Chapter 36

"Shattered Dreams"

TheOk'Shella:

Kerilos, Carpina, and Emphali squadrons, a total of eighteen ships had already begun their attack runs. Alyt Darcannon onboard the Ok'Shella glared at the EarthForce ships preparing to give their lives in the defense of their world. By themselves, they didn't have a chance. Their global defensive systems would be all but useless against what was coming. But that was what was frightening. Titan had been protected, as had their moon. But there was nothing in orbit that he could see that could stop his people from consigning the world into nuclear hell. Long-ranged, extreme-yield thermonuclear missiles each rated five hundred to eight hundred megatons, had been decided upon as the weapon of choice. That would be followed up by volleys of nerve agents proven to be effective against Humans. It would have taken too long to destroy the world with fusion cannon, not with the resistance that the Earthers were putting up. He was sickened by the thought of genocide but understood the necessity. The Humans were too dangerous to be allowed to live and now, there was no turning back. They all had moved past the point of no return.

As the squadrons were closing in on their targets, so was his. The stealth Sharlins prepared for their assault on a small island located that the edges of a huge ice continent. There was almost no human life in the region but what had caught his interest was a station emitting huge amounts of tachyons. Further analysis had indicated that this was 'the' relay station for the entire EarthForce command and control fleet that allowed the Earthers to see through Minbari stealth. It was undoubtedly designed by the colonial Humans. And if it could be destroyed then EarthForce would be crippled. Even if the Minbari had to retreat without completing their mission, the second fleet arriving in two days would find an uncoordinated, weakened defensive force. They would be easier prey, unlike this night of war and death.

The attack run began. And now it was his turn.

"All vessels prepare to jump in one minute."

The Diamond of Drokhor:

"There it is!" Shakiri exclaimed. "The Excelsior, the destroyer of 'Blood of Saints'." He turned to his crew. "Order the squadron to prepare for engagement."

A small group of Earther ships attacking them had just been annihilated, their wreckage was being knocked out of the way but that scene served only to galvanize him. This was the fight he most desired. The first of the Federation ships to be seen in this part of space by the Minbari people was within his grasp. It was the captain, a Human whose name was known as Sulu would pay for the pain and humiliation his kind had caused the Minbari. Why the Earthers had blasted his name and the others across space was something he would never comprehend. He didn't really care, though. The name of a worthy Human you intended to kill was of great value. It was important was that he knew the name of his enemy and the killer of his friend Alyt Rannaonn. True friends were a precious commodity and the loss of that one had hurt him almost as much as the death of Dukhat.

That vessel was the leader of a combat group of fifteen ships. All of them were arrogant, having killed twice their number of Minbari warships in their last encounter alone. Their apparent efficiency as a unit made them all the dangerous. However Shakiri had an edge. Four of his vessels were equipped with Vorlon-shields and two of them had Vorlon energy weapons proven to overwhelm and destroy UFOP ships.

"Move towards them now and offer challenge," he ordered. Now he took a moment to study those he planned to kill. "Let then know the name of their destroyers."

Normal sensors could not overcome UFOP shield emissions, however the Vorlon scans could, and instead of a fuzzy image, the ship appeared in all of its alien glory. There were two other ships that closely resembled the vessel upon first glance. But they were somewhat smaller and less curvy than the Excelsior. That ship was wide in the front but far more tapered at the end where the elongated engines were located. And the struts that supported engines were at an almost ninety degree angle as opposed to the twenty degree angle of its small companions. The smaller saucer-shaped ships were little more than saucers with engines attached to them from underneath and weapons pods on a tower above the saucer. As artistic and ungainly as they were, their lethalness was beyond doubt. The Earther ships with them enjoyed their protection as they handed out death along with the others.

He hated them all. The Star Riders had lost too many warriors this day and their lost souls demanded retribution.

The combat group heard and understood the challenge and were headed his way.

"Now it begins," he whispered.

Berlin system:

"Are you ready, Mr. Cody?"

