Chapter Seven
"Kryten! Unpack Rachel and get out the puncture repair kit."
Proxima Defensive Lines
Proxima Space
"Reading Minbari ships Sir, two million kilometres and closing."
"Signal all ships lock onto enemy ships and safeties off, you see something you hit it."
"Got it, Sir. Here they come."
"All ships this is the flagship, fire at will."
As the myriad of small blue hued ships closed into the ranks of the human ships their weapons exploded into streams of light beyond the ranges of the plasma weapons aboard the Earth ships. Fusion and neutron beams cut through metres thick armour and hull while pulses of plasma and laser energy retaliated as the Minbari came into range. Interceptors and energy fields attempted to stave off the worst of the fire from either side of the conflagration.
The remaining Minbari fighters broke from their positions around the smaller vessels. Their orders clear, squadron after squadron dived into the fray hitting everything they could and then passing by clawing deeper into the Earth Force formations. Fusion cannons, burning into fighters and warships alike, return fire blowing several of them out of the sky.
The third Nova in as many minutes exploded as a dozen fusion beams sliced through its armour, it's back broken and engines exposed the debris was incinerated by the flash detonation of its reactors.
In retaliation, its sister ships unleashed a truly terrifying amount of firepower from their dozens of heavy weapons, plasma met crystalline armour penetrating the thick slabs and blowing holes through into the interiors of the Minbari ships. Missiles from all types of ships followed the plasma fire increasing the size of the holes and penetrating deep into the enemy ships.
The Nial squadrons were still in action even against the massively overwhelming numbers of Starfuries that were arrayed against them. The small dart-like fighters blew through the first lines of fighters concentrating on the larger carrier and dreadnaught ships of the line.
Three Avenger carriers were caught almost unawares. Their railguns blazed away at the nimble fighters clipping several and sending them flying into the sides of their fellow capital ships. A full two squadrons of Nials strafed the thinly armoured veterans, their fusion cannons ripping through the hulls of the three human ships detonating munitions and atmosphere within the carriers.
Railgun fire came from the surrounding formations, thousands of high velocity armoured rounds slashed through space trying to stop the Minbari fighters that were so intent on murdering the carriers that were against them. Fusion beams continued to slice into the Avengers only stopping once the fighters were annihilated by the returning fire. Undeterred the Minbari ships continued into the ranks of lumbering human ships.
Tara'Mir
Sharlin Class Warcruiser
Flagship Minbari Assault Fleet
Shai Alyt Vel'rann's ships were three minutes from optimal range and the Earthers had already hurt his force – badly. Five of his Sharlins had been lost already in the opening seconds of the battle. It was obvious that the stealth systems were all but useless and therefore a waste resource in the coming battle.
"To all ships," he started. "Inactivate the stealth fields and shunt power to weapons and sensors. The Earthers can see us, but the very thing that allows them to do so should cause them to be vulnerable to our active scans. Focus your scans on their larger vessels."
"Ships are acknowledging."
"On my order, all assault Tigaras break and attack their left flank and Sholigans, break right. Group Gu'lana Tinashis will support the attack using suppression fire. Hit them as hard as you can. Vu-alulla attack Tinashis and Tigaras will support the main attack at the center of the Earther's line with all Sharlins. Nials will engage fighters and smaller ships as opportunity arises. Do not waste time destroying damaged vessels. We are faster than their ships and must use speed as a weapon. Inflict damage, hurt them first and then we will destroy them."
"All ships have acknowledged your orders and are awaiting your command."
The Shai Alyt looked over the damage of his bridge, a portent of things to come and whispered, "May Valen protect us all. The order is given."
Instantly one hundred twenty support vessels separated into two distinct groups and began their encircling engagement while the Sharlins and their support group moved forward firing at the EarthForce contingent even though they were still somewhat out of range. The Earth Alliance ships poised to encircle their Minbari enemies discovered that they were the ones being surrounded. Minbari tactics had changed. They were learning the lessons of war even as the Earthers had.
Scanners set to full, the Minbari began their attack.
Two Vorlon scout ships jumped in and began recording the events unfolding before them. They were part of a small group of vessels, the majority of them continuing on to the Human star system to gather more data on the newcomer humans and to find out what happened to another of their kind.
