The Lords of Time.
The fall of Centauri Prime.
Earth.
It was evening on Earth. The view was beautiful with the crystalline buildings shimmering blue in the dark. The president was staring out at the gardens. The cities of the Time lord people had gardens the size of forests in their midst, giving the cities a more green appearance from space. They were also incredible places to think and to reflect on recent events. The president was no different. Her predecessors wouldn't have been as open, but Rose was different. She enjoyed walking amongst her people, listening to them in a relaxed way. The president of the council traditionally stayed out of the public eye and ruled via proxies.
Not Rose, Rose enjoyed walking among her people, it made her think she wasn't aloof.
Rose looked out of the windows of her office suite, thinking about the last week. The Minbari had been put in their place and now the league of Non aligned worlds was been told, right this moment, of the consequences of crossing the Time lords.
Rose sighed, truly regretting the need for the use of destroying actual planets to prove they were powerful, but they had no alternative, no choice. The other races needed to grow up, fast. The Time lords plans were far too important for a primitive race to interfere in one of their long term plans.
She was responsible for war crimes, atrocities but they could not have been helped or prevented.
Now, she had something even LESS to look forward to - the conquest of Centauri prime.
Centauri Prime.
Londo Mollari walked down the corridors of the palace, going over in his mind the report he had brought to the Emperor. Mollari had been delighted that his people finally had a leader who deserved the name Centauri after that old fool Turhan, but that had long since changed, now they were on the brink of oblivion. Turhan may have been weak willed as his reign neared its end, but he would ever have blindly leapt to attack a stronger opponent.
Refa was not helping the war effort. In fact, he was struggling under the pressure, what else could the posturing peacock do ?
Mollari had been trying to get Refa to issue an evacuation order which he and many in the Centaurum had been trying to write and order for the last 5 weeks. Homeworld was the next target and everyone knew it. All, except it seems, Refa. The fool refused. The Emperor has always been arrogant, caring only about himself and power, Mollari mused. A twinge of guilt flashed as he remembered his own desire for power and supporters.
He was so wrapped up in his musings he wasn't watching where he was going until he bumped into somebody.
" Excuse me, I apolo.." He tried to apologise for being absent minded when his words faltered and his mind realised who it was he'd bumped into.
" Mr Morden, I didn't realise you were still here."
Morden had been minding his own business, on his way to announce he was leaving Centauri prime. His associates had finally come to their senses. The attack on Earth had been psychically painful for the Shadows, now they'd withdrawn their influence from Centauri prime. They'd left, no abandoned him, here on this sad planet.
He'd be lucky if he would survive the punishment metted out to him by the Time lords.
" Unluckily for me, I am here." Morden said to him, noting the distress on the Centauri's face. Good, maybe it'd knock some common sense into these primitives brains. He turned to walk away from Londo. As far as Morden was concerned the discussion was over.
" Mr Morden, I'd like to speak to you." Londo rushed to keep up with the human's long strides.
" About what, the arrogance of your wonderful emperor ? I warned him Londo, I warned him not to attack the Time lords. This war is his fault. Not mine."
Mollari couldn't argue with that as much as he'd like to. Refa had ordered the war and Centauri blood was on his hands, the man had wanted the influence of the Centauri to rise again and a new age of conquest inaugurated. All he got in return was a war that had seen 7 planets destroyed and thousands of ships and soldiers dead and destroyed.
" I know, but surely there must be a way your associates can do something ?"
" Like what, lose another few ships ? Don't you understand, first one technology is no match for the Time lords science. Nothing you or your worthless Emperor can do can stop the inevitable. Besides," Morden decided to confess, " The Shadows have withdrawn their services. They've abandoned me here, now I'm waiting for my punishment. The Time lords do not tolerate treason of my kind. Z'ha dum was attacked a few weeks ago. The attack on Earth changed their minds but it was the attack on their homeworld that clinched the decision. The Shadows will not attack the Time lords. Besides, they're no match for a war Omni."