The younger Officer nodded, firmly controlling his expression. "Yes, Sir. Lieutenant Frabe'en has finished with the required distractions and displays in Engineering. In the event that the situation does not go as planned, I would like to take this moment to state for the record that Commander Gaarvim has assisted us above and beyond the call of duty."

Acaltha twitched an antenna slightly. "Duly noted, Mr. Cody."

"Thank you, Sir. We'll do our best."

"That is to be expected, Commander. After all we are Starfleet. Co-ordinate your timers with Mr. Vickers, and await the command to begin. Brinks, out."

"Tyr, out."

The Commodore turned to his Communications Officer. "Are all ships in position?"

"Yes, Sir. General Korrd's people are prepared, and General Chang's contingent has already begun his approach to the planet heading towards it from the local primary."

The old Andorian smiled a smile many Orion pirates had seen; seen once, and never again. "Excellent. I'm certain Chang will enjoy this. Put up tactical, Mr. Vickers."

The bridge screens changed to reflect the current soon-to-be combat zone as depicted by the passive sensors of a number of Class VIII multi-mission drones configured for covert observation CommanderM'zell's tail twitched absentmindedly. "Who'd have ever thought that a 'low-observability' sensor package intended for the anthropological studies of pre-warp cultures would prove useful in times of war?"

Acaltha shrugged at his first Officer. "Who would have thought that star travel was possible with sub-lightspeed spacecraft, Number One? This entire war won't merely enter the history books. It may end up re-writing a number of them."

The Caitian laughed. "And to think you were certain you'd escaped the cruel grasp of the historians, Sir."

Commander Vickers interrupted. "Sir, all ships report synchronized with command time pulse. Countdown is at T-minus ninety... Mark. Countdown holding at ninety seconds. Tyr reports ready to proceed with Act One."

"Send to all ships Raise Curtain."

-+-

"Venn Rii!"

Kozorr ra Shaibar'nik, the frustrated commander of the detachment of Minbari ships guarding the forward supply base his people had established at the former human outpost of Berlin system, spun towards the anxious shout of his sensor officer. "What?"

"Sir! It appears... it appears to be a UFOP ship! ONE UFOP ship Sir, by itself."

"On screen! Now!" The Alyt nearly jumped out of his seat.

One of the ugly looking Vree-like ships appeared, centered in the hologram floating before the captain's position. Even from this distance, it appeared to be drifting somewhat helplessly. The characteristic blue glow of its engines sputtered. The ship seemed to be trying to maintain a specific heading but had having trouble doing so.

"Get me a close-up. Immediately!"

The Sensor Officer did his best. "The craft appears to be leaking highly energized plasma from the long cylinders, Sir. Additionally, sensors indicate significant amounts of free oxygen and water vapor near the saucer portion." The image on the screen doubled in size as he employed visual enhancement programs. Large black stains on the saucer grew even larger as the image increased in size.

"It's damaged," whispered Kozorr.

"Sir?"

He hadn't even realized he'd spoken aloud. No matter. Here was the opportunity of a lifetime - no! OF TEN lifetimes!

"The UFOP ship is damaged! It's seeking a habitable system in which to either make repairs, or where they can safely abandon ship." He lunged towards his communications Officer. "Alert all ships. I want the UFOP ship taken intact! Do NOT damage it any further. If they request surrender terms... do not give them, but do not deny them! Be evasive! Allow them to board shuttles, if need be!"

"But Rii! They might attempt to escape-"

"Escape? To where?" he asked. "We control this system, we control this planet. Even if they do land successfully, where will they go?" The Commander was elated. Here he was, stuck inside his own territory, unable to participate in one of the greatest battles of the times. There was no chance for glory or promotion here. He was a warrior, a great one at that who never had the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities against a worthy foe. Being so far from enemy lines ate at him. But his fortune had just changed for the better and he intended to make the best of it."Let them wander this world as refugees," he told his crew, "if that is what they wish. All that matters is that we take that ship intact! We must have their shields, their weapons, their star drive. If the cost of that is allowing a few humans and aliens to live out the pathetic remains of their lives as naked savages on an uninhabited world, then that is punishment enough for them! Let them flee, let them live, but take that ship intact! But be cautious. These aliens and the Humans are a crafty species. And they have used deceitful practices upon us before."

