Part VI
Captain Fisher walked through the halls and passages
of Babylon 5. He was amazed at the immense size of the place.
He was made speechless by the intense history flowing through the station.
He had never thought he could be a part of that history, but it seemed
if this assault succeeded he would be.
Fisher heard silent footsteps behind him and turned
to face them.
"Hello Tess," Fisher said, "How are you?"
"Fine," she said, "I didn't know they were going
to do this Dave."
"Neither did I Tess," Fisher told her, "we're just
going to have to do our best."
She looked shyly to the floor and back up at him,
"Dave I ........," Tess couldn't finish the words.
"We should get to our ships, we leave soon," Fisher
said," let me walk you back to the launch bays."
"Captain Fisher, a word with you please," Sheridan
said as walked up behind them. Fisher and Fluentes stopped and turned
to face him. "Captain Fisher, I would like to personally thank you for
your efforts on behalf of the Interstellar Alliance. You are a credit
to Earthforce, and I wanted to wish you good luck on this mission."
"Thank you sir," Fisher said.
"Sir, I have a personal question for you," Fluentes
said, "It would have been inappropriate before, but... it has been bothering
me. Why do the Rangers keep bowing to you and calling you Entil'Zha?"
"When I decided to leave the Presidency, Delenn
filled that position. She found she could not juggle leading the
ISA and being head of the Anol'shak, the Rangers. So I became Ranger
One and carry the title Entil'Zha."
"I see. Thank you Mr. Vice-President," Tess
said.
"Well I had better get out of your way Captains,
good luck," Sheridan said.
"Thank you sir," Fisher and Tess said in unison.
Sheridan nodded and walked away. He stopped
a few steps down the hall, "Captains, the Enchantress will be meeting you
before you jump out. She'll lead the fleet at Angedilla." With
that Sheridan walked off.
Forty ships from the ISA's 1st Combat Fleet moved
gracefully through hyperspace. The Centauri Expeditionary Force,
thirty-three Vorchan class cruisers, sailed along with them. Captain
David Fisher stood looking out at the fleet from the observation deck.
"Impressive isn't Captain," Commander Cone commented
quietly from the back of the room.
Fisher turned to regard his first officer, "If you're
referring to the half dozen races working together, including some that
have hated each other, then yes it is impressive" Fisher responded.
"Actually I was referring to hyperspace itself,"
Cone replied, "you don't look like you in the mood to talk about interspecies
relations at the moment."
Fisher laughed softly but turned more serious and
said, "This entire battle depends on intelligence gathered from a broken
ship. If the data was wrong of falsified were in big trouble."
"True," Cone answered, "but if it is correct this
will be the first step in winning the war."
Fisher thought about that for a moment and said,
"In my entire life the only thing I every really wanted was to do the right
thing. I haven't always been able to do that. Today I'll have
my chance to make up for the times it didn't happen. I pray to God
that it will work."
Cone stared at his Captain for a moment. Then
the ships intercom activated, "All hands prepare for battle stations,"
Lt. Cordane's voice came crisply over the speakers, "Captain to the Bridge."
"It will work Dave," Cone said, "we'll do good today."
"I know Alan," Fisher said, "lets go."
"We are approaching the rendezvous point Captain,"
Cordane reported as Fisher stepped on to the Bridge with Cone close behind.
"Three more Centauri ships are waiting there along with the EAS Enchantress."
"Thank you Lt." Fisher responded.
"Sir, the Centauri ships are Octurian Class," Cordane
told him.
"Octurians," Cone said, impressed. "The Centauri
don't tend to throw those around much."
"No they don't," Fisher said, "Open a channel to
the Enchantress."
"Channel open," Cordane said.
"EAS Enchantress this is Captain Fisher of the Damocles,
please respond."
"Enchantress here Captain, go ahead," a strong women's
voice came over the Bridge speakers.
"Damocles hereby surrenders command of the 1st Combat
Fleet to you General," Fisher told her.
"Accepted Captain," the general said, "bring your
ships into formation." The fleet began to move with here orders.
"Ships moving to comply General," Fisher said.
"Very good Captain," She said.
"Ivanova to all ships," she began, "Prepare to jump
on my command."
Silence reigned for several minutes on the Bridge
of the Damocles as it did on all the ships of the fleet.
"JUMP!," Ivanova's order finally came.
Space in the Angedilla system brightened with dozens
of jump points forming simultaneously and the ISA fleet taking up positions
around the planet. Dozens of ships from across known space began
moving toward the unsuspecting Vyron fleet. The Vyron ships broke
out of their orbits and began to move toward the ISA armada.
