Chapter 27: Offensive of Light and Dark

Sheridan drummed his fingertips on the table in front of him. Vast maps of the nearby sectors were all around him. The Remnant Civil War was all but over, the few human ships that wouldn't follow him having fled to escape him. But, with him now controlling the Remnant Government through Mr. Morden and the Narn having pledged themselves to his side, not even counting all the Centauri and Human warships at his side, and including the Vorlons that had defected to his side, his forces outnumbered the Vorlon fleets two to one. But, they had pulled back all Minbari back to Minbar and were setting it up as a strongpoint. Centauri Prime was a gilded fortress and they hadn't even gotten to the Vorlon Homeworlds yet.

But, in order to win this war, there needed to be a breaking in the defenses. They needed to pull it down. And as he looked at the maps, he concluded the best place to strike would be Centauri Prime.

"Why there?" Corwin asked, standing before him as he was told where they'd strike, "Minbar hasn't fully gotten their defenses up, and Centauri Prime is ready."

"Exactly," Sheridan said, waving towards the map, "If we hit Centauri Prime and break the defenses, Minbar would get flooded with the fleeing Vorlon forces, and in its confused state we could then hit them all and break them."

"Are you sure it's not going to turn against us?" Corwin said, "With all those forces there, we'd be then fighting basically two whole fleets."

"You'll have to trust me David," Sheridan rubbed his eyes, "This'll work."

Corwin looked doubtful. Sheridan hadn't shaved in apparently weeks now, and he was growing a pretty disgusting looking beard. His eyes were dark with little sleep and he hadn't combed his hair in a while, and it was wild. Corwin also could tell he hadn't taken a shower lately either, the body odor strong.

"Um...sir?" Corwin asked.

"Yeah?" Sheridan said, already looking at other plans, wheeling and dealing with the fate of millions.

"What's the endgame?" Corwin inquired, deciding to steer clear of the issue of the...Emperor's hygiene.

"What do you mean?" he asked, not looking up from the reports.

"What happens once we beat the Vorlons?" Corwin pressed, "Do we keep fighting wars against those who don't believe with us? Do we turn the entire galaxy into an empire under your rule?"

"There are threats out there that need to be prepared for," Sheridan said, turning to look at him, "One I suspect has already begun infiltrating the galaxy. Garibaldi's reaction is exactly what I am talking about."

"And what is this threat?" Corwin asked, "Craziness?"

"No," Sheridan shook his head, "According to what Lorien told me, it's a race that was cast out of our dimension by beings that inhabited the Universe but were not of this galaxy. This race is called the Hand, and they take away all choice from those that serve them. They think they have choice. But no, even the Vorlons offer a choice. Punish you if it isn't their choice, but leaves at least a semblance of free will. With the Hand, that's not the case. We must be united to defeat them."

Corwin nodded. The argument was logical. But, it left many questions unanswered. Like what will this Terran Empire become? Will it become a form of Nazi Germany in space? A Roman Empire of the stars? A Communistic USSR of the Cosmos?

"I have also heard of another race the Vorlons fought," he said, "We should be united if they break through too I guess."

"Oh?" Sheridan leaned back, "And who would they be?"

"I've heard them called Thirdspace Aliens," Corwin said, "The Gods of Death. Surely we must be prepared for them as well."

Sheridan looked away from him, staring at something only his mind could conjure up. "Perhaps," he muttered, "Perhaps."


Sebastian paced around the throne room, beside himself in wroth. How had they not only taken the Prime Minister but escaped? How were they still evading them? All the Selvan's were able to claim was that they were blind to them.

Blind? How he asked. They used magic. Surely their powers were enough to defeat Technomancy. Techno-mages relied upon technology. Surely the organic and Vorlon powered abilities of the Selvan could overcome them. But no, obviously he was wrong.

A man hurried into the room, breathing heavily. It was a Narn by the name of...well, he had quiet forgotten it. Not that it mattered.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Our hyperspace probes are being destroyed one by one," he managed out with a single breath, all leading to..."

"Here," he grinded his teeth.

No, Sheridan was coming here! This couldn't be! He was supposed to hit Minbar. A whole Vorlon fleet was waiting in ambush there. The Vorlon fleet that was supposed to be here! They had planted the false information that Minbar was empty so they could lure him into a trap. And now all they had was a few Narn heavy cruisers and Selvan battleships. Well...that would have to do.