-+-

General Chang (of the One Eye as many called him – but not to his face) would never lower himself so much as to smirk in public. Still, the temptation to do so was well-nigh irresistible. Korrd was apparently correct about the old Andorian - he seemed to be able to find opportunities where none existed, even making them up on the spot, if need be. The thought of attacking a planetary base from within the planet's atmosphere would not normally occur to a Klingon warrior - they'd simply eradicate the target from orbit and be done with it. But the tachyon beams these Minbari cowards were fond of using made the cloaking device less useful; even his own improved model, a fact that irritated him profoundly.

He made a mental note to have his researchers look into that. The beings of this area of space used tachyon-based transmissions regularly, and if the Empire was to take a permanent interest in the area, something WOULD have to be done about that weakness.

The three Birds of Prey skimmed over the surface of the planet, hugging the ground and keeping the horizon between themselves and the former Human listening outpost that these Minbari had chosen to infest. Foolish of them. They'd have been better served by constructing a base of their own. As it was, they did little but inherit the known defects of the human base. Defects that the Andorian had obtained from the primitive Human military and had passed along to him.

He turned towards his communications Officer. "Bor'k. Klaa." The warrior raised both Captains immediately.

"One torpedo each. Then break contact as planned."

Both officers nodded eagerly.

-+-

Cody watched anxiously as the remote sensors reported an energy buildup consistent with the formation of a jump point taking place a few hundred kilometers away from his ship.

"All hands, prepare for battle. Panic parties to your shuttles. I repeat, all hands prepare for battle, panic parties to your shuttles; stand by for launch."

Three jump points manifested, with a trio of Minbari Tinashi-class frigates exiting from them. They were in an enveloping formation designed to make sure that his ship couldn't escape. But they were being cautious by the way they slowly approached the damaged vessel.

"We're receiving a broadcast from the Minbari, Sir. They apparently think that we're either heavily damaged or stone cold deaf, as they're broadcasting on every possible frequency at full power," noted Lt. Josette at communications.

"On speakers, please."

"...Repeat, UFOP ship, lower your shields, disarm your weapons and surrender your ship intact and undamaged or be utterly destroyed. Any attempts to scuttle your ship will be severely punished. Repeat, UFOP ship, lower your shields, disarm your weapons and surrender your ship intact or be utterly..."

Cody raised an eyebrow in unconscious imitation of an officer he'd trained under at the Academy. "Subtlety must not be one of the redeeming traits of the Minbari, I suppose. Panic parties, this is the Captain speaking. Launch now. I repeat, launch now. Maskirovka parties, proceed with special effects. Repeat, proceed with special effects."

Lieutenant Enid sighed bitterly. "That's a sad waste of prime aged beefsteak."

"Better the beefsteak than us," noted Lieutenant. Josette dryly.

Both officers nodded.

-+-


In the Tyr's shuttlebay, a pair of Type One shuttles, suitably adorned with random scorch-marks and leaking various gases, powered up and launched, attempting to take a semi-circular course that would lead them around the three Minbari ships, hopefully well out of range of the powerful neutron beams used by the Tinashis.
At the same time, several hundred pounds of fresh Terran beef, appropriately clad in environmental suits, were vigorously thrown out of the shuttle bay by crewmembers in powered suits. The crew took care to toss each suit in a slightly different direction, and to see that they would tumble randomly once they had exited the shuttle bay.

Once done, those crew members evacuated the bay, taking shelter while the forcefield protecting the bay was dropped for thirty seconds. The resultant gust of exiting atmosphere took with it any loose objects left in the bay, along with the usual dust and such unnoticed volatiles as were often spilled on the deck of a ship's small craft bay.

Just the very sort of items a badly damaged ship might be leaking.

"Captain? The Minbari are attempting to lock weapons on us."

Cody gave Lt. Rava a quizzical look. "Attempting?"