The ISA ships began launching their fighters as
the Vyron approached. EA Thunderbolts, Starfuries, Minbari
Nial, Narn Frazi and Centuari Sentri fighters quickly moved to engage the
enemy ships while the Drazi sky serpents and other fighters stayed back
to defend the lager vessels.
"Ivanova to all ships, prepare to fire," the order
came. Now was the moment of truth, if the weapons modifications work
the the Vyron would begin to fall. If they fail they could all be
dead in short order.
"Fire at will," Ivanova commanded.
"Lt. Cordane, lock in a full spread of missiles
target all main batteries and open fire," Fisher ordered.
In an instant the sky became full of destructive
energy as the two fleet unleashed their fury. Ion bolts from the
Centauri ships struck the Vyron ships first quickly followed by the energy
weapons of the ISA fleet. Then the missiles began to hit the Vyron
vessels.
"Sir, it's not working, the Vyron shields are not
falling," Cordane reported.
"Can you confirm that Commander," Fisher asked?
"It's true," Cone responded the Vyron shields are
not failing."
"Fine, then we do it the old fashioned way," Fisher
said. "Lock all weapons on a single ship prepare the Fusion/Particle
Cannon. Fire!"
The F/P cannon shot out its destructive beam first
contacting the lead Vyron Cruiser but before the rest of the weapons fire
could reach it it exploded spectacularly. The missiles and heavily
ionized plasma bolts soared straight through the maelstrom.
"What happened," Fisher demanded.
"The Vyron shields are not blocking standard weapons
fire any more sir, they have become permeable to our weapons." Cordane
explained.
"Get me Ivanova," Fisher ordered.
Cordane indicated that he had her and Fisher began
to speak, "General, the Vyron ships cannot block standard weapons fire
anymore. We need to have more of our weapons firing non-ionized bolts."
"Understood Captain," Ivanova answered. "Macedon,
Whitestars 17, 14, 23 and 45 return to standard fire."
The battle continued to rage. The Vyron fighters
were incredible vessels both agile and well armed but the more experienced
ISA crews made quick work of the unshielded craft. Soon only one
Vyron Cruiser remained in the fight using the orbital base defenses as
its own.
"Ivanova to the fleet, prepare to take the Vyron
orbital base,"
The fleet began to form around the station.
Cursory fire was exchanged as the ships took their positions. The
last Vyron ship seemed intent on fighting to the end.
As the last ships moved into position Lt. Cordane
detected an energy spike. "Captain, jump points forming behind us
sir. Vyron fleet entering realspace!" Cordane reported.
"How many ships," Fisher asked?
"Fifty-two, sir"
Ivanova's voice carried out to the fleet, "All ships
turn to face the Vyron fleet. Get away form the planet and that base.
Good hunting. Ivanova out."
"Lt. can you set our cannons to rotate between ion
and standard fire," Fisher asked Cordane.
"Yes sir," Cordane said.
"Do it."
"Aye sir."
The Damocles began firing its Plasma and Pulse cannons
at the Vyron ships approaching them. Most of the energy penetrated
the shields but some was still shunted away from the ships.
The Alliance ships were slowly being pushed
back toward the planet.
"Their trying to back us into the gravity well,"
Cone noted.
"Yes they are," Fisher agreed. "Time to start
pushing back before they can use their supercannons on us. Lt. Cordane,
lock F/P cannon on the Vyron fleet and begin firing at targets maximum
firing rate."
"Captain, the cannons can't take that rate of fire
for long," Cordane said emphatically.
"I know Lt.," Fisher said, "But they will last longer
then us if the back us against a wall. Fire."
General Ivanova was trying to remember the old Egyptian
prayer that Sheridan spoke before the final battle in the Shadow War, but
with the ship falling apart around her she couldn't quite remember.
"General, the Damocles is clearing a path with its
main cannon. The Vyron lines are failing. The fleet is beginning
to move through the cracks," Captain Pereira reported.
Ivanova began saw what the Damocles was doing.
They'll burn out their F/P cannon doing that, she thought. Then again
if they didn't make it out what would it matter anyway.
"Captain, lets follow the Damocles' lead," Ivanova
said, "Fire main cannons at maximum rate."
"Yes General," he said.
The Enchantress' F/P cannons began to speak just
as the Damocles cannons were and Vyron ships began to burn with the assault.
The two updated Warlock class ships cut a path through the Vyron.
The remaining ISA ships followed behind the two mighty warships.
"Were clear of the planets gravity well General,"
Captain Pereira reported.
