************** CHAPTER THREE ****************
WAR ROOM; BABYLON 5JANUARY 7, 2272, 02:33 EST ****************
Barnes' vision had begun to blur, staring at the war room map screen for the five hours was doing nothing for him. The fatigue combined with the stress of the situation was wearing the Admiral's patience thin. Surely the White Stars should have found something by now. Then Barnes considered the area they had to search, combined with the limited number of ships they had available and the difficulties of conducting a search in hyperspace and he was not surprised that there had been no sighting of any Narn ships.
Since he had arrived in the war room, he and Taylor had been further briefed by Rourke, seeing images of the empty space docks where the Narn fleet had been previously birthed only days before. They had then dispatched orders to the White Stars in the area to begin conducting a thorough search for the missing ships. This had been followed by him contacting Ambassador Ta'lon, the Narn representative to the Alliance, who had said exactly what Barnes believed he would, that he had no idea where there fleet had gone. Barnes was no stranger to how such things worked and new that even if Ta'Lon knew, he would say nothing about it. The Admiral, however, had instinct to trust the Ambassador.
After speaking with Ta'Lon and trying, unsuccessfully, to contact the Kha'Ri on the Narn home world, he had contacted President Sheridan on Minbar. The President had naturally expressed concern over the situation but had said he was leaving it Barnes' capable hands and that he would expect a fully briefing when he arrived on the station later today. Until that moment, Barnes had forgotten that Sheridan would be en-route to the station today for the ceremony. He made a mental note to see to dispatching additional escorts for the President's ship once this situation with the Narns had been resolved.
That is, if the situation with the Narns could be resolved.
Though he did not know what Na'Goth was planning, he did know one thing about the Narn Warleader, he was mad and it was his madness, his thirst for revenge that drove him in all things. What was guiding Na'Goth was not his mind, his tactical genius, it was his burning need to make the Centauri feel the pain the Narns felt all while returning his people to what he believed to be their rightful place in the universe.
"White Star Thirty-Two checked in ten minutes ago, still no sign of the Narn fleet on any of the normal hyperspace routes." Admiral Taylor reported, the sound of his voice giving away that his patience was also wearing thin. Still, Taylor's composure never faltered, even under situations of extreme stress, which was one of the reasons Barnes had brought him onboard as second-in-command of the Army of Light.
"Na'Goth won't use normal hyperspace routes," Barnes countered, sluggishly standing from the center meeting table and dragging himself through a pace around the room. "Not for what he's planning anyways." Barnes noted, scratching his chin.
Though he did not know what Na'Goth's plan was, he was certain that it was something he would want to go undetected until he unveiled it. Barnes' job was to keep him from doing so.
Taylor scrolled through the list of reports that were coming in from the White Stars conducting the search for the Narn fleet. "The Night's Eye along with White Stars Eighty-One and One-Eleven are conducting their search as far off the hyperspace beacon as possible, starting with the area around the Narn home world and spreading their search pattern outward. But with the limited range of sensors in hyperspace and the amount of space to cover, it'll be luck if they find anything." Taylor's voice did not encourage hope and with good reason. The majority of the time, when a fleet was detected in hyperspace, they were riding a primary beacon and tripped an early warning net. A fleet traveling off the primary beacons did not have to worry about such things, as most believed no one would dare trying to move an entire fleet far enough off the beacon to avoid detection.
Na'Goth was another story altogether. Barnes, Taylor and Rourke had learned from their share of experiences with him that he did not care about the risks he took, so long as he accomplished his goals in the end.
Barnes rubbed his head. He could not think clearly and was tempted to go to his quarters for an hour or two of sleep but put those thoughts from his mind. This was where he needed to be. If, when they found Na'Goth's fleet, this is where choices would be made, choices that would have to be made in a second's notice, choices that could start or stop a war and he had to be here to make those choices.
Vice Admiral Taylor concentrated on readings the reports from the White Stars as they came in. Focusing entirely on his work allowed him to block everything else from his mind. The stress, the fatigue, all of it subsided as he focused on his work, on trying to predict what moves Na'Goth was making. Barnes was counting on him for his opinions on the decision he would be forced to make.
Julia Rourke occupied herself with studying intelligence reports on the Centauri colonies nearest the Narn border. Jerry Barnes had indicated he believed Na'Goth was planning to launch an attack against the Centauri and that was in line with everything Alliance Intelligence had on the Narn Warleader. The reclamation of the Narn Regime had perpetrated his thoughts since the Centauri left their world in 2261, at the end of the Shadow War.
Julia had pulled everything Alliance Intelligence had on those Centauri colonies near the border and was now trying to determine which would make a likely first target for the Narn attack. In doing so, she was taking all factors into consideration, their proximity to Narn territory, proximity to other potential Centauri targets, strategic value, natural resources and their defenses. Not that she had deluded herself into thinking of their information on the Centauri was anywhere near accurate. Though relationships with the Centauri were cordial, they had not yet reached the level where they openly shared their military secrets with the Alliance. As such, they relied on reports from the Rangers and other intelligence sources to base their estimates on.
After several minutes of sluggishly pacing about the room, lost in his thoughts, Barnes yanked a chair from the center meeting table and planted in it, fixing his gaze once again upon the map screen. It was zoomed in on the area near the Narn/Centauri border where the White Stars were conducting their search and displayed in real time the location of their ships both in real space and the relative position of those that were searching hyperspace, as best their location could be correlated given the differences between the two realms. As he watched the White Stars and cruisers fly through their respective search patterns, his eyes moved to the Centauri star systems nearest the Narn border.
Though Barnes did not know Na'Goth well, he believed he understood him well enough to think as though he were in his position. Na'Goth was passionate about his convictions, passionate enough that he would allow it to play a factor in his strategy. A though. The Admiral snapped around with renewed vigor, pointing to a Lieutenant at the rear of the war room. "You!" Barnes announced loudly.
"Yes sir," the Lieutenant said sheepishly, caught off guard by the sudden burst from the Admiral.
"Put up an overlay," Barnes ordered, springing from his chair and waving his arms across the map. "Show me all the planets in Centauri space that used to belong to the Narns before the war in '59 along with the dates when they were lost to the Centauri." The Lieutenant accessed the Interstellar Alliance database and the image on the screen was soon changed to show several Centauri planets with the symbol of the Narn Regime overlaid on top of them with the corresponding dates of their loss to the Centauri below.
Barnes studied the map intently, as did Taylor and Rourke who were both trying to determine what the Admiral was getting at. Barnes stalked closer to the screen, his eyes that of a hunter as he gazed upon the screen. Na'Goth and his fleet were out there, Barnes knew it and all he had to do was think like Na'Goth to learn where they were. Inching ever closer to the screen, Barnes focused on a single planet. He barely remembered it, having seen the name once before while in command of the EAS Elysium during the Narn/Centauri war in an intelligence update from Earth Force.
During the opening days of the war, the Narns made significant advances into Centauri territory until the Centauri mobilized their fleet. The Narn offensive was steadily beaten back and the Centauri began the conquest of the Narns. This system had been the first to fall once the offensive against the Regime had begun. Barnes understood the sense of justice Na'Goth possessed to be somewhat poetic. Were he in the shoes of the Narn Warleader, he could think of no better place to begin rebuilding the Regime.
