Marcus shook his head, "You saved my life?"

The woman before him inclined her head…

Marcus could say nothing… not understanding what she clearly thought of as an explanation, "I see… thank you. But why are you in this room?"

The womans frown deepened, "Marcus… you can't be away from me for such a length of time. It's dangerous."

She sounded British…

"Has no one explained this to you?"

He frowned.

"I am ambassador Alfria," she stated, before waiting for a time in silence…

Unable to give any form of response… Marcus felt his shoulders shrug, ever so slightly…

The woman before him almost rolled her eyes, "I revived you…" she explained, as if to a person slower understanding…

He could not provide answer…

"Using the life force transference device..."

Marcus took a breath, that bloody machine!

The alien, finally, smiled… "I suspect they were trying to assist you and not inconvenience you…"

Marcus felt his eyes shoot to the woman… how did she know of his frustration… Telepath… he imagined…

"Never-the-less…" she continued… "I had warned them that you had been dead for quite some time. It was lucky they had placed you in suspended animation; it meant there was a chance… we had heard you… you see…"

He shook his head against the tumble of words that fell into the room as the alien continued her explanation of how her race had come forward as the evolved assistants to the Vorlons an were now helping to fight the Drakh… how they had developed machines, such as the device he had used to revive Susan… yada, yada, yada…

Marcus was hit with a wave of fatigue. Life was too short to listen to the entirety of the convoluted history of the Bereans, which was her race, and the Drakh….

He held up his free hand, "Excuse me if I sound a little ungrateful… but you haven't answered my question… how did you get in here?"

"I'm getting there," the woman said, slightly impatient and sat on his sofa, "It was my fault to be honest. I detected the use of the device a number of years ago and found it here, in this galaxy."

His head gave another pulse of pain, "This galaxy…"

Alfria looked uncomfortable, "Details," she huffed a laugh, "so we came to find it… and you and discovered the Drakh and what they were about, trying to set themselves up as new-age-shadows or what-not…"

"I'm sorry," Marcus shook his head, giving himself a push from the wall to stand in front of her, "But you don't sound very alien to me."

"You should sit down," she said, ignoring his remark, "or you're going to collapse. To be honest, I am surprised you haven't already. You have a great depth of endurance."

He couldn't think of an answer to that and closed his eyes, "Just tell me…"

"I sound like you," Alfria answered, standing to face him, "it's down to the transference and it's quite normal. It should wear off, in time."

Marcus felt himself weaken in the legs as she took his arm and guided him to the sofa, plucking the cup of tea from his hands and sitting him down.

"We have quite a strong connection, for now," Alfria continued, unbuttoning his standard, grey shirt, "there is no need to be alarmed."

If truth be told, Marcus didn't have the energy to be alarmed.

The woman who was peeling his shirt back and smoothing a hand over his solar plexus could easily do as she pleased as he felt quite powerless at that moment.

She withdrew her hands from him and Marcus tried to speak, but found his jaw too heavy to move and all he could do was make a moaning sound as she shushed and soothed him.

Alfria reached for the fastening of her own, high collared robe and Marcus felt a panic twinge through him.

He wasn't the kind of man to take advantage of someone or let someone take advantage of him!

But as he began to move in order to stop an awkward situation, Marcus watched the alien remove a stone from her own sternum.

The glowing, green orb pulsed as she reached across and motioned it over his chest; Marcus felt the light issue out and roll over his skin. The tingle of energy buzzed over his flesh and he began to relax.

"There…" she soothed, "isn't that better?"

And it was; it felt as though every millimetre of muscle was untethered from weight…

"What is that?"

"All in time," Alfria whispered; her voice becoming a melody that … "first we must discuss your new mission…"

Marcus tensed, "I don't know…"

"Hush…" the alien insisted as a pulse of warmth issued through the ranger… "And then what there is to do about Susan…"

Susan… he thought and allowed sensation to wash over him.

Marcus Cole succumbed to the dark, welcoming, warmth…