Summary: The President is shocked by the message he receives from the Minbari. Post Battle of the Line
AN: I'm only just watching B5 for the first time right now. Only about 3/4 way through Season 3, so I don't know everything. but this story was just begging to be written.
Surrender
Jason Tyler sat at his desk, gazing down at the heavy leaf of paper in his hand. He looked up at the new feed, watching again as the Marc Antony crashed into the moon in a ball of fire.
The moon. A war that had started with a misunderstanding and now Earth ships were plummeting into the moon. Tyler felt moisture welling in his eyes, and was surprised; he hadn't thought there were any tears left to cry.
His computer beeped, reminding him of the incoming hail. The Minbari. To gloat? To demand surrender? Or to inform the president that seven billion human beings were about to meet an untimely end? And after Earth was sterilized? They'd turn their attention to Mars, then Io, then any more outlying colonies they'd missed.
Tyler set the paper down and stood, straightening his tie. He didn't even bother to button his jacket. He was about to die, he might as well be comfortable. He faced the screen, then hit the button to receive the hail.
"This is President Jason Tyler of the Earth Alliance," he said, forcing whatever pride he had left to be in his voice.
"I am Delenn of the Minbari Federation," responded the talking head. Tyler couldn't tell if it was male or female, but he was guessing female. "I have been authorized to offer the surrender of the Minbari to the Humans."
"What?" Tyler wondered how far his jaw had dropped to the ground. He could see the Minbari was struggling to swallow her pride.
"We will return your captured forces, and depart Earth-controlled space at once."
"Why?" Tyler found himself voicing the obvious question.
"I pray there will never be such a misunderstanding between our peoples again," Delenn said. The channel went black, and Tyler found himself staring at the blank screen in shock.
Numbly, he eased back down into his chair and picked the paper back up again, gazing at the bold letters across the top.
The Babylon Project
Perhaps there was hope after all.
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