title: distant encounters
from series: crusade
author: hotaru anne
email: silentsenshi@hotmail.com
date accomplished: february 4/2000
type of fiction: science fiction/babylon 5 project/crusade
major characters: capt. matthew gideon, capt. elizabeth lochley, lt. john matheson, dr. sarah chambers, max eilerson, dureena nafeel, trace miller, lt. cmdr. david corwin, captain susan ivanova
summary: after the drakh leaves babylon 5 defenceless, the excalibur arrives to help recover the civilians and restore the station back to normal. after a series of sabotages, gideon and lochley now must try to find the saboteurs before blowing the station up---completely.
note: my second story. read "true intentions" my first b5 one if you want to know what happened to max when he was on babylon 5 for the first time. very explosive and it's still on babylon 5. i think i'll make my next story somewhere else aside from babylon 5.
timeline set on: this event takes place after the thirteenth episode of crusade "every night i dream of home". fan fiction's thought; don't know it'll happen but it's before that ummade episode fourteen " "
disclaimer: all characters and places mentioned in this story belongs to jms and warner bros. btw, the story was made by me and is on my website. pls don't use my story to conjure up a story similar and don't try taking it from my site. thanxs.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
PROLOGUE
Babylon Five drifted in space, but not alone. Surrounding them in space, attack forces from the Drakh had definitely decided to take pleasure of detroying the Babylon 5 space station, the last of the Babylon stations. The station's shields were punched through, its defences scorned and was now moments away from a true death blow. It was left defenceless and vunerable, and not a single ship was out there to help them all.
Inside was pure madness; wounded officers, a handful of able-bodied crew members and scorched consols surrounded the Command Center. Captain Elizabeth Lochley, who was in charge of the popular station for six years year and a half now wasn't even sure if she could keep this attack up and save the station and its crew from the hands of their enemies. No one was around to help the attacked station; no one could save them now.
"We've got a hull breach at section eight," reported an ensign. "Enviormental seals on."
Another death blow rocked the station beneath their feet. Who knows how long the station's integrity would last in the face of destruction. Had to hand it to them, Lochley thought bitterly, their weapons can surely work. She sighed and turned from their mirror in space to look down at the worried ensign. "Can't you transfer all power to the shields?" she demanded.
"Not without cutting ourselves from the battle, sir." He was young, human. He gave a heavy sigh; a look too familiar for a commanding officer like Lochley not to notice. His eyes meet his commanding officer's piercing glare and shrugged helplessly. First assignment, she observed. "I'm sorry, sir," he offered haplessly.
"It's not your fault, ensign," Lochley told him as calmly as she could as another blow jolted the station beneath them yet again. She slid back at the energy of the jolt as her hands reached out and grabbed the railing sharply, as she turned and pulled herself up. It looked like they were on their own out there. There was one more thing they needed to do if they were to die out here against the enemy; a distress call. She pulled herself to full figure and roared over the sound of the klaxon and the licking flames, "Ensign! Start relaying an automatic distress call."
"Distress call is on, sir," he replied.
She pulled herself up to a monitor. "This is Captain Elizabeth Lochley of the Babylon 5 space station," she told the monitor. "We have been attacked by a fleet of Drakh warriors. We have disassembled their formation, but with the shields and weapons gone, we have no choice but to evacuate the station. If anyone can help us, we need your help." Another hit. "Please! Lochley out!" The screen went dead as another hit.
"Distress signal up and processing."
Lochley brushed her hair aside. "Ensign Ian," she ordered, "evacuate the station." The ensgin stood up in protest. "But sir..." he babbled in protest, but Lochley gave brushed it off with a cool but stern gaze. "Ensign," she said sternly, "if I do not evacuate this station, millions of people with die. It is rather we lose the station than to have people in it."
The ensign gave a brief lock on Lochley, before sighing heavily. "You're the commander," he finally gave in. "I just hope that the Drahk don't start shooting on our escape pods and ships." Lochley shuddered at the thought; she too, prayed that the Drahk wouldn't start firing at the helpless and defenceless pods once they were released. "I want all civilians off this station. All personnel will remain here."
"Sir---?" the ensign began.
"That's an order, ensign," Lochley replied stiffly. The ensign sighed and went back to work. She turned to the view of the attack. The drahk reminded her of spiders, hovering in space and attacking like animals. If the plague was bad enough, what else was? Many people on her home planet was dying as it was and, at the front of the line trying to find a cure was Captain Matthew Gideon of the Excalibur. The two have known each other since the conference on Mars. She prayed that they would find the plague before the five years were up or else Earth would suffer the concequences.
