Chapter 5a: Revelations
Merciless
Bestine System
The ship was busy evading enemy fire, loading and unloading fighters, firing at the enemy ships and not to mention direct the entire battle. Even for a crew of over four thousand this was still a daunting task.
Strategos Jacques was busy directing the battle for his master stroke. So far the Dilgar have been moving as he wanted them to, which was to put their forces in the middle of his line. It was really just his own modified version of the Battle of Cannae tactics. He almost couldn't believe his luck that the Dilgar would fall for this trap or that Jah'dur who was a famed strategist among the Dilgar and fear by the league for her tactics and ruthlessness.
"Ahh, Jah'dur." He thought. "This battle is all but a show down of two brilliant tacticians, two mighty empires. Only one will be left standing, while the other will lie in ruins. But I'm sure which will be which."
"What is the situation Decurion?"
Jacques asked the tactical officer.
"We are reporting fifteen percent casualties to our forces while the enemy is also in a similar position."
"Very well, just tell our center to hold on a bit more, until the enemy ships are in the maximum effective zone for the master stroke."
"Strategos sir, the enemies have past position alpha. We are ready for the master stroke."
The tactical officer said to Jacques, which made him look at the holographic presentation of the battlefield, he saw that the officer was indeed right. The enemy is now in the maximum effective position to be hit by the weapons.
Jacques took a deep breath.
"This is it, the move that will ensure their defeat." He thought.
He looked around the communications screens at the different images of the different wing leaders.
Then he said, confidently and with a hint of a smile, a smile that was often given by a predator who has captured his prey. "Commence plan Omega, launch the weapons. Verification code is Alpha Tango Gamma Gamma Charlie seven eight three five zero four six one nine three one four. The super weapons are cleared for use. I repeat cleared for use. "
Plan omega was the master stroke of his battle plan it was the plan to launch the Domination's super weapons to the crowded Dilgar fleet in the middle of his line. This called for a several Ragnarok IX missiles to hit the enemy lines.
The Ragnarok IX class missiles are different from the usual Gremlin Anti-Matter missiles for several different reasons. First that these missiles are a whole lot bigger, containing a whole lot more Anti-Matter. Second is that these missiles contained Quantum forty, the very rare mineral that makes Hyperspace travel possible. Due to the presence of such a rare mineral in these missiles this made the Domination use these missiles sparingly. However the resulting difference in the force of the blast compared to the standard Gremlin missiles is which we can quote from one high ranking Draka Military Scientist "It is like comparing the power of a firecracker with a bundle of dynamite."
The sheer size of this battle made the warranted use of these super weapons and give them their baptism of fire.
"Yes Strategos sir, firing Ragnarok missiles." The wing leaders said in almost perfect unison.
"Hope those cats like a big boom."
One of the wing leaders said which made the rest plus the entire Command Deck laugh.
Then suddenly several space black colored missiles were launched from different ships throughout the battle line, the missiles were wrapped in the most expensive material that would give the ships the highest level of stealth that the Domination could do. To insure that these missiles will have the least amount of chance to be shot down. They were also equipped with the best engines available that would fit inside a missile, also to add the amount of survability of the missile. In other words these missiles were the culmination of the forefront of the Domination's technological prowess.
The mood in the deck was quiet in anticipation as they looked at the flight of the missiles as they sped towards their targeted area, the missiles were moving pretty fast. They slowly gained an ever growing lead compared to the thousands of standard missiles that were launched together with them.
"It seems the Dilgar haven't detected the Ragnarok missiles. They will impact their targets in three
Two
One."
Said the Tactical officer as his view from his consoles the status of the speeding missiles.
Then as the missiles from all over the line impacted on their designated targets. The entire battle field was then enveloped in a brilliant flash of white light, as if there was a small super nova. Which would have blinded everyone without eye protection due to the brightness of the light. But luckily no one on both sides of the battle was in the position.
"Sensors are blinded Strategos sir! Communications are also down. Due to the energy of the blast. They will return in ten seconds and thirty seconds respectively."
It was ten seconds that which to the crew seemed like an eternity, for there was anticipation on how much damage their ace in the hand truly did.
"Sensors back online Strategos sir." The tactical officer said.
"Then! What does it report Decrion? Don't keep us waiting. What's the status of the enemy fleet? Then tell the League ships to enter normal space as soon as the communications are online" Jacques replied.
Deathwalker
Bridge
"Sensors back online sir!" Said the tactical officer to the acting CO of the flag ship.
"Report!"
"Almost a third of our ships were devastated by the attack. The ship herself is not in bad shape though as we have the best armor in the fleet and we weren't so near to any of the blasts."
"What was that?"
The tactical officer looked at his console for a while to analyze the data.