"I want High General Mo-Mok to deploy his fleet immediately!" he ordered, pointing to his puppet Centauri Minister of War, "Alert Warleader N'Stab that we will be having company. And send word at once to the Vorlon Fleet. Have them send ships here immediately!"


The hyperspace vortex's opened and as he sat on his flagship, the Shadowship Omega, he was able to see the pitiful defenses being thrown up. No, there would be no mercy this time. This time, they needed the pound of flesh. His people needed it.

"Marrago and Kulomani," he ordered through the fleet channel, "Swing to the dark side of the planet and flank any forces there. Corwin, lead the White Stars against the Selvan. Drakh are to attack the Narns. The rest are to take out the Planetary Defense Grid."

And soaring forward, the two fleets joined in heated battle.


"We have Centauri forces invading the planet through the night side," the Minister of War reported, hurrying in from the war council chambers, "And the Selvan forces are fleeing. The Narns have been wiped out to a man."

Sebastian felt furious. In less than twenty minutes, the battle was against him heavily. Where were the Vorlon forces? Why hadn't they arrived yet?

"Have you gotten a response back from the fleet near Minbar?" he demanded.

The Minister hesitated before answering. "Yes," he said, and left it at that.

"No!" he slammed his cane on the ground and the Minister yelped when electricity shot through his wrists, "You will tell me the response. When is the fleet to be here?"

"The response is this," the Minister said, rubbing his wrists, "The limb that has erred must be severed."

Sebastian's eye hardened. No help? They were calling him a limb that erred? How was that possible? He hadn't been the one to create the plans. That had been that idiot Vorcha's idea. He was the one who had said that the Vorlons needed to leave Centauri Prime bare because everyone knew how defended it was. Not him!

In a moment of rage, he raised his cane and slashed through the air and the entire contents of the Minister's stomach spilled out onto the ground. As the Minister fell, he suddenly heard a tisking noise behind him.

He turned and his eyes narrowed.

"Having problems with your staff?" Sheridan said, sitting on the throne of Centauri Prime, "Killing them is not the best way to correct them."

"How did you get down here?" Sebastian demanded, "There have been no reports of any ships landing on this side of the planet."

Sheridan chuckled. "It's time you pay for your crimes against me," he said, drawing a sword from his side, "And this time, I won't be submissive to your punishments."


Sebastian charged again and Sheridan met his attack with a deft parry of the blade. The blade and cane moved in a fine dance of steel and metal. One was a man of hundreds of years of experience which served him now. The other had the power of hundreds of millions flowing through him, giving his muscles the skills they needed to fend him off.

Sebastian backed off, and slammed his cane into the ground, sending a wave of energy through it. Sheridan hoped over it as if it had been a jump rope. Sheridan sent a string of white lightning from his fingertips which Sebastian caught with the handle of his cane and swing around in a circle shot it back. A flick of Sheridan's fingers sent it flying towards the ceiling.

"I never thought you were a power monger, Sheridan," Sebastian glowered at him.

"Should have killed me while you had a chance, Inquisitor," Sheridan smirked, "I'm by no means as easy to destroy as prostitutes are."

"The city was drowning in sin," Sebastian stated, blocking a stab by Sheridan, "Someone needed to save it."

"If I die today," Sheridan grinned, "I'll be known by my name. You, on the other hand, was never known as a Crusader. A liberator. Not even as Sebastian. Simply as Jack."

Sheridan kicked Sebastian hard in the stomach and he fell to the ground, still clutching his cane in one hand. Sheridan stepped over his and raised his sword high, blade pointed down. Sebastian saw his opened and with both hands pushed the tip of the cane towards Sheridan's chest, the cane becoming super heated as it hit Sheridan and drove through his heart.

"And now you die," Sebastian said, "All glory to the Vorlons."

Sheridan simply smiled and stabbed downwards, driving the sword through Sebastian's skull, cracking it and sending him sprawling. As Sebastian died, the real Sheridan nodded with approval as his hologram finished off the man who had caused such pain and torture in his life.

Jack the Ripper, was dead.