Chapter 5

"Voyages and Misunderstandings"

Year 2517

Zafrari System
Bellerophon-class starship USS Saxony:

"I apologize for this, captain," Alaric said with embarrassment. "My father's behavior is unacceptable. He's doing it to get under my skin."

Captain Alexandros Dorakis just nodded with understanding.

"It was unnecessary," he said. "But I can understand their dissatisfaction. They want you to follow the tradition and join the Asgardian Navy."

Alaric rolled his eyes and then sighed. He knew that as the Crown Prince of Asgard he should follow the traditions, but he also knew that as a USF citizen he was free to seek his own path. He wanted to explore the galaxy, to see new life and new worlds. His father, the king, couldn't understand. 'As first in the line of succession you must be here learning your state duties, not flying around like a glorified adventurer,' he said.

He wouldn't allow his father intimidate him. He looked at the viewscreen. His father was playing dirty. At the viewscreen, the ASV Fenrir was in front of them and Alaric could almost feel as if the ship was gazing directly at him. The Fenrir was a typical Asgardian ship, a Corvette, with a typical Asgardian design. Looking like a metallic Viking longship with two warp wings at each side of the ship's rear half.

"Hail them," Captain Dorakis ordered.

The viewscreen changed to show the dark golden bridge, with Norse-inspired patterns showing in the structure and design of the consoles. At the center sat Captain Morris, Alaric's father's loyal lapdog. He turned his eyes to Alaric, giving him a respectful nod, to which Alaric rolled his eyes, before recognizing Captain Dorakis.

"Captain. How may I be useful?" he asked.

"Actually, Captain Morris, I hailed you to thank you for your escorting and say that it won't be necessary anymore."

Captain Morris blinked, and then he frowned.

"I received orders to escort your ship until your return," he glanced at Alaric as if he were speaking to him and not to the commanding officer of the Saxony, before turning his eyes back to the captain. "It is my responsibility to guarantee your safety."

Captain Dorakis stared at him coldly.

"Captain Morris," he said. "I thank you for your concerns, but you are not in Asgard. This is Starfleet jurisdiction and, as the one responsible for the current mission, I have the authority and the duty to order you to leave. Your ship is not capable of going to where we are going the way we are going, thus you shall leave and let us do our work."

Both captains stared at each other for a whole minute, competing. But soon Captain Morris turned his gaze to Alaric and sighed in defeat. He nodded at Captain Dorakis and ended the transmission. They could see the Fenrir spreading its warp wings and going to warp.

Lucy Nichols, the comms officer, was the first one to break the silence.

"What a pain in the ass!"

"Tell me about it," Alaric responded.

"It doesn't matter anymore," the captain said and then a smirk appeared on his lips. He turned to Alaric. "Could Your Royal Highness prepare to jump, please?"

"Aye, sir," Alaric answered while rolling his eyes.

The Saxony's deflector dish started to glow with power. Different from the other races, who used Quantium-40 to open jump points, Starfleet discovered how to use its own energy and knowledge of dimensional mechanics to open one. In seconds, a yellow vortex appeared in front of the ship.

"Stable jump point formed. All readings are normal."

"Alright. Jump."

The Saxony went forward, entering the vortex. It was now in jumpspace, the constantly shifting fabric of gravity, light, and energy being visible in the viewscreen.

"Our sensors are working properly," Alaric said. "We can detect our position related to commonspace. We are ready."

"Good. Marlon, Warp one. Engage."

The ship's nacelles angled up, glowing, as the ship went to warp. The jumpspace environment shifted in the viewscreen as a glowing blue space with streams of white and blue light could be seen.

"Warp point eight, sir," Marlon said. "Point nine. Warp one. Warp field is stable."

"Good, let's push our limits. Warp three."

The ship vibrated, its speed increasing. Then it started to tremble.

"Ok, ok," Marlon said. "Warp two point seven, sir. It looks like that is our limit for now."

