DISCLAIMER: I don't own Babylon 5, but the character of Marco Tourlapein is mine.
Commander Marco Tourlapein's heart pounded uncontrollably when he saw the ships. First the larger one that resembled a tropical fish . . . a dark, deadly one. Smaller vessels surrounded it, all shaped like ornate cigars. He held his breath, fear clenching his chest. His thumb hovered over the fire button.
We're allies now.
Tourlapein stared at the Minbari ships, shaking his head. Allies. Fourteen years ago in this same area of space, he'd fought them at the Battle of the Line, firing his lasers non-stop and waiting for his Star Fury to become a fireball like so many around him.
Now he was actually on the same side with those boneheaded bastards.
"All birds out of the barn, CAG." He heard the voice of Lieutenant Commander Yazami, the deputy commander of the Charlemagne's air group.
"Roger. All fighters, form up on me. Our target is the battle satellite over the North Pole."
"We are with you as well, Commander."
Tourlapein clenched his teeth when he heard the smooth voice of the commander of the Minbari air group. He looked out the cockpit of his Star Fury and saw the alien ships streaking toward his group. His mind catapulted him back to the war, when Minbari fighters came at him with guns blazing. His lanky body tensed with anger at the memories of explosions all around him, each small artificial supernova representing a Star Fury, each one signifying the death of a friend.
How many friends did you take from me, damn you. He glared at the approaching Minbari fighters.
"Roger," he growled in reply to the Minbari commander's statement. He really wanted to tell him to go to Hell.
Tourlapein gripped his control stick tighter as the blue and white ball of the Earth loomed before him. He felt blood pulsing through his cheeks, his anger threatening to explode.
How can Sheridan expect us to fight side-by-side with these s.o.bs?
Captain John Sheridan. Of all the humans in the universe he never expected him to embrace the Minbari so willingly. He was the Star Killer, one of the few true heroes of the war. Now he embraced this Ranger cult of the Minbari, and even shacked up with one of them.
And just because he's forgiven them, the rest of us are supposed to do the same?
Did Sheridan think fourteen years was enough to get over the hatred, the nightmares, the sorrow of losing so many friends? Did he forget that the last time Minbari ships were around here they tried to destroy the Earth? Did he really expect everyone to forgive the Boneys just like that?
"MISSILE THREAT!! MISSILE THREAT!!" chirped the battle computer. "EVADE!! EVADE!!"
Tourlapein saw the white flares of the approaching missiles. He slammed the stick to the left, his eyes darting around, making sure he didn't run into another Star Fury.
Missiles shot past him. He glimpsed a red flare to his left. A check of the battle computer told him Berserker Ten had been hit. Lieutenant Javante's bird.
Sweat formed on Tourlapein's brow as he closed with the battle satellite. My God, the thing was huge . . . and bristling with missile and laser batteries, including a large particle beam cannon that could fry hundreds of thousands of square miles of the Earth. He scowled, cursing President Clark. Now that his empire had crumbled he wanted to do the job the Minbari failed to fourteen years ago. Damn lunatic. Tourlapein hated the fact the son-of-a-bitch wouldn't be around to answer for his crimes, as he took the same way out as other dictators like Hitler and al-Kasawa by capping himself.
"We're in range," Tourlapein contacted the rest of the Berserker Squadron. "Fire!"
Laser bolts zipped across the black void, crashing into the huge battle satellite. Little geysers of red dotted the surface of the satellite. It continued to expel beams and missiles. Two more Star Furies exploded.
"The satellite is too heavily armored for our blasters," reported the Minbari air wing commander.
"I know!" Tourlapein snapped, pushing his Star Fury to the right to avoid a laser blast.
"I suggest we target the weapons systems," the Minbari said.
Tourlapein scowled. "All Berserkers. Target weapons systems." He tried to make it sound like his own idea. The last thing he wanted was to give credit to a damn Minbari.
Lasers and missiles flashed all around him. A Star Fury to his left exploded. Then another . . . and another. Again Tourlapein slipped back in time fourteen years. It was the Battle of the Line all over again. Only this time his own government exterminated his friends instead of the Minbari.