These two vessels were scanning the area intently, analyzing strategies and defensive manoeuvres on both sides. Despite the recent failures by the Minbari, it had been judged that the war had done them some good. The lessons being learned would be valuable when the Shadow war began in earnest.
That war was coming sooner than anticipated since the arrival of the newcomers had upset the timetable. Where those newcomers came from was the subject of much speculation and little fact. However what was known was they were dangerous, unpredictable and possessed technologies above their station and maturity. The Vorlons had not had the opportunity to examine them and determine their origin, but that would change soon.
Unknown quantities were something that Vorlons didn't appreciate and that mysterious factor had to be remedied soon before the Shadows stepped up their chaotic activities.
Undetected, each ship proceeded to opposite sides of the battlefield to record the events.
One scout ship watched and relayed the unfolding events to the home world. That Vorlon disapproved of this conflict because it was wasting valuable resources that could be used in the coming war against the Shadows and their allies. The Humans, although less advanced had an important role to play. But their increased resistance to the enviable placed the circle and the real war in jeopardy.
The humans needed to concede defeat and allow the circle to continue towards completion if everything was to turn out the way it was supposed to. And the Minbari needed to hurry up and finish this war. According to all historical and temporal data, this war should be rapidly edging towards the final conflict and it wasn't, thereby endangering what must be.
Both Vorlons were pleased with the first minutes of the battle. The Minbari were being bloodied, but despite fighting against the new technology and scanners, they were killing the humans at a horrendous rate, as they should have, as they always had. At this rate the circle would correct itself quickly and all would well.
The newcomers could then be properly studied and possibly integrated into the war against the Chaos bringers. Their technology was above their station but if properly handled, their deleterious effects could be somewhat abated. But again, that brought up the question as to where these humans had come from. Abduction by other races had been ruled out, however that brought up something even more disturbing. And that was the possibility that they had been abducted by other First Ones, without Vorlon knowledge. If that were true then what had been their purpose for doing so?
Speculation from each of the Vorlons was violently terminated when something, or specifically several somethings, entered the system at extreme speed through a type of spatial opening that had never been seen before. There were four ships, each effectively blocking the Vorlon passive scanners. Each alien trembled as their ships recognized and identified the lead vessel.
It was another newcomer vessel almost identical to the previous one it was flanked by three other unidentified ships, their design based on the configuration of the pyramid. Their ratings were equally impressive and their dramatic entrance and presence brought the fighting to a complete standstill. Immediately, both First Ones connected with the communal mind so that the others could see in case something, as remote as the possibility was, would happen to them. Communications on active, both listened in as the newcomers started making demands for the Minbari surrender.
"This is General Jack O'Neill of the Earth ship Prometheus to both fleets, cease fire immediately. This is your only warning, stop now or we will force you to stop."
Ships from both fleets stopped firing as the four ships of the allied flotilla dropped into sight directly between both groups, a single grey hued ship surrounded by three larger pyramid shaped vessels now stood between the forward groups that had already been in battle.
"That's better. This is an order to all combatants, pull away from firing range and hold station so we can sort this out. Do not make us fire on you or you my well regret it. Now who here is in charge?"
"Alyt?"
"Put me through to their command ship." He waited until the confirmation of signal was given. "This Shai Alyt Vel'rann of the Minbari Federation, you are unwelcome here and we request you leave immediately or face the wrath of our weapons. This is your only chance to withdraw with the rest of your ships before you are destroyed along with the rest of your race."
"Alyt Vel'rann, this is O'Neill. Seems to me you are unaware of just what we are capable of, now I say again pull back until we can get this mess sorted. There is no need to go around killing everyone else."
"You are not of this area of space human, you or your companions. Your people have done enough damage to the balance of power of this sector, and we refuse to allow you to do so anymore. You have been given your chance and you have not taken it. It is unfortunate that you disregard our power, you may have lived otherwise."
Ordering his ships forward the Alyt tasked two of his powerful Sharlins to destroy the smaller vessel, one even more primitive and tiny than the devil ship the newcomers had already used against their force. Both of the massive ships began to close on the Prometheus guns ready to fire and teeth bared for blood.