"Well, they're trying, sir. It's just that their sensors are so utterly pathetic, the closest they're getting to a weapons lock is the general area encompassed by our shields. They're going to have to settle for 'close enough' and optical target locks."

The young Captain shook his head in mid disbelief. "The Commodore was right. This is like being attacked by munchkins. Vicious killer munchkins with deadly weapons, granted, but still..." Cody shrugged. "All right, Mr. Rava. Give them some sensor interference to chew on for the next few seconds. Mr. Josette? Is Commander Vicker's little surprise package ready for transmission?"

"In twenty seconds... Mark!"

-+-

The sensor officer on board the lead Tinashi pointed excitedly towards his screen. "Rii! There are bodies among the debris! The ship is heavily damaged."

"Excellent! Continue the broadcast. Avoid any weapons fire upon the shuttles, just as Venn Rii Kozorr commands. The longer we can persuade the Humans that they have a chance to survive, the longer they will refrain from firing their scuttling charges. Continue to approach at flank speed!"

"As you command, Venn Rii!"

"And... NOW! Transmit!"

A powerful signal swept through the entire Berlin system.

It had been a long time since the Minbari had fought any species they'd considered an equal. Too long. Without any real competition, the Minbari people had fallen into that most insidious of traps, that of groundless contempt for their opponents. They knew they were superior. The Vorlons had told them that they were superior. What need had a superior race for elaborate precautions?

That was the reason was why the powerful pulse emanating from the 'damaged' Federation ship took the Minbari fleet by total surprise.

Echoed and amplified by the scattered observation probes throughout the system, the pulse entered the ships much like the earlier broadcast at the Jericho system, perceived by the Minbari's crystalline technology as a series of instructions, compatible with all of their shipboard data processing systems, bypassing the few security programs and hardware firewalls that were in place. Not that there were many, as the Minbari saw little need for them. After all - how could the younger races possibly obtain access to the computer cores of a Minbari warship?

How indeed.

Throughout the system, the cores of every Minbari ship, warship or merchant vessel, shut themselves down. Panic reigned supreme as screens blanked, monitors went dark, and engineers cursed as they reached for emergency manual controls that hadn't been used in decades for anything other than testing purposes.

Even the small Minbari base inhabiting the former human listening post went dark. As did their constant tachyon scans for the 'invisible' ships of the human's animal allies.

-+-

General Chang laughed harshly as the relayed reports from the Federation's passive probes showed that the constant sweeping scans from the Minbari base had ceased.

"Full speed, all ships. Fire as soon as the base is in sight."

-+-

While the Minbari hadn't suffered from an attack of information warfare in centuries, it had happened during the first Shadow War. Countermeasures had been devised; procedures had been put in place. Tradition meant that crews had been trained in how to use them, even if no one believed they would ever be used again. So, almost instinctively, the Minbari began an emergency switch-over to hardened, read-only systems designed to withstand any external attack.

They never got the chance.

To their stunned surprise, their systems came back online by themselves. Screens, displays and instruments relit themselves throughout the fleet. But not with the information that the crews expected. On every screen, to the confusion of those crews, was the same image.

A humanoid skull, suspended over a pair of crossed swords, its jawbone slowly moving up and down. The movement was accompanied by an awful, atonal, nerve-wracking sound that one warrior identified as human laughter.

It was the last sound most of the warrior class would ever hear.

-+-

General Chang fired the first shots in the Battle of Berlin. His Bird of Prey spat out a single photon torpedo on a timed setting, while the twinned disrupters opened fire on the base, seeking out targets of opportunity in the fraction of a second that his ship still had them. Bor'k and Klaa followed him, Klaa taking personal command of the gunnery station of his ship, as was his habit.

The three timed torpedoes, the largest that the B'rel's carried, rocketed forward, forming a triangle around and just outside of the Minbari base before they detonated.

The blast waves from the three antimatter weapons met in the dead center of the base, one hundred meters above ground level.

They left nothing behind but a crater.

The three B'rel's then headed for space like homesick angels.

-+-

The Trigati:

The attacked squadrons lead by Alyt Sinoval were less than twenty seconds from launch when without warning, a ring of huge defensive platforms appeared from nowhere in orbit.