Londo was struggling not to panic, the Shadows should've been a stepping stone, a key to the rebirth of the Centauri empire, now they were terrified of a virtually unknown power. Londo would never admit it but he was frightened of the Time lords. The destruction of the planets being converted into black holes was a frightening vision. How in the name of the maker could Refa have started the war without finding out more about the Time lords ?
" What must we do ?" Mollari asked.
" Run and pray. Pray the Time lords will have mercy for later. They are coming, Londo, whether you like it or not. Refa is going to pay."
3 days later.
The capital of the Centauri republic woke up after a troubled sleep, the news that 4 more of the deep range worlds and their defences had been overrun in just an hour and the evacuees were on their way to the solar system made for seriously bad news.
Emperor Refa looked over the city from the palace throne room window. He hadn't had much sleep, just like the rest of his people. The Centaurum and the royal court were talking about ousting him from the throne and this time the emperor had the loyalty of no one.
" All emperors decisions show the people their wisdom. A wise emperor weighs decisions carefully, going over the consequences of those decisions. An unwise decision shows the people that their loyalty is misplaced." Emperor Turhan had said that long before he'd died.
Even in death, the old man's words sounded prophetic. Ironic, really. Refa had always been contemptuous of his predecessor, putting down his memory and the way he'd lead his people, now here he was, proving Turhan's point.
He wasn't responsible for the destruction and humiliation of the Centauri Republic, Refa was.
It was a bitter pill to swallow.
The guards suddenly opened the doors and Mr. Morden walked in, he didn't look happy to be here in Refa's presence.
" Your…majesty." The way the last word was said pulled Refa up short. He could detect the disdain and sarcasm in the mystery man's voice.
" Morden. I want to ask…." Refa began.
" Ask away. Ask how you're going to save your people and your world from being taken down."
Refa looked at his guest. Why couldn't he help ?
" Mr Morden, I want to know if there is any way you and your associates could help us in fighting the Time lords ? There must be a way, you are a Time lord."
Morden winced. The memory of his initiation was a bitter one for him. The outcasts had had to make their own futures, learning basic skills and abilities without the courses and training the Time lord novices and apprentices had. Morden had watched his brothers and sisters become Time lords and the jealousy was still there.
It still hurt. Morden was an educated human but his education was nothing compared to what his youngest sister was getting at the Academy back home on Earth.
" Firstly, I am NOT a Time lord. I am human. The initiation ceremony cast me aside and I've had to make my own way. Secondly, my education is basic and I don't know how the Omni's used in the war effort work or how to stop them. Thirdly, my associates home planet was attacked, four nesting grounds for their ships were bombed, destroying the ships and the defences of the planet have been seriously compromised by the assault. Even if they weren't, my associates would never stand a moment against the Time lords. I tried to warn them and you, Refa, that your pathetic little war would only rouse the Time lords and give you a war you'd probably never recover from."
Morden looked at him, almost in pity. " Centauri prime is finished. You cannot see it."
1 day later…
The next day started like normal, except this time the fate of the Centauri was in the balance.
5 hours into the day, the inhabitants of the planet heard an unusual sound. It sounded like a wheezing, groaning sound. In the air, above every major city, 5 or 6 spheres materialised in the air. Nearby hovered 4 people, wearing black armoured suits with anti-gravitational jet packs.
The spheres started rotating, spinning faster and faster.
On the surface of the spheres were 4 segments. They opened and the spheres continued to spin. Suddenly, each sphere spat out Time lord soldiers. The interior pocket dimensions inside the spheres contained thousands and thousands of soldiers.
Now, they were loose. As soon as they were out and a safe distance from the spheres, they formed legions of 50 and spread out.
The streets were overrun with people trying to get away, dropping their shopping and running as fast as they could to get away from the Time lords.
Liz Reynolds and Susan Ivanova were in suits, hovering over the cities.
" Begin. Destroy the buildings, leave the palace alone. Refa is for the trial, along with the royal court and the centaurum." Liz sent through the command circuit into every soldiers helmet.