Gideon...that name was reminded in her every single day. The two not only were captains of Earthforce, but they seem to be alike in every angle. They could finish each others sentences and train of thoughts, they both had the same style of command...not to mention she knew his favourite lo mein type. They were almost similar; except the time Elizabeth spent married to the President of the Interstellar Alliance, John Sheridan himself, who had already commanded B5 before. He was a damned good captain...of course, until he became a president and gave the open slot to her. Not because they were married before, but because of her record.
Great, she thought now, now my perfect record will be dented over this damned attack. If the Drahk would have left them alone, perhaps the only things she would worry now was about the life of an interstellar despot and the small problems on board the station. For a brief moment, she thought not of the attack, not of the exploding consols or the limping officers, nothing but the stars. God was out there, somewhere, she thought peacefully, her thoughts contracting to one. If you could hear me, please help us. Don't let my people die over these enemies. Don't let the station, the last of the Babylon stations blow up because of them. Please, if you're listening, don't turn away from a distress call, please...
Someone was calling him.
Captain Matthew Gideon stopped twitching in his command seat for a moment and looked out onto the scattered stars of the large viewscreen. He could've sworn he could hear someone calling to him, in need of help. Something about not turning away from a distress signal. Was someone in need of help? It sure sounds like it. He frowned. Maybe it was just his imagination. After all, he wasn't a telepath. But he couldn't turn away. Not after what happened on the Cerebrus.
"Lieutenant," he called. From the helm, his first officer, Lt. John Matheson turned to face his captain. Young, oriental, a telepath from the old and deceased PsiCorps. A small thin wire went from behind his ear to a couple of centimeters of his lips to serve as a communique device. His eyes gazed up in askance that not even a non-telepath would know what he was thinking. "Lieutenant," he said, "scan the area for any distress relays."
"Captain?" he asked curiously.
It appeared the order seemed a little odd for Matheson. Why would he ask for a scan for any distress signals? Something was cooking, and Gideon just didn't know how to explain it. "I'm no telepath," he blurted out bluntly. "Someone's calling out to me, I just can't explain it. Please John, just do the scan." He sighed and lay back on his nice soft chair. It felt just right; it was getting used to who was in charge now.
"Aye, aye sir," he replied automatically. After a moment of tinkering through the control panels, he blinked and without turning, he said, "Sir, I'm picking up a distress signal." Finally, some action going on! Gideon thought as he got to his feet and joined him at helm. He hovered over him. "Can you pinpoint the source?" he asked.
"No, sir," he replied earnestly. "It appears that the transmission was sent with some cross alignments to some energy blasts. I believe whatever is sending the distress signal is under... attack, sir." Gideon sighed. Just what he needed to stir up the day, an attacked vessel. He then nodded. He mustn't leave the vessel's fate hanging around in shreds. "Put it through," he ordered curtly. "On screen."
Smoke. Consols exploding. Panicking Earthforce officers. What was this? What was going on? A figure. Perhaps the captain was trying to hail for assistance. The connection was a bit blurry, but he caught a faint glint of red hair and gold earrings. Finally, it calmed down for a while as Gideon studied the view screen. Lochley? Was this Babylon 5? Who was attack them? "This is Captain Elizabeth Lochley of the Babylon 5 space station," she told them. "We have been attacked by a fleet of Drakh warriors. We have disassembled their formation, but with the shields and weapons gone, we have no choice but to evacuate the station. If anyone can help us, we need your he---" The screen went blank, as Gideon could tell another hit was made.
Lochley's neck in space was being attacked by the same aliens that had caused Earth to ben in virus. She was in trouble in her part of space and he had an urge to help. It was their duty to help others. He slammed his palm on Matheson's chair. Soft. "Matheson," he said, "how long will it take to make it to them to assist?"
He shook his head. "Five minutes from our current position," he replied. Gideon sighed; five minutes. It was quite a timeloop for five minutes. Who knows how long this message was relayed. Who knows what was their current status? No, he must help them in any way they could. Drive the Drakh off if they must. They must keep the last of the Babylon stations intact. He sighed at the chain of command.
"Prepare a jump to Babylon 5," he ordered.