"Congratulations. It is not as fast as slipstream, but we are traveling faster in jumpspace then any known race has ever dreamed."

Alaric just smiled, he was born for this.

Z'ha'dum System
Sharlin warcruiser Al'ashenn:

A jump point formed, and the Al'ashenn jumped to normal space with the Valen'Tha properly shielded behind it. It was only a formality, of course. No race would dare attack a Minbari ship. Shai Alyt Furlan didn't believe that the Shadows were back. Valen was a great Minbari, the greatest Minbari, he gave them the chance to defeat the Shadows and they did it. They wouldn't come back after that. And even if they would, the Vorlons would warn his people, prepare them. They are not here, so it's certain that neither are the Shadows.

Furlan looked at the screen showing the Valen'Tha. He thought that this mission was a waste of time and resources, but he understands the Council. They want proof that the old enemy isn't back. Besides, orders are orders and he will comply.

USS Saxony:

"Status," the captain asked.

"All readings normal, sir-wait," Alaric said. "I'm detecting somethi-"

The ship trembled violently as it was knocked out of warp and jumpspace, back to commonspace.

The lights and consoles flickered. Alaric sat back by his station with dots in his vision. Captain Dorakis brushed his hand on his forehead to clean it from the blood.

"Report," he ordered.

"We passed by some kind of quantum fracture in jumpspace," Alaric answered. "It destabilized our warp field. Somehow we are in commonspace now."

Captain Dorakis nodded.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked the others, who nodded in agreement, except for Lucy. "Right. Lucy, you're temporarily relieved of your duties. Computer, teleport Lieutenant Nichols to the Sickbay."

Lucy disappeared from the bridge in shimmering lights.

"Ship status."

"The warp core is offline but we can solve this relatively quickly," Alaric said. "Comms, long-range sensors, cloaking, and shields are offline too."

"Weapons?"

"Only phasers, torpedo launchers are offline."

"Right, let's work."

"Sir, I'm am detecting ships in the system. Their configuration matches with the information the Centauri gave us. They are Minbari. Two Sharlins battlecruisers and twenty-nine Nial fighters."

Captain Dorakis frowned, he knew that the USF had chosen to avoid the Minbari. First contact could be inevitable now.

"Have they detected us yet?"

"I don't know, sir. Our own sensors are not working well, but they probably did. Their sensors are pretty powerful compared to other tachyon-based scanners."

"Reduce our energy readings, let's try to be as stealthy as we can. Meanwhile, get the shields back, maybe we'll need them."

"The deflector dish is damaged, it is launching small graviton bursts. The Minbari may detect it."

"Do your best, Ric."

Al'ashenn:

"Shai Alyt, we detected something," the warrior's eyes widened. "It's a ship! It appeared out of nowhere, no jump point detected!"

Furlan looked at the console next to him.

"Show me."

The holographic projection of the unknown ship was blurry, but Furlan could see the overall design. It was odd, like nothing he has never seen.

"Is it all we got so far? Just a silhouette? Is it too far from us?"

"No, Shai Alyt. It is close enough so we should be able to scan it, but it is blocking most of our scans."

That surprised Furlan. No younger race was capable of blocking Minbari scans, only First Ones should be able to do it. He should warn the Valen'Tha. Perhaps the Anla'Shok were not so wrong at all.

Valen'Tha:

A circular holographic viewscreen descended upon the Grey Council, showing an odd looking ship. White and grey, with white glowing blue pylons attached to its rear section.

"What is that?" asked Dukhat.

"This ship appeared out of nowhere twenty-thousand kilometers away from us," Satai Morann of the Warrior Caste reported. "No jump point was detected. It is less than half the size of a Tinashi, but its power readings are off the scale. Most of our scans are being deflected, even at maximum power."

"How did it appear without opening a jump point?" asked Coplann.

"We don't know. According to the scanners, the ship somehow decelerated from lightspeed as if it was traveling faster than light, but we just assumed it is some error."