"There!" Barnes roared, extending his finger and pointing towards the system and catching the attention of every officer in the war room as he did so. "That's where Na'Goth is going to hit first!"
Rourke slid behind his shoulder and took notice of the system he was indicating. She had reviewed the information on that system and aside from its proximity to the Narn border, there was little in the way of strategic value or natural resources that could interest the Narns. "Admiral, with all due respect, any of the other systems here would make a more value first strike target than this one." Julia said, a tint of trepidation in her voice as she spoke. Barnes, when he was sure of his theories, was not one who took a liking to others disagreeing with them.
Barnes nodded several times in rapid succession, admitting that Julia was right. The next planet in line after this one had a substantial supply of several minerals that would be useful in starship and weapon construction while another possessed a fully functional repair yard. She was right that any of those targets would make for more logical first moves but the strange thing about revenge was that it was not always guided by logic and, in the end, what Na'Goth cared about more than anything was revenge against the Centauri. Barnes knew this better than most other humans could, having experienced his rage for revenge on a first-hand basis.
"You're right," Barnes snapped about at the waist and looked Rourke in the eye. "But that's where he's heading," Barnes said confidently. "Mike," the Vice Admiral's head popped away from reading his reports as the Admiral addressed him. "What's our closest ship to that area?"
"The Night's Eye," Taylor answered quickly, having already checked the positioning of their forces when Barnes had first displayed an interest system. "We can have three White Stars there to back them up within twenty minutes."
"No," Barnes said, a plan of action now coming to his mind. If he was to stop the Narns, those White Stars would be needed. "Tell the Night's Eye to alter their search pattern and scour that area. Send a message to the rest of our ships to form up in hyperspace near that location and await further orders." Taylor quickly made his way to the communications station to begin carrying out the Admiral's orders, not completely understanding the reasoning in having the remainder of their ships simply standby and wait while one conducted the search.
"Admiral, shouldn't we send more ships to help the Night's Eye, that's a lot of area for one ship to cover?" Rourke asked suspiciously.
"No," the Admiral replied instantly without thought to consider her questions. "If I'm right we're going to need those ships to stop Na'Goth once we find him and we won't have the time needed for them to regroup if they're split up."
"Admiral, twenty-four White Stars and three cruisers aren't enough to take on a whole Narn fleet if it comes down to a shooting match. They'll be killed." Rourke argued against his plan, a concerned smoothness to her voice and her deep blue eyes carrying a gentle burden upon them.
"No, they'd be killed instantly but I know Na'Goth and those ships might be all we need to stop this from spiraling into a war with the Centauri."
"If Na'Goth acts the way you think he will."
"He will."
"You're sure?"
"Completely."
"And if he doesn't?"
"God help us and the crews of those ships out there."
"You think Na'Goth would fire on our ships?" Julia asked, taken aback at the idea. Though she had seen it before, she could not easily come to grips with the idea of someone turning so violently on people who were supposed to be their allies.
"He believes is cause the only one Julia, a holy cause," Barnes answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "If he feels our ships can interfere with his cause, then yes, if he thinks firing on and destroying our ships will further his goals and allow him to continue on his holy crusade, then yes, he will."
"Great," Julia commented with a sigh. "A megalomaniac Narn with six-hundred warships." Barnes, far past the point where he would be amused by her sarcasm, glared in her direction. "Well somebody had to say it," she added with a shrug of her shoulders. Barnes slowly turned his head away from her as the two of them returned to watching the screen and their forces as they carried out his orders.
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IAS NIGHT'S EYE; HYPERSPACEJANUARY 7, 2272, 02:48 EST
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Natalie Johnson glided across the bridge, which was stained by the red light of hyperspace emanating from the view ports, of the battle cruiser, her black Ranger robes flowing with her movement, as her communication's officer, a Narn, Makeel, who was not so much younger than she, advised her of an incoming transmission from Babylon 5. As she hovered over his shoulder, the Narn's hands worked quickly to decode the message from the Army of Light command. Though the Night's Eye was ultimately under the authority of the Anla'Shok Council and the Entil'Zha, those had yielded some authority to Admiral Barnes and his staff when it came to the assignments and missions of the White Star Fleet.
The message from Babylon 5 was a simple, text-only, set of orders, directing them to concentrate their search in hyperspace around a particular Centauri planet near the border of Narn territory, saying that they had reason to believe that was where the Narn fleet was en-route. She ordered him to send a coded message acknowledging the orders and to resume scanning all known communications channels to try and locate the Narn fleet. If they had, for some reason, divided their forces, there was a chance of picking up on the communication between them.
"Helm, bring us about to the new set of coordinates received from Babylon 5 and continue our search as far off the beacon as possible," Johnson ordered as she gracefully strode back to her command chair. Their search through the furthest reaches of hyperspace continued for several minutes with no results. The Night's Eye had one of the strongest sensor suites of any Alliance ship and it was unable to detect any trace of a Narn ship or a trace of anything. There was quite literally nothing to be found here.
As the rest of the crew carried out their duties, they were amazed by the composure of their Captain. Though Rangers were trained, far better than any others, to handle themselves under pressure but all of the crew was feeling a degree of anxiety for the situation with which they were now faced.
With the notable exception of Val'Na Johnson, who was a model of tranquility. For several minutes, as the crew proceeded with their orders and duties, she did nothing except sit perfectly still and watch the chaos of hyperspace through the forward view port. As the ship maneuvered about, searching all but aimlessly through the vast, unknown reaches of hyperspace; she realized they would not find the Narns here. As she watched the swirling fields of this other dimension dance before here, everything became clear. It was obvious enough now that she could see how easily she and others would have overlooked it before.
"Navigation," she addressed the Brakiri Ranger at the station with a serene tone of voice. "Show me how far we are off the hyperspace beacon." A holographic image appeared, showing a representation of the Night's Eye, a display of the location of the nearest hyperspace beacon and a red dotted line showing how far off the beacon they were traveling. The crew had no idea what the Val'Na was thinking nor did they question her train of thought, wanting to see where it led them.
"Now," she said, her voice filling with purpose as she rose from her chair and slowly guided towards the display. "Show me how far, give the state of their technology, the Narn fleet could be off the beacon." As the display was updated with a large 'X' halfway between their ship and the hyperspace beacon, Johnson's thinking suddenly became clear to the rest of the bridge crew.
The ships of the White Star Fleet, the Victory destroyers, An'Shaka cruisers and the White Stars themselves were the most advanced ships in the galaxy now that the First Ones had departed for the rim. As such, they were able to travel farther off hyperspace beacons than any other ships. The reason was quite simple; they hadn't found the Narn ships because they had been searching too far off the beacon.
"Tactical, activate darklight mode." She ordered, a new fire bringing itself to her voice. "Navigation, alter course and continue our search pattern within the operation range of the Narn warships." At her command, the two officers carried out their instructions. The main lights of the bridge dimmed as the ship entered its stealth mode. Though it was subtle, Johnson felt the ship as it turned and slid through hyperspace.