"It appears to have almost the same energy wavelength as blasts from their normal missile but embedded with energy wavelengths of a substance that appears to be an enriched version of Quantum forty. My initial conclusion would be is that it's a bigger form of their weapon enhanced with Quantum forty. But we still don't know how they delivered it as our sensors didn't detect any out of the ordinary missiles and such."
"Damn, those Drakas have been pulling one trick ater another out of their hats. I wonder what would be next."
As if to respond to the challenge given by the acting CO of the Merciless. Hundreds of jump points opened up at the back of the Dilgar line, and unleashed more than a thousand League ships of a dozen different species and twice more different classes.
"Sir! We're detecting hundreds of jump points opening up at our rear! Its League, we are detecting more than a thousand ships."
Deathwalker
Medical Bay
Jah'dur opened her eyes slowly and began to look at the surroundings.
"Shit! I'm in the medical bay must go back to the bridge to save our forces." She thought.
She then tried to get up, which strangely required more effort than normal. Upon her getting up one of the medics in the Medical bay notice her standing up.
"Good that you are now again conscious, Warmaster. Omelos would have suffered a great loss if you weren't fine. I strongly suggest that you rest for you suffered a lot of injuries, lucky none of them seemed to be grave. But you would still need a lot of rest to recover."
The medic said.
"As much as I would have wanted, but the circumstances require me to go back to the Bridge to save our remaining force. Otherwise a lot of brave Dilgar will face eternal rest this day."
Jah'dur replied then nodded to the medic.
Then walked briskly back to the Bridge. The medic couldn't do anything plus she agreed with her Warmaster so she just let her walk out. On the way to the bridge Jah'dur noticed that the inside of the ship was damaged and upon contemplating the damage to the ship she also began to feel the damage to her body, thankfully to some drugs that she didn't feel much pain but none the less she could see and feel that her body was injured, but this battle is more important than me as I would need to save as much of our people as possible, she thought.
Upon arriving to the bridge, she noticed that most of the crew there were very busy doing their job.
"Ran'jash thank you for substituting me on my absence but I need to get back on control again."
She said to the acting CO in particular and the entire bridge in general. Which also served to get the attention of the entire crew.
"Of course Warmaster, may I speak in behalf of the crew that we are glad that you are ok." He said with much fire of passion in his voice as he revered Jah'dur so much that one may even think that he worships her like the Supreme Warmaster or even the Emperor himself.
"What is the status of our fleet?" Jah'dur said.
"Not good Warmaster, during your uhmmm… absence the enemy deployed a weapon that destroyed a third of the fleet, now we just have thirty seven percent of our original number while the enemy is around eighty percent and just now a thousand strong League fleet has just arrived at our rear."
The tactical officer replied.
Jah'dur was shocked as she didn't expect it to be this grim.
"Signal a retreat to the rest of the fleet."
"I beg your pardon? Warmaster, did you just say retreat?"
The communications officer asked as she was shocked by the revelation.
"Yes, retreat as we have no chance of winning this anymore so we need to save as much Dilgar lives as we can."
Then all the Dilgar ships began to clear debris fields as then began to retreat. As the Dilgar tradition dictated the Deathwalker and the three other fleet commanding ships would facilitate the retreat and would be the last to leave.
Merciless
"Strategos sir, the Dilgar fleet is retreating."
"Good!" Jacques smiled as his plan worked perfectly. "Now signal the entire fleet, including the League fleet as well to expend as much fire power as possible before the Dilgar escape."
Deathwalker
The retreat was almost complete, but not without a heavy price as a third of the remaining ships were destroyed in their attempt to escape. But they would have lost more if they didn't try and escape, of course that's what Jah'dur reminded herself as she saw the litters of the dead Dilgar ships. During that time An'jash has just regained consciousness and was back in the bridge again beside Jah'dur.
"Warmaster, we detect over fifty Anti-Matter missiles coming towards us and your brother's ship."
Said the tactical officer.
Realizing the gravity of the situation she knew that both their ships won't make it out alive. Unless….
One of them will sacrifice for the other.
"Communications connect me with Sha'dur's ship."
She ordered the communications officer.
Then a bloodied image of Sha'dur showed on the screen. Jah'dur could clearly see that his ship was badly damaged.
"Brother I need you to escape while we shield you from the missiles coming towards us."
"No! I will not allow that sister, you are more important to the Imperium than I. We should be the ones to sacrifice ourselves, not you."
"Now, listen to me brother you are all that I have left. I would rather die than see you gone. Plus we are in dire straits and the only way to beat the Draka would be to fight a guerilla war against them, and you are better in that than I."
"I will not allow this sister."
"Sorry brother, I have made my mind. Arn'dal, commence plan seven."