"I have never seen this configuration before. Who are they?" Dukhat asked.

"I believe they are the Humans," Delenn said. "There are rumors that they don't use jumpspace, but travel faster than light in normal space. Perhaps that's how they appeared undetected to our sensors."

"That's impossible," said Coplann. "There is no way of traveling faster than light in normal space."

"We tried to contact them, but they are not responding. As is our custom we are approaching with gunports opened."

"By whose order?" Dukhat asked harshly.

USS Saxony:

"Sir, the alien vessel is coming in our direction. Gunports opened," reported Alaric.

Captain Dorakis nodded.

"It's a sign of respect according to the dossier the Centauri gave us. Try to re-establish comms.

We must communicate with them."

"Comms are still down," said Lucy, who had just come back from the Sickbay.

"Sir, the deflector dish is still releasing huge amounts of energy," Alaric reported.

"The Minbari may assume it is a weapon. Deactiva-"

"Energy spike!"

Valen'Tha:

"Master, that is a tradition of the warrior caste," Morann said. "A gesture of strength and respect. They can see our weapons, they can see we approach them open-handed."

"They are an unknown race that doesn't know our traditions. Close the-"

Dukhat could not finish his phrase and the Valen'Tha trembled violently, knocking the Satais down. All over the ship, columns and walls fell on people and energy conduits exploded.

"What happened? They attacked us?" Coplann asked, recovering his balance.

"Yes, Satai," the ship's Alyt responded. "They used some sort of powerful gravimetric wave. It knocked down many of our Nials. The Al'ashenn collided with our fore section."

"How dare they?" Morann said angrily.

"Order to fire on that ship, now!" Coplann ordered.

The Al'ashenn moved past the Valen'Tha. Two of its fusion cannons firing at the small ship.

USS Saxony:

"They are firing at us!"

"Shit!" Captain Dorakis says, he turns to Marlon. "Got warp?"

"Not yet, sir."

He looked at the behemoth that was the Minbari ship. Its fusion beams fire slammed at the Saxony's already weakened shields. The ship trembled.

"Status."

"Shields are holding."

"Evasive maneuvers. Lock phasers on them, I want them to know that we can fight if we need to. I want comms and warp drive working."

Al'ashenn:

Shai Alyt Furlan only wanted one thing now, to destroy the filth who dared attack the Minbari. The Al'shenn fired its fusion beams at the small ship, but they never reached the target. Some forced field appeared around the ship, protecting them from firepower that would have destroyed quickly any other ship of the younger races.

"How did they survive?" one of his officers asked himself.

"They are moving!"

Furlan's eyes widened as the small ship maneuvered impossibly for a ship that size. It looked more like a fighter evading his beams of retribution.

"Fire everything we can."

The Al'ashenn fired all of its twelve fusion lasers and six neutron cannons, an overwhelming amount of power enough to put any race in its place.

"They are evading our weapons fire!"

The ship trembled.

"What was that?" Furlan asked.

"They fired at us with some unknown energy weapon. It just cut off our left fin!"

"That's impossible, they shouldn't be able to lock on us."

"They just did, they-"

The Al'ashenn trembled again.

"They fired again. The beam went straight through our rear section. We almost lost singularity containment!"

Furlan looked at the small ship that could go against a Sharlin one-on-one. This kind of power shouldn't be allowed to exist. It must be destroyed!

USS Saxony:

The ship kept evading the Sharlin's fire, trembling when one of the beams slammed at the shields.

"Captain!" Alaric said, looking at the captain, who was knocked down his chair, unconscious and with his head bloody.

Alaric leaned over him, testing his life signs. He was alive, but barely.

"Computer, teleport Captain Dorakis to the Sickbay, now."

Dots of light shimmered around the captain, who disappeared in seconds.

"Lucy, do we have comms yet?"

"No, sir."