After several minutes of waiting, a singular alarm sounded at the tactical station, replacing the silence that had been populating the bridge. "Val'Na," the human Ranger reported, quickly accessing his console and studying the new sensor information that was being displayed. "Detecting multiple power signatures ahead, not far. They're consistent with that of Narn engine design."
"How many power signatures Michael?" She asked, her serenity returning as she again found her place in the command chair.
His fingers glided across the control panel, focusing their sensors on the Narn ships ahead. His eyes widened as their sensors counted the number of ships they were rapidly approaching. "Six-hundred forty-nine," he reported, his voice shaking as he did so.
"Calm yourself," she said reassuringly. "They can't see us, not yet at least." As she watched the readouts from their sensors now being displayed in front of her, she saw they would soon be in visual range of the Narn fleet. "Navigation, continue our approach, put us right behind the Narns, I want to get a look at them."
"Val'Na, should I advise Babylon 5?" Makeel questioned as he to watched the sensor display intently.
"No," she answered, her voice soft, almost disturbingly so. "Not yet"
The crew, somewhat bewildered by her orders carried them out and soon the massive, dagger-like shapes of the Narn warships, their hulls red as blood and black as the night sky, the similar colors of hyperspace absorbed by their hulls, became visible. There were hundreds of them, proceeding slowly yet with a great purpose through the depths of hyperspace.
"How far are we from the colony Barnes thinks they're going to hit?"
"Less than two hours." Makeel replied, being the first on the bridge to check.
"Meaning we're not far from the Centauri border. Even though they're off the beacon, that many ships might trip the early warning net and if they do, we're all dead." She hesitated for a moment as the sight of the Narn ships once again drew her attention from everything else. "Send a signal to Babylon 5 with our location and advising that we've found the Narn fleet. Then let's hope Admiral Barnes has some trick card up his sleeve."
Falling silently into formation, underneath a massive Narn dreadnought, the Night's Eye became a shadow of the beast; the beast, which it might soon have to kill.
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WAR ROOM; BABYLON 5JANUARY 7, 2272, 03:17 EST
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"They've found them!" Taylor announced as he watched the message from the Night's Eye being displayed across the communication's monitor. "You were right Admiral," Taylor admitted as he quickly ran to the meeting table where Barnes and Rourke were standing. "They're heading straight for that sector. Anla'Shok Val'Na Johnson estimates that they're one hour and forty-three minutes away." The image on the map screen was instantly updated with the location of the Narn fleet and consequently, that of the Night's Eye. "She reports that they're tracking over six hundred and forty ships, meaning they haven't split their fleet into separate elements." Vice Admiral Taylor did not hide try to hide that he was relieved at this news. If the Narns had split their force into two or more groups, it would make the job of stopping them that much more difficult as it had taken them this long to locate one fleet.
"That means we still have time," Barnes observed in his quiet tone of voice that indicated he was in rather deep thought. Not a great deal of time though. Being that far away from the colony put them only twenty-five minutes away from the Centauri border, meaning that if they were to act, it would have to be fast. Though the odds of the Narn fleet setting off the Centauri warning net were not high, it was still a possibility, a possibility Barnes wanted to avoid testing. "What's the closest uninhabited system?" Barnes did not ask the question to any particular person, he simply wanted the information and did not care who provided it.
Rourke quickly checked through the information she had. "Here," she said gesturing to a star on the screen. It was a star not unlike that of the Sol System with eight planets circling, none of them habitable. "Just inside the Narn border," she added, knowing which side of the border it was on would be the next question from the Admiral. The display soon shifted to an enlarged, three-dimensional, view of that system, displaying a fully animated representation of the star along with detailed representations of the planets and their respective moons moving along their orbits.
Barnes knew then that he had to act quickly, that there was very little time in which they had to prevent a war. "Mike," Barnes said, pulling his gaze away from the display and focusing on the job at hand. "Have all of our White Stars that are close enough converge on that sector, tell them to setup as close to the star as possible, it might be able to mask them from long range sensors." Barnes had a plan, he wasn't sure if it was a good plan but it was the only thing he had. Taylor ran to the communications station where he dispatched the Admiral's orders, flagging them as Ultraviolet priority.
As Barnes watched their forces moving into position on the display screen, reports flew in, indicating which White Stars had arrived and which were still en-route. Those were mixed with periodic messages from the Night's Eye reporting how far they were from the Centauri border. Barnes listened and watched, feeling almost helpless as the minutes that remaining passed away. Part of him wanted to be there, on the front lines of this crisis while another part of him, the more rational, part reminded him that this as the place he needed to be, the place he had to be.
With four minutes remaining until the Narns crossed the Centauri border, the report came from Taylor that the last of their ships in that area were in position. White Star Sixty-Seven was the last to arrive, lifting Barnes' spirit to some degree as he learned that someone he knew would be present on the fronts. Ranger Greg Giovoni, a former member of the Dark Thunder crew, was the commander of White Star Sixty-Seven. The Admiral was for once grateful that the modest and seemingly non-ambitious Ranger had turned down his last three attempts to promote him to command of a cruiser or destroyer.
Still, Barnes wished he could be there with him. He suspected a part of him would always want to be with the fleet, even when it was not a possibility.
The Admiral rebuilt his composure, positioned himself in front of the main communications monitor and ordered a tachyon-enhanced channel, to allow for the fastest, most secure communication possible, opened to the Night's Eye.
The face of Anla'Shok Val'Na Natalie Johnson, the commander of the Night's Eye, soon replaced the emblem of the Interstellar Alliance on the monitor. Barnes, never having met the woman before, was surprised at how young she was. He had seen many Rangers younger, even some in command of White Stars but rarely in command of battle cruisers. Someday he would have to find out what extraordinary feet she had accomplished, or whom she had made an enemy of, to be rewarded command of the Night's Eye. "Admiral Barnes," she began with a respectful nod of her head, a habit he wished the Rangers would lose when dealing with him. "A pleasure to meet you."
"And you Val'Na Johnson," Barnes returned the greeting but skipped straight to the purpose of the conversation. "I'm going to be asking a great deal of you and your crew and we don't have a lot of time so listen carefully."
As Taylor, Rourke and the staff of the war room listened to the Admiral unveil his plan for the first time, all were stunned. Barnes was quite literally counting on what he believed to know about Na'Goth and the presence of less than thirty ships from the White Star Fleet to deter a six hundred strong Narn war fleet. Sharing a look of great concern and staggered silence with Julia, Michael Taylor could not help but uncertainty about the risk Barnes was taking. Barnes was however the one trusted to make those decisions and, in the years Taylor had known him, he almost always tended to agree with his decisions in the end. Almost.
The transmission ended as the Captain of the Night's Eye went to carry out her orders, orders she had accepted without question or hesitation, orders that would place her and her crew in greater danger than they had ever faced. Orders that only a Ranger could accept without any sign of fear.