"Aye sir," Matheson said unevenly, but he knew he that could and would not question his captain's orders. He immediately prepared a jumphole. Gideon nodded and sat back on his chair, letting out a shaky sigh. Lochley was in danger on Babylon 5 with the Drakh hanging around, and he had to get there...before it would be too late.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Wat do you think? R&R!
from series: crusade
author: hotaru anne
email: silentsenshi@hotmail.com
date accomplished: february 4/2000
type of fiction: science fiction/babylon 5 project/crusade
major characters: capt. matthew gideon, capt. elizabeth lochley, lt. john matheson, dr. sarah chambers, max eilerson, dureena nafeel, trace miller, lt. cmdr. david corwin, captain susan ivanova
summary: after the drakh leaves babylon 5 defenceless, the excalibur arrives to help recover the civilians and restore the station back to normal. after a series of sabotages, gideon and lochley now must try to find the saboteurs before blowing the station up---completely.
note: my second story. read "true intentions" my first b5 one if you want to know what happened to max when he was on babylon 5 for the first time. very explosive and it's still on babylon 5. i think i'll make my next story somewhere else aside from babylon 5.
timeline set on: this event takes place after the thirteenth episode of crusade "every night i dream of home". fan fiction's thought; don't know it'll happen but it's before that ummade episode fourteen " "
disclaimer: all characters and places mentioned in this story belongs to jms and warner bros. btw, the story was made by me and is on my website. pls don't use my story to conjure up a story similar and don't try taking it from my site. thanxs.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
PROLOGUE
Babylon Five drifted in space, but not alone. Surrounding them in space, attack forces from the Drakh had definitely decided to take pleasure of detroying the Babylon 5 space station, the last of the Babylon stations. The station's shields were punched through, its defences scorned and was now moments away from a true death blow. It was left defenceless and vunerable, and not a single ship was out there to help them all.
Inside was pure madness; wounded officers, a handful of able-bodied crew members and scorched consols surrounded the Command Center. Captain Elizabeth Lochley, who was in charge of the popular station for six years year and a half now wasn't even sure if she could keep this attack up and save the station and its crew from the hands of their enemies. No one was around to help the attacked station; no one could save them now.
"We've got a hull breach at section eight," reported an ensign. "Enviormental seals on."
Another death blow rocked the station beneath their feet. Who knows how long the station's integrity would last in the face of destruction. Had to hand it to them, Lochley thought bitterly, their weapons can surely work. She sighed and turned from their mirror in space to look down at the worried ensign. "Can't you transfer all power to the shields?" she demanded.
"Not without cutting ourselves from the battle, sir." He was young, human. He gave a heavy sigh; a look too familiar for a commanding officer like Lochley not to notice. His eyes meet his commanding officer's piercing glare and shrugged helplessly. First assignment, she observed. "I'm sorry, sir," he offered haplessly.
"It's not your fault, ensign," Lochley told him as calmly as she could as another blow jolted the station beneath them yet again. She slid back at the energy of the jolt as her hands reached out and grabbed the railing sharply, as she turned and pulled herself up. It looked like they were on their own out there. There was one more thing they needed to do if they were to die out here against the enemy; a distress call. She pulled herself to full figure and roared over the sound of the klaxon and the licking flames, "Ensign! Start relaying an automatic distress call."
"Distress call is on, sir," he replied.
She pulled herself up to a monitor. "This is Captain Elizabeth Lochley of the Babylon 5 space station," she told the monitor. "We have been attacked by a fleet of Drakh warriors. We have disassembled their formation, but with the shields and weapons gone, we have no choice but to evacuate the station. If anyone can help us, we need your help." Another hit. "Please! Lochley out!" The screen went dead as another hit.
"Distress signal up and processing."
Lochley brushed her hair aside. "Ensign Ian," she ordered, "evacuate the station." The ensgin stood up in protest. "But sir..." he babbled in protest, but Lochley gave brushed it off with a cool but stern gaze. "Ensign," she said sternly, "if I do not evacuate this station, millions of people with die. It is rather we lose the station than to have people in it."
The ensign gave a brief lock on Lochley, before sighing heavily. "You're the commander," he finally gave in. "I just hope that the Drahk don't start shooting on our escape pods and ships." Lochley shuddered at the thought; she too, prayed that the Drahk wouldn't start firing at the helpless and defenceless pods once they were released. "I want all civilians off this station. All personnel will remain here."
"Sir---?" the ensign began.
"That's an order, ensign," Lochley replied stiffly. The ensign sighed and went back to work. She turned to the view of the attack. The drahk reminded her of spiders, hovering in space and attacking like animals. If the plague was bad enough, what else was? Many people on her home planet was dying as it was and, at the front of the line trying to find a cure was Captain Matthew Gideon of the Excalibur. The two have known each other since the conference on Mars. She prayed that they would find the plague before the five years were up or else Earth would suffer the concequences.