"We have warp!" Marlon said

"Get us out of here!" Alaric ordered.

The Saxony's nacelles angled up and glowed bright, the ship stretching forward and disappearing in a streak of light.

On the captain's chair. Alaric sighed with relief, yet he knew it wasn't over yet. This disaster could have great repercussions for the USF. They had a war just a year before.

What a mess.

Valen'Tha:

The sight of the Valen'Tha's corridors was devastating. Columns and the ceiling were falling apart. People were all over the floor, injured, bleeding. The horror being seen was inconceivable to the Minbari. No one except for the Shadows would dare attack them.

"Help me! Help me!" Delenn cried desperately. Dukhat laying in her arms, his eyes striving to stay open.

She was helping him to get to a medical room when he collapsed.

"Help me!" she cried again.

Dukhat murmured something, but Delenn couldn't understand it. Slowly, the light extinguished from his eyes, and Delenn felt it. Like never in her life, she felt pain, and fear, and hatred.

Morann stormed through the corridors.

"Delenn, the alien vessel fled. It is true. They can travel faster than light in normal space," he paused. "We need to strike back, but the Council is divided. Do we follow them back to their base and seek revenge, or do we wait and try to find out what happened? Yours is the deciding vote, Delenn."

Her heart was filled with rage. She looked at Dukhat's lifeless body.

"He was the best of us. They struck without provocation, there was no reason," she cried. "Animals! Brutal!"

She stood up and looked at Morann with pure rage.

"They deserve no mercy," she said. "Strike them now! Follow them to their base an-and kill them all! All of them! All of them! "

Morann ran back to the Council chambers, the Minbari would go to war.

Delenn's legs collapsed and she fell to the floor, crying with sorrow and rage."

"No mercy!" she cried again as if praying to the heavens to hear her.

Sigma 957
Vesta-class starship USS Columbus:

Captain Jay Valiant sat in his chair, in the Captain's ready room. The system they were in is unclaimed, though enclaved in Narn territory. For the last seventeen years, the United Systems have been exploring in all direction. Star systems, planets, spatial phenomena, new races, Starfleet wanted to see all of that, to meet what lies beyond the Crescent. More than half of Starfleet vessels are outside Human space now, exploring, and up until now Humanity had gone beyond what the other races call 'known space'. Starfleet keeps pushing forward. Races never met by the known powers were met, such as the Kor-Lyans. Systems that jumpdrives cannot reach were surveyed and explored. Of course, some regions close to home are still unexplored for one reason or another, especially Minbari and Vorlon space.

Now they were in an unnamed yet infamous system. Starfleet chose to designate it Sigma 957 and, though it is in Narn space, the Narn hadn't allowed Starfleet to survey it 'for your own good', as said ambassador G'Kar. Apparently, the system is the main stage of a series of rumors and mysteries told by races as distant from each other such as the Centauri and the Tokati. It is basically the Bermuda Triangle of space. But now Starfleet long-range sensor arrays detected unusual energy readings in the system and, after much insistence, the Narn government allowed Starfleet to survey it.

The Columbus got out of warp. Captain Valiant entered the bridge and watched his crew work with efficiency. The Éonn representative was there too, observing. It was unusual, to say the least. just after Starfleet issued this mission, the Éonn Council asked for permission to send one of their own with them. Starfleet Command, of course, accepted. The Éonns have a very close relationship with the USF, as the first race Humanity made contact with. They were a peaceful and friendly species who warned Humanity about the threats beyond the Crescent. And they were right, if the USF hadn't taken its time to develop and grow before exploring the outer space, maybe Humanity would be like the Narn or some of the League races, old Centauri conquests.

"I hope you're enjoying the trip, Miss V'xena," he said to the floating jellyfish-like alien.

The female Éonn glowed with changing colors.

"Your concern with my comfort is appreciated, Captain," she said with an ethereal voice.