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NRS R'TAL; HYPERSPACEJANUARY 7, 2272, 03:38 EST
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Na'Goth again allowed himself a smile as he gazed at the image in front of him. His fleet was intact and only minutes from the Centauri border. Once they crossed it, they would have taken the first step in their great crusade. Though he did wish to remain undetected to the Centauri for as long as possible, he did hope they would have some ships waiting when he reached his first target, it would make their victory all the more glorious to smash through warships of the great Republic before taking back their world. It was their world after all. The Centauri had forced it from them, years ago but now, he would force it back.
An unmistakable sound, that of a perimeter alert from the tactical station pulled Na'Goth from his thoughts as his eyes, those of a hunter, shot to his officer, demanding a report without the Warleader saying a word. Before it could be delivered however, Na'Goth took notice of something far more troubling. The dull red and black of hyperspace showing through the forward view ports was replaced by a bright green that shined brightly across the bridge. The energy blast faded and Na'Goth thought of only one thing it could have originated from.
"Warleader!" The Narn's voice betrayed the fact that he was startled and to a degree frightened by what he had seen on his sensor display. "I don't know where it came but an Alliance cruiser just appeared on our rear sensors and fired a shot across our ship!" His console sounded again and his hands worked zealously as he studied the new data being relayed to him by the sensors. "It is breaking away from the fleet at high speed!"
Listening to his officer's report, Na'Goth glared at the forward view port as the ship, what looked to be something of a strange hybrid of a White Star and a Shadow cruiser, passed over the outer hull of the R'Tal and flew through his fleet. "No," he whispered. The Alliance had interfered too many times with his plans; he would not allow them to do so this time. It was only one ship; one ship would not be allowed to stop him.
"Alliance cruiser is moving away quickly, powering jump engines, they're preparing to jump to normal space."
"Order pursuit," Na'Goth commanded, his voice sodden with hate.
The tactical officer opened communications to the rest of the fleet who had no doubt seen for themselves the Alliance cruiser that was endangering their plans. If that cruiser escaped and sent a message to the Alliance, they would surely arrive to stop them before they were able to attack the Centauri. "Attack squadrons seven and twelve, alter course and prepare to –"
"No!" Na'Goth growled, not pleased with the orders that were being given. He sprung from his chair and ran to stand above the shoulder of the officer who was bewildered by the Warleader's behavior. "Not two tactical squadrons," the Warleader said condescendingly. "The entire fleet, order the entire fleet to pursue." His voice and eyes were ablaze giving the order as he stalked his target through the piece of glass all that separated the two.
At the tactical station, the Narn officer, young and set in his ways, backed down immediately when he looked into Na'Goth's eyes and saw the madness that dominated them. He quickly dispatched the orders to the rest of the fleet who altered to an attack formation and turned to an intercept vector.
The Warleader listened as his orders were given, a merciless grin dominating his face, eyes fixed on the Alliance battle cruiser fleeing from his command, having all but vanished from view, now nothing but a small black dot against the vast reaches of hyperspace. His eyes were tiny pinholes into his soul as he watched a jump point tear through hyperspace into normal space, the miniscule black dot that was the Alliance cruiser disappeared through it, hyperspace becoming complete once again as the jump point closed behind. They had ran, no doubt fleeing the quick death they knew was upon them but they would not be able to run far. He would pursue them, tracking them down and killing them before they could become a threat.
"All commands report ready to jump."
Na'Goth gave a maniacal chuckle. He had trained his fleet officers well and now they were prepared to strike. "Jump!" He ordered as his laughter echoed throughout the bridge.
***
"The Night's Eye has just jumped in, she's entering formation with us."
Ranger Greg Giovoni gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment without turning his head to the Minbari on his right side. The Captain of White Star 67 was a model of composure, a statue as he watched the cruiser enter formation with their small fleet that had assembled around the bright orange and yellow sun of this small, otherwise non-consequential solar system. Though it was close to the Centauri border, the system had no other real value. Its eight planets were not habitable and none possessed any significant amounts of useable resources. As such, it made a perfect hiding place for trying to keep the Narns and Centauri away from each other. The last thing the Alliance needed at this point was for another shooting war to begin.
"White Star 67 to Night's Eye," Giovoni said, activating the communications system with a flick of his left index finger. "Good to see you again Natalie," he had wanted to take the time to extend a greeting to the commander of the cruiser now, while they still had the opportunity, before the storm came. He did not know her well but Giovoni proudly called Natalie Johnson a friend, a sentiment she would return, if for no other reason than in gratitude for him saving her neck during a showdown with several Shadow-tech warships. Of course, he did not currently have time to be reliving those exploits.
"Feeling is mutual Greg," it was odd for the crew of the White Star to hear their Val'Na addressed by his first name. "Wish it could be under better circumstances," the mistress of the Night's Eye concluded, met with an unambiguous agreement from Giovoni.
As Giovoni watched the blossoming energy of two hundred jump points forming in front of him, he took a deep, cleansing breathe as time around him seemed to slow. Closing his eyes and himself to the world around him as he slipped into a slight meditation to clear his mind before battle, Giovoni felt himself questioning the wisdom of the plan Admiral Jerry Barnes had hastily developed, the one person Giovoni had never questioned in his life.
He could not help finding some fault with this plan however. It seemed to be working thus far, using the Night's Eye to draw Na'Goth's fleet out of hyperspace before they reached the Centauri but that was where Giovoni ceased seeing the Admiral's wisdom. They had stationed thirty-nine ships, three twelve-ship squadrons of White Stars and three attack cruisers in this system to oppose over six hundred well-armed and outfitted Narn warships, commanded by someone who he knew was quite fully insane. Though the White Star Fleet was significantly more advanced than even the newest Narn warship, they could not hope to survive if it came down to a battle, the odds the way they were.
Before he opened his eyes, Giovoni whispered a silent prayer that Barnes had some sort of a plan that did not involve allowing the two groups of ships to engage each other. Though he was confident that his former Captain, his friend, had a plan, he wished he had more confidence in their situation.
His eyes sprung open and focused on the image that was now before him. The first wave of hundreds of Narn warships, their red and black shapes daggers as they advanced, flew from their jump points, closing on the vastly outnumbered Alliance task force. As he watched the Narns converge on them, Giovoni could not turn away, could not even blink until the last of their ships had cleared hyperspace.
"Natalie, you ever feel like you're looking into the mouth of hell?" Giovoni broke the uneasy silence on the bridge with the only words his mouth could compose.
Her voice first quivered with fear, something Giovoni could never recall having heard from her but she soon brought herself back under control with a series of deep breaths Giovoni could hear her taking. "I don't think the mouth of hell would be quite this frightening."
Giovoni gave a silent agreement along with the rest of his crew as he ordered the ship to battle stations with the Narn fleet slowly and purposefully advancing against them.
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IAS VICTORY; HYPERSPACEJANUARY 7, 2272, 03:41 EST
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Sleep had not come easily to Captain Edward MacDonald this evening. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw no blackness, all he saw was the faces of all those he knew onboard the Seventh Fleet. He saw the faces of dozens of officers he knew burning in space as their starships died, attacked by an unknown force. Though he had not known anyone from the Seventh Fleet well, he felt each of their deaths personally. Now, he would go into battle against their murderers.
