Disclaimer: As you well know, I do not own B5. As I do not own B5, nothing below is canon, and anyone trying to use it as such...well, they'll be re-admitted back to the asylum sooner or later.

Okay, now thats over and done with, to the story!

Date: 21st March 2275

Place: Tirrith system, part of the Interstellar Alliance

"...so it looks like we finally nailed the raiders here," the Earth Alliance lieutenant reported

"Well, thats good," Captain Confed replied, "I'd expected the raiders to be tougher than that"

"Why?" the lieutenant, an experienced EF officer by the name of Wearing, asked

"Well, the raiders I've run into over the years tend to be a bit stubborn, thats all. Oh, well, at least it gives us time to run a couple of wargames with our Abbai and Hyach friends, at least"

"Yes, sir," the lieutenant jotted down something on his datapad, then looked up "What are you thinking of, sir?"

"Well, I was thinking that we haven't exactly tested the effectiveness of the new ISA combined race tactics against Drakh defensive tactics"

"Thats good" mused Wearing "it might give the brains back at ISA HQ some extra new information, especially on the Warlock-Beta"

Confed nodded again. For some reason he, a commander of a Hyperion-Theta heavy cruiser, had been picked to command one of the newest Earth Alliance vessels. Ever since the cure to the Drakh plague had been found, the EA had been experimenting with the gravitic technology given to them by the ISA. And, with Abbai, Brakiri and Hyach assistance, they'd built an even better version of the Warlock. Hyach miniaturisation techniques had been able to shrink the heavy laser/pulse array into something approximately fitting onto the places previously occupied by the medium array. Gravitic engines had also been fitted, vastly improving the turning ability and minimising the apparently narrow firing arcs of the improved heavy particle cannons, and a weak gravitic shield--only two thirds the strength of an Abbai Lakara, but still powerful enough to give an enemy pause--had been installed. All of that for the secrets of interceptor technology (for the Hyach) and the installation of gatling pulse cannons (for the Brakiri and Abbai)!

"Well, lets get it sorted out" Confed told the lieutenant "I want us to start deploying Drakh-style combat models, and I also want a pre-simulation briefing a day before the simulation proper"

Date: 27th March

Place: Outskirts of Tirrith system

"Well, we're here" the Abbai officer in command of one of the Lakaras said "What exactly is our 'mission' supposed to be?" Her tone carried tones of disgust. Confed knew the Abbai still were not in favour of offensive action but soon that would have to change. The Drakh, although beaten back, were still out there, and sooner or later they would come back. And the ISA needed every race--every race--to combat the Drakh threat

"There is a Drakh war base situated near the orbit of the third planet" Confed reported "as well as several OSATs of an unknown number. There are also six cruisers, one carrier and forty-two attack ships. Our mission is to draw the cruisers and attack ships away from the base, and then take them out. Once that is done, we move onto the Drakh base itself"

"The conditions of victory?" a rasping voice said, and the attention drew to the old Hyach Elder at the head of the Hyach detachment. He commanded the Urutha Kal, the ship which would be the flagship of the second portion of the fleet"

"If we destroy the cruisers and attack ships, we win, as their offensive arm here would be taken out. However, if we lose the Warlock and Urutha Kal, we lose--they are, after all, the primary command ships"

The Hyach Elder mused for a second, then nodded

"If thats all, I suggest we start the encounter right--"

The com on Confed's hand beeped. Confed tapped it, and the voice of the second-in-command came over it.

"Yes, Commander?" Confed prompted

"Sir, there seems to be a bit of a problem" Commander Kelly reported. Her voice seemed a bit shaky.

"What is it?" Confed asked

"Um, I don't know how to say this, sir..." Kelly's voice was guarded. Confed knew that she used that tone when she thought he might think she'd been drinking on duty, and he sighed

"Out with it"

"We're back in the Solar system, sir"