Valiant just nodded. Her room was programmed to emulate her homeworld, with a methane-based atmosphere, and the right pressure and temperature, but she could do just well in the bridge's Earth-like atmosphere.

"Sir," his science officer called. "We are detecting what looks like a worldwide underground city complex at the system's only planet. The planet has a thick atmosphere and some powerful distortion field."

Valiant sat on his chair, his curiosity stimulated.

"Why hadn't the Narn told us about this?" he asked.

"They probably don't know, sir. Their sensors are not powerful enough."

Valiant frowned, thinking.

"Let's have a closer look. If anything goes wrong, the USS Kyoto is on their way to assist us."

The Columbus' impulse drive glowed as the ship went forward at great speed.

"Readings are normal. Wait, sir, I'm detecting some kind of transdimensional phenomenon. It's opening twenty-thousand kilometers from us! There is a ship coming through!"

"Yellow Alert!"

The ship was like nothing he has ever seen. It was a black disk with a glowing blue border and tentacle-like things with colored orbs rotating in front of it.

"Report."

"The ship is organic, though I can read some mechanical components. It used some dimensional drive to travel through a trans-dimensional portal, it is an approach completely different compared to our dimensional phase drives."

"Right. What are their weapons? Have they detected us?."

"Yes, sir. Their sensors are pretty powerful. I cannot detect any weapon, but the tentacles can be used to concentrate their sensor scans in a weaponized form."

"Hail, them."

"Aye, sir."

Valiant frowned while looking at the alien ship. He turned at V'xena and noticed that the Éonn was glowing brighter, her sheer power could be felt in his bones. He raised an eyebrow.

Interesting.

Recorder of Creation:

The younglings were hailing his ship. The First Traveler was about to ignore and just act as if they were not there, as usual, when he sensed a great psionic energy reading.

The younglings had a First One among them. An Éonn. That stimulated his curiosity. No one has had contact with the Éonns for millennia since the Atlanti isolated their homeworld and a large portion of space from the rest of the galaxy.

The First Traveler brushed the Éonn's mind delicately, respectfully. She responded. Her name was V'xena.

'It is an unexpected turn, finding an Éonn after so long.'

'I'm here for them,' the beautiful voice answered.

The First Traveler understood what she was talking about. The younglings, she was protecting them.

'Why protect those younglings? Are they a client race of yours, like the Drakh and the Minbari are of others?'

She chuckled, confusing the other First One.

'No. They are our allies. Our equals.'

That surprised the First Traveler. The Éonns were pacifists and more caring for the younger races than most First Ones, but even they wouldn't walk among them as equals.

'Explain,' he asked.

'You should see for yourself. Try to scan their ship. Try to scan them.'

And so the First Traveler did. He could feel their minds, could even communicate with them if he wanted. But he couldn't enter. Something was keeping him out easily and smoothly. The First One pushed again but was taken back by what he saw. He could sense the mental wall, and then he understood. The wall was not psychic in nature, not generated by a powerful telepathic mind. On the contrary, it was genetic, innate, and he recognized it's signature.

It was an Atlanti signature, deep within the younglings mental structure.

The Éonn called V'xena chuckled again. Asking him to continue.

He asked the Second Traveler to run a scan on the alien ship. But was surprised when he confusedly said that their scans were being blocked!

Impossible!

'They are power and knowledge,' V'xena said to a confused First Traveler. 'They are young but they hold the potential of First Ones.'

'The Atlanti... How can it be?'

'They are called Humans, and they have knowledge we don't have,' she paused. 'They have created wonders and done wonders. They explore our space and time, and other spaces and times. They know what you can do, and they can do the same.'

The First Traveler looked at the alien ship. Trying to understand how could a younger race reach that level. But then his attention was taken to another ship that entered the system. It was similar in design to the alien ship the Éonn was in, but what surprised him was the way it entered the system. It traveled faster than light in normal space, but not by using the mass-less fields that the Leviathans used. No, they were distorting the fabric of space-time to do that. The First Traveler thought for a moment. He wouldn't ask 'what do you want' to her. No, he wouldn't ask that question.