As sleep had yielded no results, MacDonald had tried finding other ways to fill his abundance of available time. The last thing he wanted was to simply wait for the Victory to reach its destination or for word from the Blue Stars they had sent ahead. Planting himself at his desk, the Captain had first reviewed, in detail, four day's worth of intelligence updates from Minbar. Though none of the data contained in them was particularly useful to his current situation, it had helped to pass an hour worth of time.
Next, he had reviewed the performance reports from the battle drill they had conducted after receiving their new orders. Commander MacKenzie had questioned him about conducting a battle drill in hyperspace while en-route to new orders but MacDonald had quickly pointed out that the crew had to be prepared for all circumstances. Though the response times and performance of the crew had been adequate, he saw a definite need for improvement. The problem, MacDonald now recognized, in taking command of a ship straight off the construction lines was that the crew was new to the ship and needed time to adjust to the ship.
The crew of the Victory had been put together from the best the Army of Light and the Rangers had to offer. Though the crew was the best he could have, they were still unfamiliar with this class of ship, despite being trained in numerous simulations and on the ship itself. MacDonald knew the unfamiliarity would disappear with time. It was time however that it seemed they were running short of.
After reviewing and signing off on the reports, MacDonald had spent the next several minutes pacing about his quarters, doing the one thing he was trying not to do. For a brief, fleeting moment, he debated placing a call to Julia on Babylon 5 to see if she had any new information that would be useful but dismissed the idea when he took note of the time, knowing she would most likely be asleep at this hour. Taking another pause from his pacing, MacDonald again looked at his desk clock. Seven hours remained until they would reach what he had aptly termed the staging area.
The Captain was on the verge of giving sleep another try, having exhausted all other possibilities when his link chimed. Realizing he did not have it on his wrist, the Captain scrambled through the mass of papers and trinkets on his desk to find the continuous noise. Finally locating it, buried beneath his battle drill reports, he grabbed and toggled it. "MacDonald."
"Sorry to wake you sir," apologized Commander Connor MacKenzie, apparently believing MacDonald to have been asleep. "But we're getting a signal in from the Blue Stars, you really should see this sir."
MacDonald needed to hear nothing else, MacDonald was already getting in to uniform before MacKenzie had finished speaking, doing so at the first mention of a report from their ships. He informed the Commander, as he was placing on his black shirt, that they would meet in the conference room in five minutes. Now perhaps he would get his first look at the enemy.
***
Commander Connor MacKenzie stood, motionless, studying the digital images they had just received. The screen in front of him was flooded with a great deal of information as a live video feed as well as sensor data was relayed from the three scout ships that had jumped ahead of the rest of the Alliance battle group. Their orders had been to search the sector where the Seventh Fleet was lost as well as the surrounding areas, Captain MacDonald believing they could locate the attackers in such a manner. It seemed, from all MacKenzie saw, the Captain was right.
The door slid open with a slight swoosh as Captain Edward MacDonald flew through it. MacKenzie looked at his Captain's face, recognizing immediately that he was fatigued. He knew the Captain well enough to know he had been awake since he went off duty, likely spending the time thinking and worrying about their current situation. He chose to skip directly to making his report on the information they had received.
"This is what we're getting," MacKenzie said, pointing a single extended finger to the screen as Captain MacDonald slid into a position on his left, looking immediately at the screen. The display showed a large central image with a real-time visual feed from one of the Blue Stars, surrounded by several smaller boxes displaying information from various sensor recordings and scans the scout ships were performing.
"They've detected what appears to be a staging area of sorts," MacKenzie continued his report, pointing out the central image. "There is a large star base in this system, Blue Star 209 reports that the hull is comprised of some sort of alloy they've never seen before but they were able to adjust their sensors to penetrate it. They've detected what appears to be a pretty sizeable command and control package, a hefty defense grid and supplies enough for an entire fleet. Given the proximity –"
"We can conclude this is where the attack on the Seventh Fleet originated." MacDonald finished his XO's sentence. He stared at the massive shape that dominated the screen in front of him. The alien space station was long, rectangular with pointed triangular ends and covered in a series of bumps and ridges along what MacDonald speculated to be the top. The hull was a dark gray; it would have been barely visible against the dark star field if not for the blue, white and purple lights that dotted its exterior. The only other lighting across the hull was that from the glow of starship and fighter engines as they passed across the station, accenting the features of the mammoth base.
Though the design was unfamiliar, MacDonald was still able to pick out some key sections of the station or at least what he believed to be those key sections. He picked out a quite obvious command and control, located in a disk shaped structure, slightly extending from and overshadowing the rest of the superstructure. He also identified what appeared to be twenty-eight starship-docking tendrils; long strips extending from the sides of the station, though most appeared empty, he counted three ships, most likely destroyers or some other form of escort ship from their size, birthed at the docking area. The destroyers were elongated, resembling three double-pronged daggers placed together in a triangular pattern. He was further able to pick out what he believed to be six fighter launch bays, similar in design to those used on his ship, as they deployed a flight of tiny dagger fighters into space. The Captain speculated that, whoever this race was, they designed their ships to resemble some sort of primitive bladed weaponry, likely from their planets history. The other ships surrounding the station seemed to be some sort of a heavy combat vessel, similar in size to the White Stars, MacDonald surmised basing his estimates off the size of their fighters, and looking something like an insect but sharing a similar dagger-like design with the other ships he had seen.
"They haven't been spotted yet?" MacDonald shifted gears away from his analysis of the base and to his other responsibility as the Captain of a battle group, to make decisions to keep the ships and crews under his command safe.
"They've taken up a position on the outer edge of the system," MacKenzie answered with a shake of his head. "Ranger Baccus reports that they don't appear to be able to see through the Minbari stealth fields on the Blue Stars, based on the fact that they haven't yet taken any hostile actions towards them." MacKenzie did find himself curious as to if they had actually not been noticed or if the enemy had simply not acted upon their incursion.
Now that his mind was at ease on that matter, MacDonald returned to studying the images in front of him. If he was correct in assuming that Jerry Barnes was positioning the Victory and two other destroyer groups for a strike against this new race, in response to the destruction of the Seventh Fleet, this would be a tempting target for such an attack. "There's not much of a defensive fleet," MacDonald said, pointing out to MacKenzie the three destroyers, two groups of six attack ships and the fighters as they soared past the station. "The ships that destroyed the Seventh Fleet have probably withdrawn, leaving the base, thinking that we won't be so quick to launch an attack against them." Though he knew it was conjecture, Commander MacKenzie was consistently impressed with how easily and often accurately Captain MacDonald could describe a tactical situation.
"The Blue Stars estimate two squadrons of these attack ships in addition to the three destroyers and an unknown number of fighters that could be deployed from the station and the capital ships." MacKenzie cocked his head slightly; looking into his Captain's face and knowing without question what he was thinking. "Plus we have no idea of knowing what kind of defensive weapons that station has."