" Kill the armies and the soldiers. Destroy any military vehicle. Attack ships leaving the ground and those in the atmosphere on the descent." Susan added through the comm filter.
The attack started when the soldiers swooped down, like birds of prey, towards the cities. The people screamed and tried to run away.
It was bedlam.
The streets were filled with rubble, ships were attacked by the much lighter Time lord soldiers. The engines were attacked and destroyed. There was an old saying, " what goes up, must come down." The Centauri were realising how hard that saying was to prevent.
Their ships fell from the sky and fell when gravity exerted the deadly hold on their hulls. They crashed to the ground, killing all on board unlucky enough to survive the first assault.
The ground defence units, unaccustomed to fighting in their own homeland, tried to fight the Time lords, only to find themselves divided and conquered. The Centauri generals, desperate to stop the fight couldn't even decide what to do and as a result their orders were countermanded and reissued and the soldiers under their command were confused and lost a lot of ground because of it.
It wasn't any better around the surviving colonies, the Time lords were bombarding and invading the planets of the Centauri. The same things happened there as on the home planet. What was left of the space fleet were sent via a hyperspace wormhole and deposited in safe locations. The engines and weapons were disabled, the crews imprisoned on city ships.
Above Centauri prime, the Omni's were doing their part.
On war Omni 889, the commander received a report.
" To all Omni's, intercept the royal liner. Destroy the engines and weapons, order city ship to capture the crews."
The commander considered, the instructions for the whole attack force was simple - do not kill the emperor. His fate was to be decided back on Earth.
" Is Refa on board."
The was a pause and the Omni commander wondered whether or not the Centauri emperor had played with them. Not a wise move.
" Confirmed. Brain scan conclusive. Refa is on board, along with a good portion of the nobility." the voice on the other end was impatient, clearly wanting the Omni to do their job.
" Alright, we'll deal with it." To the comm officer, he barked, " order the city ship to lock on the brain scans of Refa and the nobility. Beam them into holding cells."
To the weapons' officer, he said, " Destroy the ship."
For 4 straight hours on the first day, the defences of the Centauri homeworld and the rest of the surviving colonies were being brought down. The Time lords had decided on a simple approach to bring down their opponent - they weren't considered an enemy, mostly because they were so weak compared to races like the Vorlons and the Shadows.
The approach was materialising their forces in dimension troop carriers and unleashing them on the unsuspecting Centauri, the soldiers would attack, destroy and neutralise the Centauri military, the war ships in orbit would be rendered useless, because the attack was coming from behind. The War Omni's would decimate the fleet, destroying their internal structures and destroying their engines, computer systems and weapons. The Centauri warships were reduced to particles of space dust.
On the planets it was no better, the soldiers were attacking the Centauri's power, water and food supplies - starving them into submission. For 3 days, whilst their energy and food supplies were being brought down, the Centauri put up a damn good fight. But, in the end, it made no difference.
Morden was sitting in a cell in the palace. The Centauri had ignored his claims of not being a Time lord and had contacted the Time lords saying they'd kill him. Morden knew that the Centauri wouldn't kill him as well as they'd hoped - even humans regenerated and he could control the amount of pain in his body. Humans and Time lords had the ability to manipulate their bodies to repair their organs and bodies to repair and replace their body parts if the originals were torn out or decayed to the point of uselessness.
Alternatively, Morden mused, he could put himself into a trance and stop his heartbeats, killing him. He had nothing to lose, he was a traitor to his own race, he'd allied himself with a dangerous power that he knew the Time lords would love to see the back of, the Centauri were threatening to kill him.
If he was truthful to himself, Morden hoped that he could die.
It was a morbid thought, but it was true.
Londo Mollari was looking on the security camera at the prisoner. He was one of the few members of the nobility and the Centaurum who'd decided to remain on homeworld. He didn't regret the decision - the nobility had been captured, the ship destroyed and there was no mention of the emperor from the transmissions of the war Omni's.
Mollari wondered how long his people, his planet could hold out. It was a question that was on the lips of many of his people.