'What do you suggest?' he finally asked.

The Éonn transmitted a pleasant sense of joy and excitement.

'I suggest that you forget their age and just talk to them. Learn with them and teach them. Wonders shall be discovered through your association, and your species will have the only thing you have ever longed for in your travels.'

'What is it?'

She smiled.

'Company.'

The First Traveler was silent. He looked at the alien ships again and turned to his Second Traveler.

"Open communication with them. We must learn."

Orbit of Minbar
Valen'Tha:

In their dark chambers, the nine Satais of the Grey Council stood in their enlightened places in a circle pattern with their faces covered by grey hoods. Three members of the Council of Caste Elders, one of each caste, stood within the circle.

Shakiri, one of the nine elders of the warrior caste, stood with an angry face while Carenn, Elder of the worker caste, spoke.

"The best among the worker caste has been analyzing the data sent by the Valen'Tha and the Al'ashenn regarding the Human ship," she paused. "We concluded that the Anla'Shok were right in their reports about the Humans, at least in part. The Human ship showed advanced maneuvering capabilities, energy shielding, sensors capable of passing through our stealth fields and superluminal travel. However, we assume that this ship may be a prototype with highly experimental technologies taken from the Dilgar after their victory or from other alien sources."

"The Centauri said that the Humans take those technologies for granted, and we are just assuming that they are lying?" said Shai Alyt Furlan of the Al'ashenn with mockery. "That should be impossible, I know. But we saw that it isn't. Those Humans are dangerous, a threat, and they must be destroyed."

Shakiri just nodded in agreement. He didn't think that such a young race would be capable of developing this kind of technology, let alone have it for granted. But on one thing Shai Alyt Furlan was right, no younger race should have the technology to go against the Minbari. They must be destroyed.

"The Humans have been trying to contact us, trying to arrange for peace talks to discuss this 'terrible accident' as they called it," Satai Rodell of the Worker Caste said.

"Disgusting liars! Let them waste their time. How about the mobilization of our fleet?" asked Satai Coplann.

"It is going according to our schedule. Five hundred ships in a month, five hundred more afterward. The warrior caste decided to seize the opportunity to train our warriors in an actual war," Shakiri answered.

"We can't beat them if we don't know where they are," said Satai Rathenn of the Religious Caste.

"Our intelligence regarding their territory is rather lacking."

"Not so much as one may think, Satai," Elder Callier of the Religious Caste said. "The Humans have publically claimed many systems since they first ventured beyond the Crescent," a holographic stellar map appeared around the Council. "They have colonies in the systems known as Vega, Delphi, Regula, Sinzar, and Jericho. Of those, Jericho is the most important to them and to us."

"Why is that, Callier," Satai Delenn asked.

"It is their biggest colony outside the Crescent. Five million inhabitants and a military shipyard.

Also, Jericho is a hub to many hyperspace routes and one of them goes directly into Minbari territory, to the Tarellon system, one of our biggest colonies."

"Then we must strike there first. It will be a blow to their military and cut their capacity to counterattack in Minbari territory," said Satai Morann while smirking, the idea of the Humans invading Minbari space sounding absurd. "But, we have yet a problem to solve. The Humans claim the Crescent as their home, right?"

"Yes, Satai. They claim all of the Crescent as their territory. According to the Centauri, the region is heavily populated by more than one hundred billion Humans."

"Impossible!" Satai Coplann said mockingly. "Our estimates tell that the Crescent is almost as big as all the known space. These Humans have been in space for five hundred years, only! They couldn't have possibly explored it all. And you say that there are more than one hundred billion of them!? Preposterous, to say the least! Even the Centauri, who have their bodies full of lust and are almost as old as we are, have only a population of fifty billion at most."