His targeting computer locked up a proton cannon on the satellite. Tourlapein's thumb descended toward the firing button.
A brilliant blue beam shot by his Star Fury. Tourlapein banked, his thumb kissing the button. Laser bolts slammed harmlessly into the battle satellite's armored hull.
"Dammit!"
He tried locking up the proton cannon again. Just as he got good tone another beam nearly struck him. Tourlapein weaved his way through the storm of lasers and missiles. He pressed the fire button, hoping for a lucky shot. Instead his bolts struck the satellite's reinforced hide.
A red burst to his left caught his eyes. Pieces of a Minbari fighter tumbled through space. Two more Boney fighters exploded seconds later.
A smile crept across Tourlapein's lips.
We probably need them if we're going to destroy that satellite.
Tourlapein pushed aside that logic. Too few of those bastards died in the last war. No time like the present to make up for it.
Besides, humans could take care of this situation themselves.
He rolled the Star Fury to avoid another beam, then banked left as a missile streaked past. Two more Star Furies and a Minbari fighter disintegrated.
A high-pitched whine filled the cockpit. Tourlapein's thumb mashed the firing button. Laser bolts from his fighter joined the dozens of beams and missiles slicing through the blackness. Moments later a bright orange glow blotted out the proton cannon on the satellite.
"Direct hit!"
The sense of triumph vanished as another Star Fury exploded. Tourlapein checked his battle computer. Half the Berserker Squadron was gone.
Another fireball sprouted from the satellite as a missile launcher went up. He had no idea who hit it, human or Minbari. Hopefully human.
Yazami took out another laser battery. Tourlapein jinked right to left and tried to line up on another missile launcher. If they took out enough of them the bigger ships should be able to knock out this satellite with ease.
"This is Charlemagne! We've taken heavy damage. Abandoning sh-"
A dull thud erupted from Tourlapein's communicator, followed by static.
"Charlemagne, this is Berserker One. Respond."
Nothing.
Tourlapein bit down on his lower lip. "Charlemagne. Please respond."
His stomach collapsed as the silence continued.
"Direct hit on On'Palam," reported the Minbari air wing commander.
On'Palam. That was the Minbari war cruiser teamed with the Charlemagne. Tourlapein shook his head. So what. More dead Minbari was a good thing.
"CAG." Yazami radioed. "The satellite's settled over Scandinavia. And . . . oh damn. Its energy readings are spiking. It's gonna -"
Tourlapein watched a missile slam into Yazami's Star Fury.
"Dammit!" He forced his eyes away from the fading fireball that had been his friend's fighter. A chill swept over his body. That particle beam could wipe Scandinavia off the face of the Earth. He swallowed, thinking of his two sons in Kitee, Finland.
No no no! He didn't save them from the Minbari fourteen years ago just to have their own government slaughter them.
"All Berserkers on me. Target all weapons on the particle beam -"
"COLLISION ALERT!!" The computer blurted. "COLLISION ALERT!!"
Tourlapein glimpsed a Minbari fighter spinning toward him. He jerked the control stick left.
A gigantic hammer pounded the Star Fury. Everything shook. The images of Tourlapein's two sons popped into his mind before darkness consumed him.
XXXXX
A crack of light pierced the darkness. It grew steadily until all traces of black vanished. Tourlapein heard himself groan. The world gradually came back into focus. He sensed himself lying down. Slowly he turned his head from one side to the other. The room was dimly lit with a high ceiling. It didn't look like any room on an Earthforce ship.
Oh crap!
He started to sit up.
"Take it easy." A hand gently pressed against his chest.
Tourlapein froze. That voice, that accent. He forced his eyes to move to the left.
A being in a dark uniform stood beside his bed. All Tourlapein's focus was on the bald head and the boney ridge over the back of the skull.
God help him, he was on a Minbari ship.
"What . . . what are you doing to me?" He grimaced at the throbbing in head.
"Treating your injuries, of course." The Minbari answered. "You've been unconscious for nearly twelve human hours."
"Twelve?"
The Minbari nodded. "You are very fortunate we spotted your fighter. It was so heavily damaged we did not think the pilot survived. Still we pulled your ship into our landing bay and found you in the cockpit. You suffered a skull fracture, but we have repaired the damage."