If he was honest with himself Londo knew they had no choice.
It left him cold, but honestly, there was no alternative.
Surrender.
It would disgrace the name of the Centauri, but if they didn't surrender because of their pride then their people would die out and become extinct.
The Centauri would merely become a footnote in the annals of history, remembered as the race that attacked a more powerful race and lost.
They were already finished, but they could still save their people.
Mollari summoned the remnant of the nobility. He had no choice, but if he worded the meeting carefully….
1 day later….
The Time lords were surprised when they received the surrender notification. They were expecting it, but they'd expected the Centauri to keep fighting, no matter how futile the action was.
First the soldiers remaining were told to lay down their weapons and surrender. The Centauri army was more than happy to, they'd lost a large number of their comrades and they couldn't see how they could win this fight.
For the next 4 days, disarmament was held, every weapon or anything that could and would be used as a weapon was confiscated. Those who were refused were killed. Including innocents - civilians to be exact.
The Time lords destroyed every single industry the Centauri possessed - every metallurgy plant, every power plant, every small industry. All were destroyed right down to the atoms. When the Centauri protested, the Time lords silenced them by bringing a surprise.
The Centauri looked up as not only did the entourage of 3 Time lords enter with 4 armoured guards but also 2 Narns.
" You cannot do this!" Londo Mollari protested. Another noble protested.
" We shall fight back, you can't ignore that."
" Why not, Mollari ? Afraid ?" G'kar or the Narn regime was enjoying this immensely.
The Narns had been brought in a month ago. The Time lords had promised them everything the Centauri had. On several conditions. One, the Narns were to hold down the Centauri, giving them permission to have only a few children each year. Two. The Narns were not under any circumstances to enter Time lord held space or even go near Earth unless it was an authorised visit. Three. If the Narns tried to attack a Time lord vessel or a person, then 4 of their planets, including homeworld would be attacked and rendered lifeless.
It was the fourth one that made them beyond delighted. If they controlled the Centauri, stopping them from rebuilding their power, then they could have the entire Republic and could do anything, provided the Time lords approved.
At first the ultimatum was refused. But then they thought about it and thought it was a good exchange.
" ENOUGH!" Screamed Liz Reynolds, the commandant temporary of Centauri prime.
" If you want to bicker, do it in your own time, not mine. You Centauri have no say in the running of your world. From now on, the Narns are in charge, but we'll not let things get out of hand like they did when you enslaved the Narns. There will be a permanent presence on Centauri Prime."
One of the nobles needed clarification. " What do you mean, permanent presence ?"
Reynolds attractive face took on a sinister smirk. " A Time lord compound will be on your planets, the idea is relatively simple. If the Narns," here she sent a warning glance at G'kar, who went rigid. " attempt to go too far in their role in occupying your planet, then the Time lord contingent will step in. this is non negotiable. The order comes from the President and the rest of the high council."
This news brought mixed feelings to both races. For the Centauri it was relief, mixed with apprehension. They knew only too well what the Narns wanted. For a century the Narns had become slaves, their people experimented on and now they were recruited by the Time lords to occupy their planets.
They had been hoping it was the Time lords, since what they tried to do to Earth was severe but the Time lords didn't seem to care. Apart from the fact that they were going to receive half of the takings.
They only prayed the Time lords would stop the Narns from going to far.
For the Narns, it was a bitter blow, but the Time lords were powerful, more powerful than the Vorlons or the ancient enemy. The Time lords had warned the Narns that they would not tolerate treachery of any kind. It was also a let down, many Narns wanted to make the Centauri pay for their many acts of kindness given to them over their 100 years of slavery.
Now, with the Time lords warning of monitoring them, they realised they couldn't get away with as much as they hoped. But, there probably was breathing room for a lot of pain in store for the arrogant species.
What worried G'kar, however, was the warnings the Time lords had given to them.
He only prayed that his people didn't go too far because whilst the Centauri had enslaved his race, they didn't have the power to convert a planet into a black hole.
