************** CHAPTER SEVEN ****************

TRANSPORT SHIP PRESTON; EVAC. ZONE DELTA
 MARCH 1, 2272, 19:43 EST

****************

            The hull creaked and moaned as the aging transport ship slid through space, the rust covered deck plates straining against the stresses of space as the ship slowly made its path away from a planet of sand.  The Preston was little more than a glorified cobbling together of container modules hooked to an antiquated engine and command and control section along with several other control areas throughout the drive section, charged with keeping the ship functional.  Though this vessel could barely be qualified as a ship, it still held the last hope of thousands of people.

            Packed in the cargo holds, accommodations no greater than those enjoyed by rats onboard ancient earth sea ships, were ten thousand civilians, refugees from the evacuation zone.  Huddled together for warmth, the ship not having adequate systems to provide suitable heat, all they could do was hope that the decisions the Alliance leaders had made were the correct ones.  Having lived in the evacuation zone for many years, separated from the complexities of interstellar politics meant many did not understand the complexities involved in the decision and fewer understood them well enough to attempt to explain.  It was enough for some that they were doing what they had been told to do simply because they had been told it was the right thing.

            Children gathered close to their parents, grasping stuffed animals and other treasures as they could feel nothing but fear after being hurriedly placed on the transport, torn away from what they had known their entire lives as home and seeing the looks upon the faces of their parents, those answering more questions than words ever could.  Though they could not understand the events transpiring around them, in many ways, they understood better than their parents what those events could mean, being able to see things from a simple perspective.

            The control center of the Preston, a simple cabin containing a single chair, flight controls and sensor displays was much the same as the rest of the ship, rusted, hastily assembled and old.  Seated in the chair, strapped in by belts across his chest, a fat slob of a man with an unusually small head was asleep at the controls, his mouth hanging open as he snored, drool rolling down his chin, oblivious to what was occurring around him.  After the first two hours of an uneventful journey, he had placed the ship on autopilot and allowed himself to dose off.  Little did he realize the dangerous turn this simple mission was about to take.

            All eyes in the cargo hold turned towards the small windows as white and blue energy ripped through the black star field in half a dozen places.  As the vortexes of energy formed, the black dagger-shaped ships of the Keilmar emerged from them, bearing down upon the helpless transport vessel, one of their destroyers, deploying its compliment of fighters and five of the bug-like gunboats.  There was a collective gasp of air as the black ships approached the transport, flying literal circles around it.  Families gathered even closer together as fear seized them, for they could do nothing but watch and wait as the enemy ships maneuvered around their own.

            "Schwabb!"  A voice boomed through the overhead speaker in the control room, resonating with feedback due to the dated nature of the equipment.  "Schwabb!"  The voice hastily and angrily repeated.  The sleeping man stirred as the voice called out to him a third time with an even greater urgency than before.  "Schwabb!  Wake up!  This is gunnery station two, we've got incoming!"  The crewmember manning one of the three defensive particle guns on the Preston called again to the pilot, pleading for him to take action.

            Schwabb's eyes fluttered open and grew wide as he took note of the sensor display in front of him.  Becoming suddenly alert, he wiped the drool from his chin and firmly grasped the flight controls in front of him.  He quickly pressed several controls, transferring power to the engines and, using a lever, brought the ship up to maximum speed, burning the engines at their highest power.  The enemy ships easily maintained their mocking pursuit of the sluggish transport despite the increase in its speed.

            Seeing that the enemy was still upon him, Schwabb jerked the controls, initiating an erratic series of evasive maneuvers, still unable to shake the Keilmar fighters and gunboats, swarming around the helpless transport while the destroyer remained close behind it.  Doubting his ability to escape the pursuing ships, Schwabb took the only other action he saw as available to him.  Toggling a switch, he activated the ships emergency transponder and began transmitting on a priority frequency.  "To any Interstellar Alliance ship, this is Earth registered transport Preston declaring emergency.  I say again, this is Earth registered transport Preston, we have encountered Keilmar warships in evacuation zone delta and are declaring emergency.  Any Interstellar Alliance ship, please respond."  He was ready to continue his distress call when his sensor panel indicated the Keilmar were jamming them, effectively putting an end to his call for help.