Tourlapein rubbed his head. A realization suddenly struck him. "The Earth. The battle satellites. Did they . . ." His mouth hung open silently. He pictured his native Finland as a scorched tract of land, his family reduced to ash.
"All the satellites have been destroyed. The Earth is safe."
"The Earth is safe." The words sounded so strange coming from a Minbari.
"Finland. Scandinavia. It's all still there."
The Minbari shot him a perplexed look. "Scandinavia? If you mean the landmass around the northern pole of your planet, yes. We managed to destroy the satellite before it fired its particle beam cannon. Quite a task given how much damage we took."
"Damage?" Tourlapein gazed around the room again. "So this is the On'Palam?"
"Yes. Anyway, since you are well enough to move, there is an Earth transport on board waiting to take you to one of your ships. The Agamemnon I believe."
"Well enough? You said I had a skull fracture."
The Minbari smiled. "Easily remedied. Our medical technology is far more advanced than yours."
Tourlapein rubbed the back of his head. They treated his skull fracture?
What if they did something? Messed with my brain? Implanted a bug?
He turned back to the Minbari. Rage swelled within Tourlapein. He flexed his fingers, wanting to wrap them around the alien's throat and squeeze the life out of him.
But he noticed something on the Minbari's face. Sincerity? Could they have just treated his injury? No more, no less.
"W-Why?"
The Minbari's lips tightened. "I'm sorry?"
"Why did you help me?"
Again the Minbari gave him a queer look. "You are our ally."
Tourlapein waited for more of an explanation. The Minbari simply stared at him in silence.
"That's it? I'm you're ally?"
"Isn't that enough? We do not abandon our wounded comrades."
Comrades? Tourlapein never thought he'd hear that word coming from a Minbari to describe him. "But I'm human."
"Yes, this I know."
"And you still saved me?"
"Mm." The Minbari nodded. "You are thinking back to this same area of space fourteen of your years ago."
Tourlapein scowled, the Minbari's face bringing back so many awful memories. "Yes. I was on The Line."
The Minbari cast his eyes to the floor. "We almost made a great mistake that day. We almost took something very important from the universe. Thankfully reason prevailed on that day. Still, many humans died by our hand during the war. Perhaps today, in some small way, we made up for that, saving humans instead of destroying them."
Tourlapein gazed at the Minbari in astonishment. He tried to wrap his mind around the being's words. This race whom he'd hated for over a decade had saved his planet, saved his family.
His mind went numb. What should he think? How should he feel? After bringing so much carnage to humanity, the Minbari had actually done something good.
"If you'll come with me." The Minbari stepped away from the bed. "I can take you to your transport. I am sure you're anxious to get back to your people. After all, you have much work to do now that your President Clark's regime has fallen.
Tourlapein just nodded. He followed the Minbari into the corridor. The entire way he gazed at holes, debris and floors streaked with blood. On'Palam had indeed taken a lot of damage. Before it would have filled him with joy. Now . . .
The two entered the hangar bay. Tourlapein breathed deep when he saw the rectangular Earth shuttle sixty feet away.
"I wish you well, Commander." The Minbari bowed to him.
Tourlapein just stared in shock at the being.
With a quick grin, the Minbari spun on his heel and headed for the exit.
"What's your name?" The words tumbled from Tourlapein's mouth.
The Minbari turned. "Dar'uum."
"Dar'uum." Tourlapein worked his jaw back and forth. "Um . . . thank you for saving me . . . and my planet."
"You are most welcome." Dar'uum bowed again. "Hopefully we shall meet another time, and again as allies."
Tourlapein just nodded.
Dar'uum left. Tourlapein continued to stare at the spot the Minbari had occupied. A flurry of thoughts and emotions bombarded his mind.
Was it possible not to hate the Minbari? Could he simply forgive all the slaughter he witnessed in that war? Forgive them for killing so many friends? Forgive them for nearly annihilating his entire race?
Yet they saved my entire race.
Tourlapein headed toward the shuttle. Would there come a day when he felt no more hatred toward the Minbari? He honestly didn't know. But because of Dar'uum, he had taken a small step in that direction.
- THE END -