"It's a trap!" a very wide-eyed Sinoval managed to scream into communications. Prepare to – "

He never finished giving the order.

The Trigati and the five ships of the Carpina squadron were vaporized by a wave of twenty Klingon photon torpedoes followed by heavy disruptor fire.

Kerla had demanded that Earth Alliance use Klingon defensive platforms as a matter of honor. Too much reliance on Federation technology was undermining the Klingon effort, he had said. Admiral Tapin agreed and Earths first line of defense was the Klingon Starkiller defensive platforms. And unlike phasers, Klingon disruptors were designed to punish as well as kill. Many of the Minbari suffered horribly as their bodies slowly fell apart even as their ships died around them.

As a last gesture of defiance, the twelve ships remaining released as many of their missiles as they could before falling prey to EarthForce and allied weapons. Thirty four missiles escaped their doomed vessels, heading for the planet before the last ship was destroyed. Klingon and Earth-based Global Orbital Defensive systems took out all but five.

Four of those missiles were intercepted by Federation ground-based phaser stations. One missile was allowed to survive and detonated over London some one hundred miles above the city as the planetary shield covering the area deflected the blast and radiation. The sight of the blast was almost as impressive as the collective shock that rocked every Minbari watching its detonation.

-+-

The Ok'shella: same time

Alyt Darcannonn had timed his attack to coincide exactly with the attack on the Earther planet. Instead of generalized targets of opportunity, his was a specific goal. But unlike many of his fellow warriors, he had no illusions about the success of this entire mission. He had witnessed first hand the dangers of the Earthers' unpredictability. Shakiri's fleet was already under fire when his vessels exited hyperspace on their own attack run, firing their neutron and antimatter cannon at full power, at the lone island throwing out the powerful tachyon emissions. Two of his squadron were already generating warp points for them all to re-enter hyperspace as soon as possible. The entire attack would take only fifteen seconds from start to completion. This was a stealth technique developed by members of his clan.

Seconds after emerging from the jump point, all ten ships were hammering the island with every weapon at their disposal. Three seconds after that, the first of his Sharlins dissolved into splinters as it was hit by some type of orbital defensive platform that had locked onto, overridden the stealth fields, and had fired dual energy beams into the heart of the vessel next to the commander of the fleet. One Sharlin floundered as the crew tried valiantly to keep from entering the atmosphere while its engines were still at full power. It was already burning when another ship was hit, it being speared clean through. That one broke apart into three pieces, two of which detonated tearing themselves apart. The third piece simply floated towards the planet and its inevitable destruction.

Darcannonn watched frantically as neutron and anti-matter strikes turned the small island a boiling inferno. The island base exploded, then disappeared underneath a torrent of dark rolling clouds. Volcanic plumes could be seen just beginning to sprout from the hole that had replaced the small land mass. Rolls of steam covered the entire area for dozens of kilometers in all directions as superheated magma collided with frigid ocean water. But he didn't have time to admire his handiwork. His small group was being cut to pieces just as Sinoval's was. Sensors recorded the Trigati's destruction just as what remained of his squadron was pulled back into the blessed embrace of hyperspace.

His entire body was shaking. Only three of his vessels had survived that attack run. The rest had either been destroyed outright or mutilated in some way by the beam weapons. He knew at least two in his command had been plummeting towards the Human world's atmosphere and there was nothing he could have done to save the crews. One Tinashi and an additional Sharlin had survived intact. The grief for his losses was almost too much for him to bear. Those under his command had been trained by him and now all he could do is lament their deaths. This fight was over. There was no way the surviving fleet could destroy the planet, not with those twice-cursed energy shields protecting their cities from bombardment while their space defenses cut Minbari warships into little pieces.

The response time of the enemy had been most frightening and his report was going to reflect the inefficiency of the stealth fields and armor. The Minbari people were headed for disaster unless they could find a way to improve the stealth fields and counter the enemy sensors. Armor needed to be improved. They needed more powerful weapons and faster ships. And he was going to add a scathing commentary on Minbari tactics that he prayed the Grey Council would listen to. Essentially, there were none. The days when the Minbari could overcome their enemy by force of arms was over. That had to change immediately and they didn't have much time to do so before they were wiped out as a race by these aliens.