MacDonald was aware of the risks his XO had observed but those would not discourage him. "Tell the Blue Stars to continue monitoring for another two hours but not to give away their presence, we don't want the enemy to know we're watching; they're to head back if they believe to be in danger of getting detected." He turned his head away from the map screen and to the Commander who met his gaze. "Then I need to speak with the Captains of the Lancelot and the Aragorn immediately." The other two Victory class destroyers being deployed to the area were not far behind his command and they would be instrumental in his plan.
"Should I get Admiral Barnes on the comm. also?" MacKenzie asked, knowing the Admiral would need to give the final authorization for any sort of an attack.
"Not yet," MacDonald answered without any thought on the matter. He knew Barnes would not want to be contacted until they had gathered further information on the target and would have a plan of action to suggest. "Not until the Blue Stars finish their recon and we have a preliminary attack plan in place."
"So you are planning to attack?" MacKenzie stated the obvious.
"I'm planning to blow them out of the sky," MacDonald answered dryly, already proceeding on his way out of the map room. "I'll be in my office, transfer Captains Lemay and Whitfield there when you have them."
MacKenzie watches as the Captain left and toggled his link on. "XO to bridge."
****************
WHITE STAR 67; UNINHABITTED SYSTEMJANUARY 7, 2272, 03:42 EST
****************
With the full strength of the Narn fleet bearing down on his and thirty-eight other Anla'Shok commands, Greg Giovoni's composure did not fail nor did his resolve to end this situation without having to resort to firing. That of course, all rested in the hands of Jerry Barnes and whatever it was he was planning. As he watches the Narn fleet grow in size through the forward view ports of the White Star, an alarm sounded on the station to his left. He knew, without having to hear the report from his Ranger that it was the indication of the Narn fleet powering their weapons and locking on to the Alliance ships.
"Val'Na, receiving a tachyon-enhanced transmission from Babylon 5, being sent to us and the Narn fleet," the Ranger on his left reported, wiping the sweat from his forehead, moments after the Narn fleet locked their weapons against the Ranger warships. Giovoni nodded a silent order to receive and monitor the signal.
The face of Admiral Barnes, alert and carrying all the authority of his command, appeared on the screens of every Narn and Ranger ship as the former continued to draw closer to the ladder, into killing range. "This is Admiral Jerry Barnes, Supreme Commander of the Army of Light to Narn fleet, on authority granted to me by the Interstellar Alliance Council and President Sheridan, I am ordering you to stand down at once and prepare to be escorted away from Centauri territory." Barnes' voice, presenting a great assurance, helped to further the bluff he had just put into play regarding the state of his authority in this situation.
"Warleader Na'Goth of the NRS R'Tal to Admiral Barnes," the Narn hissed, his voice seeping with disgust at this disruption to his plans, his response quickly following Barnes' initial statement. Though his hate for Barnes and lessened greatly over the years, he still had no particular like for the man. "You have no authority at present to command the Narn fleet and we will not be dissuaded from our path. Given the odds of the situation, I would suggest that your ships stand down and withdraw before I am forced to destroy them." Na'Goth spoke with arrogance, one that he could be awarded given the odds with which the Rangers were faced. "I cannot believe you would order so many people to die in such a foolish effort to stop us."
"You expect me to believe you would fire on ships from the White Star Fleet?" Barnes quickly countered. His composure did not falter when faced with the fast debate from Na'Goth. He seemed more than prepared for the verbal battle in which he was now engaged. "Those ships out there aren't your enemies Na'Goth, I'm not your enemy, the Alliance is not your enemy and the Centauri Republic –"
"Is my enemy!" Na'Goth fired back. "They have been my enemy since before I could walk. I have wanted to kill them since before I was old enough to pickup a blade. I learned to kill them before I learned to walk. They have tortured me, my world, my people for countless years and now, I finally have the opportunity to strike back against them and it is an opportunity I will not be denied. Not by you."
"Think about what you're doing here Na'Goth," Barnes replied quickly, still convinced he could talk Na'Goth into stand down his fleet. "If you attack the Centauri, though it might take them some time, they will retaliate. If you fire on the White Stars, the Alliance will retaliate. No matter what you do and how many ships you have, the Narn Regime can't fight both the Alliance and the Centauri Republic on two fronts. You're throwing yourself into a war you can't win Na'Goth but there is still a chance to stop what you've started. Stand down your forces now and we can still walk away from this without anyone having to die."
"We are not your enemy Admiral," Na'Goth pleaded, feeling the pressure brought by the Admiral's threat. "The Centauri are, they have proven it time and time again through their actions. They refused to lift a hand when the Drahk attacked your world; they did nothing while Shadow-tech warships brought fear to the Alliance. We stood by your side through all of these conflicts. I do not want to fight you Admiral and I won't unless I am forced to do so but I will not be stopped from taking my vengeance on the Centauri and if that means going through your ships, so be it."
"Then attack the White Stars Na'Goth," as Giovoni listened, he was taken aback by the challenge to the Narn Warleader. He had not expected Barnes to be so direct in his efforts to stop Na'Goth. Everything he knew about the Admiral indicated he would have continued in his efforts to convince Na'Goth the whole of the galaxy would be against him if he continued on his path to attack the Centauri. He had not expected Barnes to defy Na'Goth to attack their ships. Given his current position, Giovoni was not certain he agreed with Barnes' decision.
Na'Goth paused, his guard thrown off for the first time by the Admiral's words, not knowing how to reply without backing down or attacking the Alliance ships. "Do not dare me to Admiral! Your ships will be destroyed, your crews will die."
"Yes they will," Barnes agreed, nodding his head and not wasting time trying to debate something there was no logic in doing so. "But you know the capabilities of the White Star Fleet Na'Goth. Before those ships are lost, they'll inflict a good deal of damage, enough to slow your ships down until more White Stars can arrive. Then once you destroy those, they'll have slowed you down enough for more to arrive and them more." Barnes spoke with a fire and passion in his voice that further emphasized to Na'Goth the simple truth that the White Star Fleet would never surrender, no matter how great the obstacle they faced. "And even if you manage to destroy every one of our ships that arrives, the Centauri will have taken note of all this fighting along their border and they'll send their own fleet in. By that time your fleet will have taken a lot of damage and the Centauri will cease the opportunity to finally be rid of the threat of the Narn fleet. They may even take the opportunity to march straight to your home world and with your fleet in ruins; there will be little to oppose them. Is that what you want Na'Goth?" Barnes voice flared to its peak intensity as he further challenged the Narn Warleader. "Do you want the Regime to fall and your world to come under Centauri rule yet again? Because that's what is going to happen if you fire on our ships and the only way you're leaving that system is to destroy those White Stars! If that's what you want Na'Goth then open fires on our ships, otherwise, stand down!"
There was silence, from Barnes, Na'Goth and the White Star Fleet as the Warleader contemplated his options, spelled out for him clearly by Admiral Barnes. As they listened to the emptiness that now filled the open communications channel, the crews of the Narn and Alliance ships, their weapons trained on each other, could do nothing but wait. Fingers hovered nervously over the controls that would unleash volleys of energy weapons against their adversaries.