"This is your last chance human, take your ship and your people and leave this space. If so, we will leave your people out of this war. We have no quarrel with your world. We will however remove you if you do not leave yourselves."
"Fat chance, we've been asked for help and we're more than willing to help them. We're not going away before we take you down."
"You have had your chance human, now you will be removed." The Alyt turned to his officers. "Order our Sharlins to fire immediately."
To either side of the command ship the two monstrous vessels opened up on the newcomer's ship. Like the others of their caste they had seen what the larger ship named Achilles had been able to do against their ships. However this pitiful smaller vessel should be so much easier to destroy.
Twin neutron beams intersected on the Prometheus' shields, the smaller newcomer vessel shook as the weapons attempted to break through the defensive energy barrier. In response the human vessel opened fire from their own weapons, the main forward railguns slammed into the hulls of the two ships blowing through the crystalline armour and into the internals.
Seconds later, the Prometheus' own Asgard weapon exploded into use. The modified transporter flowed across the closest of the Sharlins causing it's entire middle section to disappear into quantum mist. The second ship attacked again all weapons trying to cut through the shields of the attacking humans.
Again the Asgard based energy weapon simply erased parts of the Minbari vessel, the remaining parts merely going silent or collapsing under the fire of the railguns. Less than ten seconds after the first neutron bombardment and both of the largest vessels in the fleet had been wiped out.
"Sir the Minbari flagship is hailing us."
"Put them through." Said Ronson.
"Why are you here, human? This…"
"…is not your war," Shai Alyt Vel'rann shouted. The Minbari was furious – and frightened, his calm demeanour shattered by the loss of more than half his force to the human fleets. In addition another newcomer human vessel had arrogantly placed itself in front of the heaviest concentration of his ships and had withstood firepower from two Sharlins before they were blown out of space with ease. Quickly, he ordered his ships to back off and he opened communications not with the Earthers but his communications was directed towards the alien allies the newcomer has brought with them. "Remove yourselves from this field or we will destroy you and start a war which will ruin, if not destroy your world."
"Shai Alyt, they are responding."
The comm opened and the Minbari found that he had to steady himself. There were three humans on the screen. Each of them had some sort of tattoo on their foreheads and they were unusually big for humans. They carried an air of menace about them. That didn't matter to him. What did matter was that they were humans – more of them. The universe was more infested than he had first believed. However these weren't the humans that his people were at war with. The Earthers and the new comers were bad enough; a third group of them…
"You have been ordered to return to your place of origin or you will be destroyed," the Jaffa commander told the Shai Alyt as if he were a child; a fact the Minbari took note of and found extremely offensive.
"You dare?!"
The two Jaffa on either side activated a hidden stub and their heads were covered with a helmet styled as some sort of avian predator. Jet-black, the eyes glowed blood red, which spoke of dangerous technology.
"Any attempt on our allies or our own ships will be met with force, your ships are inconsequential. Leave now or we will remove you from this place."
"We will not leave, we are committed. If we have to go through you we will, but these Earthers will be destroyed one way or another."
"Then we will crush you and your fleet. Jaffa Kree, Kel mar tokeem!"
The Minbari wasted no time and immediately attacked the newcomers with everything they had. The threat of extermination, had become all to real with their presence, a fact that was proven as Minbari warships were torn apart with impunity even as they tried in vain to break through the force shield protecting their enemies.
Proxima Station Beta
Same time
"That was real-right?" asked one of the junior officers. "How did they do that?"
"Well they can see the boneheads alright, their shields protected them from the… Oh my god."
Direct from the visual feeds they could see the other human ship take firepower that would have cut their biggest ships in half. The blaze of firepower that erupted from the forward sections of this 'Prometheus' ship blew two of the huge Sharlins into small pieces of debris.
"Prometheus. Oh great, just what we need."
"Hey at least Jankowski's not on that thing."
"No, not after what happened at Ross he wouldn't be."
"General?"
Franklin looked over to the tactical tables to see the already hazy locks on the Minbari ships sharpen and increase in resolution. A full count of ships on both sides were being spooled up on the main monitors.