Gideon...that name was reminded in her every single day. The two not only were captains of Earthforce, but they seem to be alike in every angle. They could finish each others sentences and train of thoughts, they both had the same style of command...not to mention she knew his favourite lo mein type. They were almost similar; except the time Elizabeth spent married to the President of the Interstellar Alliance, John Sheridan himself, who had already commanded B5 before. He was a damned good captain...of course, until he became a president and gave the open slot to her. Not because they were married before, but because of her record.
Great, she thought now, now my perfect record will be dented over this damned attack. If the Drahk would have left them alone, perhaps the only things she would worry now was about the life of an interstellar despot and the small problems on board the station. For a brief moment, she thought not of the attack, not of the exploding consols or the limping officers, nothing but the stars. God was out there, somewhere, she thought peacefully, her thoughts contracting to one. If you could hear me, please help us. Don't let my people die over these enemies. Don't let the station, the last of the Babylon stations blow up because of them. Please, if you're listening, don't turn away from a distress call, please...
Someone was calling him.
Captain Matthew Gideon stopped twitching in his command seat for a moment and looked out onto the scattered stars of the large viewscreen. He could've sworn he could hear someone calling to him, in need of help. Something about not turning away from a distress signal. Was someone in need of help? It sure sounds like it. He frowned. Maybe it was just his imagination. After all, he wasn't a telepath. But he couldn't turn away. Not after what happened on the Cerebrus.
"Lieutenant," he called. From the helm, his first officer, Lt. John Matheson turned to face his captain. Young, oriental, a telepath from the old and deceased PsiCorps. A small thin wire went from behind his ear to a couple of centimeters of his lips to serve as a communique device. His eyes gazed up in askance that not even a non-telepath would know what he was thinking. "Lieutenant," he said, "scan the area for any distress relays."
"Captain?" he asked curiously.
It appeared the order seemed a little odd for Matheson. Why would he ask for a scan for any distress signals? Something was cooking, and Gideon just didn't know how to explain it. "I'm no telepath," he blurted out bluntly. "Someone's calling out to me, I just can't explain it. Please John, just do the scan." He sighed and lay back on his nice soft chair. It felt just right; it was getting used to who was in charge now.
"Aye, aye sir," he replied automatically. After a moment of tinkering through the control panels, he blinked and without turning, he said, "Sir, I'm picking up a distress signal." Finally, some action going on! Gideon thought as he got to his feet and joined him at helm. He hovered over him. "Can you pinpoint the source?" he asked.
"No, sir," he replied earnestly. "It appears that the transmission was sent with some cross alignments to some energy blasts. I believe whatever is sending the distress signal is under... attack, sir." Gideon sighed. Just what he needed to stir up the day, an attacked vessel. He then nodded. He mustn't leave the vessel's fate hanging around in shreds. "Put it through," he ordered curtly. "On screen."
Smoke. Consols exploding. Panicking Earthforce officers. What was this? What was going on? A figure. Perhaps the captain was trying to hail for assistance. The connection was a bit blurry, but he caught a faint glint of red hair and gold earrings. Finally, it calmed down for a while as Gideon studied the view screen. Lochley? Was this Babylon 5? Who was attack them? "This is Captain Elizabeth Lochley of the Babylon 5 space station," she told them. "We have been attacked by a fleet of Drakh warriors. We have disassembled their formation, but with the shields and weapons gone, we have no choice but to evacuate the station. If anyone can help us, we need your he---" The screen went blank, as Gideon could tell another hit was made.
Lochley's neck in space was being attacked by the same aliens that had caused Earth to ben in virus. She was in trouble in her part of space and he had an urge to help. It was their duty to help others. He slammed his palm on Matheson's chair. Soft. "Matheson," he said, "how long will it take to make it to them to assist?"
He shook his head. "Five minutes from our current position," he replied. Gideon sighed; five minutes. It was quite a timeloop for five minutes. Who knows how long this message was relayed. Who knows what was their current status? No, he must help them in any way they could. Drive the Drakh off if they must. They must keep the last of the Babylon stations intact. He sighed at the chain of command.
"Prepare a jump to Babylon 5," he ordered.
"Aye sir," Matheson said unevenly, but he knew he that could and would not question his captain's orders. He immediately prepared a jumphole. Gideon nodded and sat back on his chair, letting out a shaky sigh. Lochley was in danger on Babylon 5 with the Drakh hanging around, and he had to get there...before it would be too late.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Wat do you think? R&R!