm sorry..."
She put a finger to his lips. "I'll be right here when you are finished."
John kissed her quickly and ran out the door.
She curled up on the couch to continue her glimpse into John's past while she waited for his return.
Elaine Gustainis
Co-Editor