Natalie Johnson breathed deeply, taking advantage of meditation techniques to calm herself, closing her eyes momentarily but allowing them to pop open every few seconds to check for any new developments. She had no idea what the outcome of this standoff would be, with everything now resting in the hands of the Narn Warleader. She thought about her crew, about how they may never see their families and friends again. Though she did not have to worry about family, she could not help but wonder if she would ever see Nerol again. He was the closest friend and the closest person to family she had in her life.
Greg Giovoni could not blink and was applying a great deal of energy to keeping his composure as he watched the Narn fleet whose advance had halted as they entered optimum firing range. He was prepared, if necessary, to die in defense of the Alliance. His service to the Rangers had lasted now over twelve years and he had never been afraid of giving his life and though he did not fear death, nor did he want to die. Gazing at the Narn fleet and waiting for a response from Na'Goth, a response that would come in one of two forms, Giovoni felt helpless, knowing he could do nothing except continue to renew his faith that Admiral Barnes had made the right decision in forcing Na'Goth to this showdown.
"Remind me Admiral," Na'Goth's reply finally came, his voice having lost its fire, sounding as though he had been broken, a sound that did not cause any among the Army of Light ships to relax their guard in the least. Giovoni took a breath and held it as he waited out the short pause Na'Goth had taken. "Never to play the human game of chess with you." The explanation of his statement, obvious to some, came seconds later as the R'Tal issued orders to the rest of the Narn ships to power down their weapons.
Barnes, taking first a moment to be relieved and looking off screen to order Vice Admiral Taylor to contact the President on Minbar, returned to looking at the screen and addressing Na'Goth, his face not hiding the fact he was pleased by Na'Goth's decision. "The White Stars will escort you about half the way back to Narn."
"Understood," Na'Goth answered, submitting to the Admiral's wishes. The transmission ended after the two had exchanged final words and the Narn ships began falling into formation with the White Stars. Na'Goth dropped his head into his hands, angered at his defeat. Though he had known his offensive would have eventually ended, either due to pressure from the Alliance or resistance from the Centauri, the fact that he had not even been granted the opportunity to launch it did not sit well with him and would not please the Kha'Ri who had been resistant to his plan since he had first proposed it. His eyes looking up at the screen, head still in his hands, and watching his ships and the White Stars preparing to depart from the system, he vowed that this would not be his last fight. He knew now, his future moves would require more planning. Listening to Ranger Giovoni give the order to jump, Na'Goth allowed himself a whisper. "Until next time Admiral Barnes." He promised himself there would be a next time.
****************
WAR ROOM; BABYLON 5JANUARY 7, 2272, 03:51 EST
****************
The faces of Na'Goth, Giovoni and Johnson disappeared from the monitors in the war room as the communication channel was closed. Barnes, exhausted from his lack of sleep and his exchange with Na'Goth collapsed into the closest chair at the circular table. Julia Rourke did the same as did Taylor, after reporting he had made contact with the President and that he seemed satisfied with the outcome of the situation. Though more than content with the crisis being resolved, Barnes was still shaken that the Narns had chosen to so blatantly defy the authority of the Interstellar Alliance and launch an unprovoked attack. It was something he, Taylor and Rourke all knew they would have to keep an eye on.
Along with the Narn situation, the circumstances of the loss of the Seventh Fleet crept back to the forefront of their minds. News would be coming in from their ships at anytime and the decision they made could change the course of the galaxy for good or ill.
"First crisis averted Jerry," Julia finally spoke up as she slid her elbows onto the table, transferring the weight of her upper body to them, her blue turtleneck and brown sports coat slightly wrinkling in the process of doing so. It was not often she would use his first name except in the private meetings between the three of them but Barnes did not care by this point, having more important things on his mind and knowing the younger officers on his staff and in the war room would never attempt to follow her example.
"For now at least," Taylor cynically added. "It wouldn't be in our best interests to think that Na'Goth is going to abandon his plans of invading the Centauri. I doubt we've seen the last of him."
"But at least we've bought ourselves some time," Barnes replied. Time was the one thing that always seemed to be in great demand but short supply, especially in the case of the Army of Light and its commanding officers. "Time in which we can turn our attention to larger concerns." They both knew what the Admiral was referring to. The situation with the Narns was a distraction to the real danger with which they were faced, a distraction that could prove to be costly.
Julia looked at the time, displayed on a digital clock above the central map. "The Victory is due to check in at 0800. I'm sure by now Mac has sent scouts ahead and has some sort of information for us." Barnes gave her a slightly quizzical look as she referred to Captain MacDonald by an old Academy nickname. Though he was aware of the two of them slowing overcoming their misgiving about each other, he had never heard Julia refer to the Captain in such an affable manner. He dropped his suspicions however, dismissing them as trivial.
"Let's all get a few hours sleep, reconvene in my office at 0730." Barnes, Taylor and Rourke all stood from the table. Leaving the war room, the Admiral and his staff were met by congratulations and other words of praise from the officer manning the room in regards to their quick handling of the Narn situation. Though it was so, Barnes did not believe his contest with Na'Goth to have been a true test of his abilities to command the Army of Light and keep the Alliance at peace. He felt that test was still to come and that it would be far more difficult.
***
The short walk from the lift to his quarters had worn down the remaining amounts of energy in Jerry Barnes' body. He wanted nothing more than to be rid of his uniform for the evening and collapse into bed. For a fleeting moment, he felt the need to scold himself for being so exhausted after having been awake for slightly less than twenty-four hours. He remembered, only a few years prior, when he had been in command of the Dark Thunder when he would often spend two and at times three days awake and still feel as though he had enough energy to last for a greater amount of time. He considered that his retirement from Earth Force, position as a military advisor to President Sheridan and subsequent position as commander of the Army of Light had made him slightly spoiled to being allowed normal sleeping hours. He also gave consideration that his forty plus years were beginning to catch up with him.
Quickly returning the dutiful salute given by the two black-armored security guards at the door and stepping into his darkened quarters, he wasted no time in peeling off his shirt and discarding it to the customary place on the floor. Plopping down on his bed, the Admiral removed his boots, placing them on the floor next to the closest nightstand where he placed his link. Readying himself for the few hours of sleep he would be privy to this morning, he remembered Elizabeth. Knowing her as he did, she would no doubt be concerned, wondering if Barnes had managed to resolve whatever it was that abruptly called him away from their dinner.
It would be too early to call her now, Barnes decided, approaching the BabCom terminal. He told the computer to record a time-delayed message for Captain Elizabeth Lochley, to be delivered at 0630 Hrs. this morning, about the time she would be starting her day. His message was short, to the point, apologizing again for having to walk out on her, telling her they had resolved the problem and that he would tell her more about it later in the day, that there was a bit too much to be said over a recorded message.
As the Admiral finally lay in bed, close to conceding to the weariness that had fallen over him, he could not help but think about her. When they were together, she brought such a needed peace to his life, even when he thought about her; it put his mind at ease. The one thing that weighed heavier on his mind was the responsibilities of his office. With those in mind, he wondered it was possible for him and Elizabeth to ever have a real future together.
He fell asleep.