"Good," Ivanova responded. "Ivanova to all
ships, resume offensive we've got a mission to complete."
Captain Tessa Fluentes struggled back into her command
chair. The bridge of the Macedon was on fire, their engines were
failing and most of their weapons were off-line or worse. There were
hull breaches everywhere and power was shaky at best. The worst thing
was that they were drifting towards a Vyron cruiser.
"Send out a distress call, and get as many people
to the escape pods as possible," Fluentes ordered knowing the crew couldn't
make it to the escape pods in time.
The ship rocked with another impact, new fires burst
out all over the bridge.
"Lt. Commander Dusan lock all remaining weapons
on the nearest Vyron ship," Fluentes ordered. "We have to give the
crew as much time as we can."
"Captain, the Macedon is sending out a general distress
call," Comdr. Cone reported. Their weapons are failing and their
engines are pretty much dead."
"Where are they Alan?" Fisher asked the concern
evident in his voice.
"Not far sir, but they're drifting toward a battle
cruiser," Cone told him.
"Comdr. set course for the Macedon," Fisher ordered.
"Lt. Cordane clear us a path."
"Aye Captain," both men responded.
The Damocles moved toward the burning hulk of the
Macedon its forward weapons firing like mad to clear the way. Captain
David Fisher sat in his command chair clutching tightly to its armrests.
"ETA to the Macedon," he requested?
"Two minutes Captain," Cone replied.
"How long can they last," Cordane asked?
"Sure as hell better be longer than two minutes
Lt.," Fisher said.
"We're within the five hundred metre radius of the
Vyron guns Capt.," Dusan reported. "Only two hundred crew have gotten
of so far."
Two hundred, of a crew of over eight hundred plus
several thousand ground troops, Fluentes thought to herself. "Keep
firing Dusan. Everything we have."
"We are getting to close to that Vyron ship Captain,"
Cone observed.
"Yes we are," Fisher responded with suprising calm.
"Mr. Cordane kill that ship."
"Aye Captain," Cordane replied. "Firing F/P
cannon full power."
Suddenly the shipped rock violently. "The
Fusion/Particle cannon overloaded Captain," Cordane reported. "Fires
reported on the forward decks main guns are down, Plasma cannons dead,
Pulse cannon operating at reduced power."
"Lock in missile spread," Fisher ordered.
"Not enough time," Cone yelled, "their powering
their main guns."
"Evasive," Fisher demanded of the helm.
Just as Fisher began to resign himself to death,
the Vyron ship exploded violently taking a nearby destroyer with it.
Dumbfounded Fisher starred at the spot where death was to have come from
as four Centauri cruisers flew past the Damocles from out of the fire.
"The Centauri send their thanks," Cone said, "We
distracted the Vyron long enough for those Vorchan to take it out."
"Start picking up the Macedon survivors," Fisher
ordered. As he did that he noticed for the first time in several
minutes just how the overall battle was going.
The ISA had lost over twenty ships, but the Vyron
had lost more than thirty. The Vyron ships were struggling to get
back into formation their remaining seventeen ships. Just as he saw
this the Vyron orbital base began to explode. Massive blasts ripped
through the stations armor as secondary explosions completed the destruction
of the station.
"The Vyron are retreating," Ivanova's voice carried
over the comm., "Prepare to take the planet."
"Sir, we've got the entire surviving crew of the
Macedon aboard," Cone reported.
"Is Captain Fluentes among them?"
"Yes Captain."
Fisher leaned back into his chair, and after three
hours of battle finally allowed himself to relax a little. "Move
us into insertion orbit, prepare all drop ships for launch." he ordered.
"The last Vyron ship jumped into hyperspace Captain,"
Cordane reported, "They're gone."
"Good," Fisher said simply, "Comdr. you have the
Bridge."
_____________________
"'May God protect you from harm," Ivanova remembered,
"in all the empty places you must walk.'" She mumbled it to herself
as she returned to the bridge of the Enchantress. "Report," she said
to Captain Pereira as she took her seat on the bridge.
"Ground forces have moved into position General,"
Pereira said, "no resistance was offered as the Vyron appeared to have
committed suicide."
"Damn them," Ivanova said, "Anything useful down
there?"
"Not really General," he told her, "Susan the burned
everything. Everything, even themselves. There is nothing of
any value left."
"Why?," Ivanova asked, "for what purpose?
Who are they Jake? Why are they attacking us?
"I can't answer that General," Pereira told here,
"I can't even guess."
Ivanova turned away from him. There always
seems to be more 'empty places' she thought to herself. There was
however very little protection from harm.