Jah'dur said then an image of a man wrapped in a black robe appear beside Sha'dur. It was Arn'dal, one of the Spectres. A special covert ops group, armed with a stealth cloak and the best fighting skills the Imperium has to offer, loyal only to the Supreme Warmaster and Warmaster Jah'dur.
Upon appearing Arn'dal said "Yes Warmaster Jah'dur. Sorry Warmaster Sha'dur."
Then hit Sha'dur in the head just hard enough to knock him unconscious but soft enough not to do any permanent damage.
Then seeing it happened Jah'dur said "Arn'dal, take care of my brother for me."
"As you wish Warmaster. I and the other Specters will treat him as he was you."
Arn'dal replied.
Then Jah'dur shifted to Sha'dur's second in command. "Take your ship and go back to Mitoc."
The officer was still in a bit of a shock of what happened, but he quickly pulled himself together and managed to muster a nod and a reply "Uhh…. Yess…. Warmaster…." With his voice trailing off.
Jah'dur then signaled to cut the transmission then stated. "Helm, move us to covering position between the missiles and the ship."
"And ohhh, one more thing. It was a pleasure serving with you and the Imperium."
"No Warmaster it was our pleasure to serve you." An'jash replied which made the entire crew nod.
Seeing her brother and his ships move to safety and her imminent death speed toward her she straightened up and her eyes became harder than any Trinium alloy.
"We are Dilgar we face death in the eye without looking back or without any regret." She said that in perfect forceful tone. Then everything turned in to a brightlight.
Merciless
"Strategos, the missiles have hit and destroyed the Deathwalker, but the other ship has escaped. Wait! We are reading what seems to be what's left of their command deck with few life signs onboard." The tactical officer said.
"Good, we may still capture the infamous Jah'dur Deathwalker after all. Now send a ship there to capture what remains of the ship." Jacques said that and half wondering how that was able to survive intact.
On the edge of the system
At the edge of the system an unknown ship was quietly observing the battle. The ship was yellow and black in color, with a shape of a cross between a squid and a flower. It was alive and was piloted by one being who was known by the name of Ulkesh.
I must give this information to the others, he thought.
"They must learn that the circle is going perfectly, our other children have grown strong. Now, between them and the Minbari, the followers of chaos will be of no match. The two strong hands of the Vorlon will assure the victory of Order in this last cycle. The Minbari and the Draka will asure our victory and the settlement of this great debate.
Then the ship opened a jump point and moved towards Vorlon space.
Executor
Merarch Shznighder and his ship was ordered by the Strategos to capture the surviving part of Jah'dur's ship.
"We will be there in five mins. Merarch." Said the Helms man.
"Merarch! A ship has just appeared near our target."
"Do we know who it is?" Shznighder replied.
"It's one of those gray ships again Merarch. Its them again."
Said the tactical officer
"On screen."
An image of space and in the middle a small grey, graceful and smooth looking ship, trying to go near their target was shown. Then it seemed to capture the hull. Then as sudden as it appeared, it disappeared again.
On board the Unknown ship
Jah'dur has just recently gained consciousness she had a hard time seeing. She felt her body was very injured, her sight was very blurry.
She could hear people talking, they were speaking Draka, she thought. She must be caught by one of their ships but oddly they were speaking in a very different accent and they spoke with a few different words. So strange, she thought.
Then she began to overhear their conversation, as she knew the basics of Draka as she had been studying them for six months.
"Captain, I'm afraid almost half of them won't survive, due to their physical damage, which even our nano technology won't fix. They were only able to be intact due to the thickness and composition of the ship's armor if it was any other ship they won't survive." Said one voice.
"Very well at least we saved the Warmaster, speaking of her can anyone identify her?"
"She is right there captain, and she will survive."
Then Jah'dur could hear footsteps move towards her.
"Sick bay to Bridge, this is the Captain engage cloak and engage the Tunnel drive back home"
The previous voice said again.
Fighting her eyes to give her a single look of who these aliens were, Jah'dur made extreme effort to see something more than just a silhouette, then finally her eyes gave in to her will giving her a view of who these aliens were.
She could see that this so called sick bay was squeaky clean and shiny, then she saw the alien. He was wearing an unknown uniform, maybe he was this captain. But what is a captain? Maybe I'll find out later but who are these aliens, she thought then she moved the direction of her head upwards to look at the face of the alien.
A Draka! She first thought then, she noticed that they didn't have those cat like eyes or those massive egos the captain guy was peasant looking and what's that? Something that looked like bionic implants above his right eye and those eyes! They looked bionic! She rotated her head left towards the other alien beside the captain, she also had the same bionic eyes and bionic implant above her right eye.
Then she lost consciousness, all became black again.
Comments and reviews please
I'm sure you guys know who this aliens are ^_^