****************
NRS R'TAL; HYPERSPACEJANUARY 7, 2272, 07:19 EST
****************
"White Star 67 to NRS R'Tal, Alliance ships are terminating escorts and returning to our patrol assignments." The voice of Greg Giovoni reported. The crew of the NRS R'Tal along with the rest of the Narn ships all watched in silence as the small group of Alliance White Stars and cruisers broke formation with the Narn ships and disappeared into hyperspace.
Na'Goth was a statue, not having moved from his spot on the bridge since their confrontation with the Alliance ships and Admiral Barnes hours before. Each defeat he endured at the hands of Jerry Barnes scarred him and tortured his soul. The human and those who served him consistently displayed the ability to outmaneuver and outsmart him and with each time, it became increasingly exasperating. He would have to be more cautious in his planning next time, more meticulous in predicting the unexpected.
Along with the Warleader, the crews of the fleet felt their defeat. Na'Goth's plan had been long in development and they had felt the anticipation of battle growing with each day of preparation and now they could not help but feel let down. From birth, every Narn was taught to hate the Centauri; even those born after the end of the war were taught of the crimes they had committed against their people. As such, their military was trained to kill the Centauri and the loss of such an opportunity was unbearable. Na'Goth's decision to stand down their forces instead of firing on the White Star Fleet was met with a immense protest from his fleet commanders as well as the bridge crew of the R'Tal itself. They were young and did not realize that Barnes had not bluffed regarding the implications their attack against the Centauri would carry. Still, he could offer no blame for their need to experience the glory and thrill of battle.
An all too familiar sensor alert sounded at the tactical station. Na'Goth turned his head slightly to the direction as his tactical officer gave the report. "Warleader, sensors are detecting several dozen contacts converging on us from three directions. The G'Tok and the Maleek both confirm our readings."
"Number and type of contacts?" Na'Goth asked with a newly renewed vigor. The first thought occurring to him that Centauri ships could have been following them, waiting for the White Stars to depart before they struck. He was determined to find out if indeed it was the Centauri trying to sneak up on them from the depths of hyperspace.
With a fury, the Narn tapped a series of controls, enhancing their sensors to a higher resolution and locking in on the approaching ships. "One-hundred-eleven ships sir. Unknown configuration, judging by their size, it appears to be one-hundred-ten fast attack ships and one larger cruiser class vessel." Another, louder alert sounded at the station. "Detecting energy spikes from the ships Warleader, they may be charging weapons."
A blaring alarm sounded from another station as a series of orange digital lights began flashing on the bridge. The Narn quickly checked his sensor display to ascertain the nature of the alert. "Warleader! Detecting powerful sensors coming from the attack ships, it looks like they've locked onto us."
"Another energy spike sir, they may be preparing to fire!"
"Battle alert!" Na'Goth ordered as a series of klaxon alarms rang throughout the R'Tal, summoning its crew to their battle stations. "All ships battle alert." Na'Goth stood, making his way across the bridge with great speed to the tactical station where he continued to issue orders for the defense grid to be activated and the main weapon systems charged. As it came in that the remainder of the fleet was prepared to engage, Na'Goth was thrown from his feet and across the bridge by a violent shock. Na'Goth knew well before his tactical officer reported it that the unidentified ships had opened fire.
Through the forward view port, Na'Goth watched a dozen of the dagger attack ships fly over the hull of the R'Tal and continue their attacks against the remainder of his fleet. Their attack were ones of deadly efficiency, scoring hits with a single beam weapon projected from their nose and moving quickly, avoiding most of the defensive fire from the slower Narn warships. Na'Goth grabbed the arm of his chair and pulled himself to his feet. The R'Tal had not taken a bad hit, merely one that had shaken and slowed it. "Activate energy mines," the Warleader ordered. "Target the center cluster of their ships, order cruiser squadron four to do the same. Launch fighters, order them to engage at will, have escort wings three and eight drive as many of their ships as possible into range of the energy mines. All other ships, take targets of opportunity and fire at will."
Na'Goth's orders were quickly relayed to the remainder of the fleet and the Narns quickly became organized in their response to the attack against them. Dozens of Frazi heavy fighters and escort ships opened fire with pulse cannons, scoring several hits and five kills against the hostile attack ships, driving them to an open center area in the middle of the Narn fleet. Heavy cruisers opened fire with lasers, scoring six more kills and further driving thirty of the attack ships to where the Warleader wanted them.
A luminous explosion lit the bridge of the R'Tal as the reactor of a nearby cruiser went critical, destroying the ship in a vibrant explosion. The tactical officer rattled off the names of the eighteen ships that had been lost, also advising the Warleader that only the enemy attack ships were engaged in the battle, the larger cruiser was standing by just outside of their weapons ranger. Na'Goth, choosing not to be concerned with the cruiser at this point in the contest, continued with his direction of the battle against the attack ships. Twenty-one had been destroyed and thirty-six were now directly in the firing arcs of energy mines from his and a dozen other ships. He could see no better opportunity than the one with which he currently had.
"Launch energy mines!"
Glowing balls of white energy shot forth, detonating in the center of the regrouping attack ships, destroying fifteen, those closest to the center and damaging the others. The Narn fleet, regrouping into an attack formation with fighters providing a better screen against the attack ships, advanced on the enemy, lasers, pulse cannons and plasma cannons firing. The Narn fleet lost ten more cruisers as fourteen more enemy ships fell. As the Narn fleet, under Na'Goth's direction, began to encircle the outnumbered enemy fleet, the attack ships, using their superior speed, maneuverability and sustained bursts from their aft beam weapons, broke off their attack and fled away from the Narn warships, quickly disappearing into the red and black void.
"Hostile ships have broken off, withdrawing from the area. Do we pursue?" The tactical officer asked frantically. The R'Tal had taken three more hits during the battle, causing minor damage to their drive systems and defense grid. More damage was done to the crew however, as they watched many of their friends fall in the other ships, having been the victims of a sneak attack. They wanted the blood of their attackers now that they were on the run.
"No," Na'Goth said softly, coming to an understanding of what had just happened here. As he watched the hostile ships disappearing, it suddenly became quite clear what the enemy commander had planned with this attack.
"Warleader!" The tactical officer raised his voice in protest. "We were attacked! They are on the run! We must give chase!" Na'Goth understood his feelings, knowing that his desire for battle and the brief taste he was just given was clouding his mind, not allowing him to see clearly what the Warleader could.
"That wasn't an attack," Na'Goth commented, settling back into his chair. He switched subjects, giving the order to power down weapons and defenses and continue on course for Narn. As he watched hyperspace move around him, wondering who the attackers were and where they had came from, he whispered; "It was a test."
***
The bridge was dark, black, the lights dimmed when they entered battle mode. He stalked the bridge, his eyes all the while focused on the sensor display. The Narns had acted predictably, as had the Earth Alliance. Watching the Narn ships continue on their path, he applauded himself on another successful test.
To be continued … in Chapter Four where two old friends return, enemies continue their opening moves and Admiral Barnes faces three challenges, in stopping a raider attack, preparing for his ceremony and selling President Sheridan on a reprisal attack. Meanwhile, Zack Allan continues his investigation with unexpected results.