Shakiri listened to the Council as it protracted the discussions. It doesn't matter if they are advanced for their age, their technology will still be beneath the Minbari. They should be discussing war tactics, not Human mating customs.

"If their claims are true or not is not important for now," Satai Delenn said, breaking the discussion.

"But we know that most of their worlds are indeed inside the Crescent, through which we cannot travel. How to solve this disadvantage must be our priority.

Shakiri, pleased by the Satai's affirmation of the obvious, turned to her.

"We have a plan, Satai. They certainly have a way to travel to the Crescent. We know that Jericho is a shipyard, thus it must have all the equipment the Humans use to build their ships, including the specifications of their star drives."

"You plan to have access to their technology?"

"We do, Satai. Inferior or not, it was able to lock on and harm our ships, and some devices such as the shields and the superluminal drives can be useful to us."

"What about the information the Anla'Shok gathered over the last years?"

"Rumors," he answered. "Almost all of the content on their report is hardly based on evidence, and impossible to say the least. And they ask us to talk to the Humans! Foolish! No, we don't need them. We have our own plans."

"Alright, Shakiri," Satai Coplann said. "We will act according to your plans. The Human worlds shall fall by our hands and the universe will witness of the wrath of the Minbari."

United Systems Federation
Vienna, Austria
Centauri Embassy:

"This is ISN News Report, I'm Malik Heisenberg. The incident with the USS Saxony and a small Minbari fleet that became known as the 'Saxony Incident' is yet to reach its end. The Minbari Federation, a secretive and old race, has denied any of our requests to go to the negotiation table. The Centauri Republic and many League races have expressed their concerns that the Minbari may be preparing to war. Starfleet Command said that any attempt by the Minbari to violate the USF sovereignty and safety will be dealt with properly. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Alaric Svendsen, first in the line of succession to the Asgardian throne and first officer of the Saxony will be promoted to captain after Captain Alexandros Dorakis' passing. Despite the protests of King Axel, Starfleet said..."

Londo Mollari looked away from the news report to the city out of his window. Vienna is an astoundingly beautiful city and he took a liking to it. Since he came to Earth, Londo has visited many of its cities. New York, San Francisco, London, Paris, Rome, Cairo, Bangkok, Tokyo, Beijing, Saint Petersburg. Humanity has a diversity of architecture and culture he has never seen before. From the modern cities with high towers such as Tokyo to the beautiful historic cities such as Saint Petersburg. Londo loved it, and now this coming war could destroy it all.

Londo looked at the skyline of Vienna from the window of his office for half an hour before looking back to the news report.

"...has chosen to call them Viatori, as their name is too long to pronounce. Starfleet will send a starship equipped with a dimensional phase drive to meet them in a week. Now, news about the exploration beyond the Mordor Relay. The exploration team led by Captain Lucas Monteiro have already discovered and activated three mass relays and is now exploring the regions that have been named Exodus Cluster, Head Horse Nebula, and Petra Nebula. The team discovered an idyllic world in the Utopia system that they called Eden Prime. They found an unknown alien artifact on the planet that, according to them, is probably some information database fifty thousand years old-"

Londo turned the screen off. Humanity never ceased to surprise him. They have been exploring for not more than twenty of their years, and yet they have already gone farther than any known race. He frowned. He always thought that no one could go against the Minbari, except for the First Ones. Even when the Humans asked him for information on them he still thought this way. It took its time, but his perceptions were now changed. Humanity could not only survive the Minbari. He actually believes that they could defeat them.


A/N: Like I had already told you, I based the USF Asgard on MCU Asgard. Its architecture, its cities, its landscape. About the ASV Fenrir, it is a ship of the Asgardian Navy, their planetary defense force. I based the Asgardian ships on the defense skiffs we see in Thor: The Dark World. They are long with "wings" on each side that are the Asgardian analog to warp nacelles and with a Viking ship look.

ASV stands for Asgardian Star Vessel.