As he continued to scrutinized the battle via satellites placed within the system by the Minbari, he wonder why the base he destroyed hadn't been protected by the force fields that were so obviously now protecting the cities. There had to be a scientific reason why the island was so vulnerable. It was very likely that the shields interfered with the detailed data transmission require to keep a combat group aware of everything around them. It could have been something else entirely. But that information and his opinions would go into the report as well. Slowly his ship, Warblade, and Silent Thunder removed themselves from the battle. They had one more mission to complete.

-+-

Midnight's Dream:

The moment the Trigati had been torn apart by those Klingon defensive platforms, Neroon knew that the battle was lost. The presence of the energy shield protecting the Earther's planet precluded any chance of victory. There weren't enough of his forces left to fight though the Earther ships, those supremely dangerous defensive platforms that seem to disappear on a whim and then batter down the force shield protecting the planet. There was a possibility of successful a conclusion to this mission, but it came at too high a cost. His fleet had reached a breaking point. Most of the commanders had seen the results of the offensive strike against Earth and the missile's wasted detonation on the planetary shield and that had stretched their weakening resolve to the breaking point. The enemy forces were down to less than fifteen percent but that mattered little if their forces shredded themselves against those invisible platforms and the planetary shields.

Tinashi squadrons backed up by Tigaras attacked a ragged force of Earther ships trying to take advantage of the confusion to tear even larger holes in his defenses and were doing a decent job of it before they were driven off. The gap was secured just as two large Klingon warships supported by three of the smaller ones hit the exact same area. His people were being butchered and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Then one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen appeared before him in the form of dozens of jump points. The Minbari forces from Io had arrived and were pouring fresh fire at the enemy vessels. Even the colonials and their allies had to respect the amount of firepower they were throwing at them. Their shields had taken a severe beating and there were reports that several of the enemy shields had collapsed and those vessels had withdrawn to pepper his fleet with long distance fire. But the presence of the reinforcements had galvanized him to react quickly.

"Order the reinforcements to continue their saturation fire to cover our withdrawal," the Alyt proclaimed with righteous conviction. "There will be another time." He looked at the screen, staring at a planet that had defied and mocked him – and all Minbari. "Your time will come," he roared at the image. "You'll still be there."


Berlin system:


"Act Two, Commander."

The Caitian smiled, and relayed the order. Captain von Schlichten and Captain Gruen dropped out of warp with their six ships, while the Brinks positioned itself to protect the Tyr.

All six ships opened fire on the three Tinashis, two Federation ships to each Minbari. All three died in fire before they even realized they were being attacked.

General Korrd smiled savagely. "Decloak. Forward and attack."

The old D-7 and its two attendant B'rel's dropped their cloaks, raised shields, and charged forward, attracting the horrified attention of the five Minbari ships that had remained behind to protect the forty cargo ships. Those five ships had already turned to attack the three animal ships that had just destroyed their planetside base, and were out of position to successfully defend their charges. Only their rear-mounted weapons could target the three new ships, and those were of limited power.

The six Klingon vessels made short work of the Minbari ships split between defending themselves and defending their cargo-carrying charges.

Like the others, Kozorr ra Shaibar'nik and his crews died in fire.

-+-

Acaltha glared at his command displays. "Instruct all ships to scan for any further armed enemies. If any of the cargo ships are armed, deal with them now. Prepare for Intermission and Act Three."

Commander Vickers nodded, and passed the orders along.

The Commodore leaned back in his seat and grimaced. "Now for the diplomacy."

His First Officer smirked at him. "Don't worry, sir. You only failed that course twice at the Academy. You did achieve a passing grade on the third try."

"Isn't there an old Human saying about insolence and cats, Commander M'Zell?"

"That's curiosity, Sir. Doesn't apply. Just consider this my contribution towards your regular therapeutic ego deflation."

Acaltha merely growled quietly.

TBC