"We're getting signals from the four incoming ships, telemetry on all ships on both sides as well as positive counts on the numbers we have. Almost one hundred twenty Minbari ships are still active."
"Contact all ships. Have them make positive locks on everything not EarthForce, but to hold their fire."
USAF Prometheus
Alarms sounded as the Prometheus detected hundreds of scans attempting to lock onto their sensor signature; although they had come in unstealthed they were still able to defeat a number of the scans with the main shields. The sheer amount of scans in the area was more than sufficient to light them up.
"Both sides are painting us with targeting scanners, reading all kinds of weapons types from twenty different ship classes."
"Do not reciprocate on the other Earth ships, concentrate on the Minbari only. Communications, put me through to the Jaffa ships."
"Online, Sir."
"All ships do not lock onto the Earth vessels, Minbari only. Light them up people."
"Acknowledged."
"Locking onto Minbari ships, Sir. Energy spikes all around."
"All ships open fire."
Already humiliated and angered by the casual destruction by the newcomer ship as well as the loss of many more to the human defences, a number of the closest Minbari ships opened fire on the Jaffa Ha'taks. Fusion beams and neutron cannons ripped into the energy fields causing concentric circles to form across the barrier.
Free to act, the Jaffa ships launched their own attack on the Minbari. Plasma bolts lanced into the assembled Minbari forces. Fighters and lighter ships accelerated towards the pyramid type ships every weapon possible firing into the shields of the Ha'taks. In response more fire came from the turrets of the Jaffa ships, fighters swarming from their hanger bays into the cloud of small Minbari fighters.
"Prometheus to all vessels, target all enemy vessels; take them down. If you can, disable them. If you have to kill them, do not put yourselves at risk. All weapons maximum yield, fire at will."
The missiles and railguns of the human ship opened up, nuclear and projectile fire hammering into the closest group of ship, rounds piercing into the smaller ships while enhanced nukes detonated within the closer groups. However as the debris cleared more ships began to turn towards the allied group all but ignoring the EarthForce regiments in front of them.
Tara'Mir
Sharlin Class Warcruiser
Flagship Minbari Assault Fleet
"This is Shai Alyt Vel'Rann to all ships, cease fire repeat cease fire."
"This is Alyt Dor'ful. These humans and their pets have killed thousands of our people. We will not allow them to go unpunished."
"This is an order Dor'ful. Pull back."
There was no answer.
"Stop now, Alyt. You will just get your ships destroyed."
The communications stayed dead.
"Vel'Rann to Newcomer ships. This attack is unauthorised against your people. All ships are standing down."
To his side the ship's executive officer looked up at his Commander however the look on his Alyt's face stopped him in his tracks.
"Please respond."
"This is the United States Air Force Vessel Prometheus to Minbari flagship, we receive your surrender. Do not attack and we will not destroy your ships, pull back and leave the system immediately. Anyone that attempts to attack us will result in the destruction of your forces."
"Understood Prometheus, be aware several of our ships may be readying to attack you against my orders. We are aware of the power of your ships and am not willing to allow my warriors to die against overwhelming odds. You have defeated us human you and your people. I can not say I would have done the same thing in your position."
"That is something that makes us different Vel'rann. You are free to leave."
"Alyt!" the scanner operator shouted. "Twelve ships including one of our Sharlins are baring down on the newcomer ships."
"Prometheus, those ships are not accepting my commands," Vel'rann said. "We can't stop them attacking you."
"Understood, we will not hold you to blame for this attack, but leave now."
"We are leaving, good luck human. Tara'Mir out."
"Alyt the ships are still heading for the Earther vessels."
"There is nothing we can do. Set course out of the system then jump when possible."
"Alyt the Earther's ECM has begun to dissipate, we have clear jump capability."
"All ships jump when ready."
As one, the few dozen remaining of the two hundred strong warship attack force fled into the jump points opened by the last remaining capital ships, leaving behind almost twenty ships heading straight into the jaws of the human ships. There would be no survivors taken by the humans.
The Vorlons were incensed and more concerned than ever. The Minbari had been routed, completely and utterly. Everything was in flux. Suddenly plans forged since the beginning started unravelling before their very eyes. If the Minbari lost, then the one-who-was would not be found and Valen would never exist to return to the past, thereby maintaining the circle and ensuring Vorlon victory in the alternate time line being created at this moment. The commonality was in an uproar and ordered an immediate scan of the newcomers.
The Vorlon scouts consulted for a moment and it was decided that the one closest to the ships would scan the one called O'Neill and the humans onboard that ship, while the other would scan the humans that called themselves the Jaffa and find out as much information as possible.
The mind of the Human spouting out insulting remarks that bordered on supreme arrogances was touched briefly by the Vorlon scout. His mind pulled back in surprise. Instead of gaining entry, he had been rebuffed. There was an intangible wall of mental force there that had resisted his probing. Surprised but intrigued, the male began once more adding more power behind the telepathic probe. Once more there was unconscious resistance by the human. Slightly angered, the Vorlon increased the pressure and discovered a mental projection of static pushing against him, reflecting and countering his probing. Once again, the Vorlon was surprised. He had never encountered anything like this among the younger races and its first assumption was that the human had been touched by shadow. But that suspicion pushed away as the 'feeling' was not shadow-based. Unwilling to give up the Vorlon exerted more and more pressure upon the human. He felt the human gasp, then sneeze before whatever was protecting his mind, violently slapped the Vorlon away.
Stunned, the Vorlon screamed more out of frustration than pain, producing a psychic tremor in local space that was felt by Earth Alliance human and Minbari alike. The human mind had ejected him as if his probe was nothing more than an irritant. Now fearfully and respectfully, he tested the other humans onboard and encountered the same static resistance. The other Vorlon had encountered the same resistance. But they had discovered one thing. These newcomers were not Vorlon-altered young ones. This was unprecedented; a fact should not be possible.
The entire commonality had been in an uproar earlier. Now there was a collective silence. They didn't have a clue as to what was going on, but they planned to do something about this immediately. Orders from on high came down…Find out where they came from, examine their threat potential, remove that threat and make sure that the is circle repaired. This was a priority, nothing else mattered.
In fact, it was a priority. No Vorlon could stomach the idea that they might lose to the Shadows in any timeline. It had never happened before and they had no intentions of being the first to break the circle.
Dimensional Rift:
On the other side of the rift, an Asgard battle cruiser broke hyperspace, moved towards the anomaly and began intensive hyperspace scans. Onboard the O'Neill, Thor was surprised at the readings. They were unlike anything he or his people had seen before. Theoretically his people knew that the possibility of a stable rift between universes was indeed possible, however the power required to sustain such an anomaly was cost prohibited and could only be maintained for a small amount of time. How this was hole in space formed was the basis of a lot of speculation by the Asgard crew, however the presence of Naquada obviously had something to do with it. There were other, extremely rare isotopes of the mineral that could possibly disrupt time and space but its half life was to short that it was undetectable after an half hour of exposure under normal conditions. The ancient race knew that it was possible to use the wormhole knowledge that enabled stargate to function to travel through time or even shift into other dimensions under the correct conditions.
But…
This was something unique. What was also very interesting was that there was a hyperspace trail, several trail actually, that led into the rift. The particles left by the ships that entered the rift were unmistakable. The Tau'ri, of course the Tau'ri, had been brave enough, or foolish enough to enter the rift, something that the Asgard had no intentions of repeating without more study. The transition point was deadly. The energies that created the rift were chaotic and would cause damage to any vessel attempting to transition the barrier. Even shield vessels were not completely immune, unless they could adjust the shield harmonics to match that of the rift. And that was what Thor decided that he would do. The possibilities for exploration were too great. He and his fellow crew members had to know what was on the other side.
At that thought, Thor would have smiled if he could have. Evidently the Humans had affected him more than he believed. Their unrestrained immaturity, their maddening curiosity had infected him as well. Thinking outside the box was slowly taking hold of his people.
A half an hour later, after contacting High Command, the Asgard battle cruiser O'Neill entered the interface into another universe. Within that half hour, two more battleships arrived to guard the rift as the O'Neill explored. Such caution was warranted; there was not telling what could happen. Goa'uld ships might discover the rift or some dangerous entity determined to wipe out all life might exit. Either possibility was something that the Asgard didn't approve of.