            An energy spike from one of the Keilmar gunboats lit up the sensor display, Schwabb freezing as he knew the likely possibility for what such a spike could mean.  A silvery white beam shot from the nose of one of the gunboats, striking the Preston on the main engine, disabling the ship, slowing it to a dead halt.  Schwabb now could do nothing as he watched the enemy fighters close on the Preston, wondering what they could be waiting for, wishing they would get it over with rather than toying with them.

            He decided to make a last, desperate plea.  "To Keilmar warships, this is Earth transport Preston, transporting civilian refugees, we surrender, I say again, we surrender.  Please, cease your attack, we have innocent men, women and children onboard, please break off your attack.  We mean you no harm, we mean you no –" His plea was cut short by engulfing fire as the bridge exploded around him.  The Keilmar fighter began their attack, displaying a deadly, surgical efficiency as they quickly destroyed the command and control center, backup C&C and three gunnery stations, allowing only one shot to be fired against them.

            Screams filled the packed cargo holds as explosions rocked the ship.  Men, women and children alike could do nothing but cry; feeling helpless to stop what they now knew was their impending deaths.  Keilmar fighters positioned themselves adjacent to every window on the Preston's cargo holds, allowing their victims to see their deaths coming.  For a brief moment, the panic calmed as the Keilmar fighters hung motionless in space, their noses pointed at the windows.  Every pair of eyes watched, people frozen in terror at the sight of the fighters that waited to kill them.

            A white light filled the window and their eyes as the Keilmar fighters opened fire in unison.  Firing several quick successive beams, the cargo holds burst into flames, oxygen poring forth from them in an explosive decompression.  The attack lasted only seconds, the fighters finishing and returning to the destroyer.  They left the transport largely intact but the damage was done.  The cargo holds, where ten thousand civilians were once housed, had been turned into flaming, empty graves.  The ship was left intact to be found, as a symbol of what was to come.  The Keilmar had withdrawn within one minute after the attack had finished.

            Ten minutes later, another group of jump points ripped through space above the now lifeless freighter, giving birth to five White Stars accompanied by a Narn heavy cruiser.  On the bridge of White Star 67, Anla'Shok Val'Na Greg Giovoni took the sight in stunned silence as his command pitched around, allowing him to take in a full view of what was left of the Preston.  Though he had not deluded himself into thinking they would be here in time to save the transport, he hadn't anticipated a sight such as this, having expected to find only a field of rubble as remains of the freighter.

            This was wholly different.  The Keilmar had been precise in their attack; this was obvious from the damage.  They had crippled the transport, preventing an escape and then fired on it in such a manner that it would kill all onboard but leave the hull of the ship intact.  Giovoni wanted desperately to tear his eyes away from the view port, no longer wanting to look at this mass grave but could not do so, something inside him forced him to look on.

            "Scan for survivors," he ordered, no glimmer of hope gracing his voice.

            The Minbari operating the operations console, located on the right of the command chair, slowly pressed several controls, bringing the ship's sensors to life, marked by a series of noises emanating from his console.  When the scan completed, he took his eyes from the wreckage in front of the ship and studied the display, the results bringing no surprise.  "Detecting no life signs Val'Na."

            Giovoni suppressed the urge inside of him, to order his wing across the Keilmar border and target the first of their kind he saw.  He knew now was not the time for such impulsive actions, that they had too much work to do, now more than ever.  He stood, silent for several minutes, his crew waiting for action but understanding how he felt, faced with the unprovoked death of so many innocents.  Slowly, he turned and made his way back to the command chair.  "Open a channel to Captain Lochley, tell her the war just started."

***

            "It was a foolish move," Executor Tari'Kan scolded the Keilmar at his side as both clamored down the dark metal laden corridor of his command ship, the Sek'Al, roughly translating to Death's Hand.  He was more than displeased with the reckless, impulsive decision undertaken by one of his destroyer commanders.  By attacking an Alliance transport carrying their people away from the evacuation zone it forced him to explain to the Kaishar why his ships had been in territory that still did not belong to them.

            "My apologies Executor, but I merely wished to follow your orders," the Kantarh or commander protested, believing he had done nothing wrong.  The two black armor clad figures rounded a corner and proceeded silently through another corridor to a doorway at the end of it.  Tari'Kan keyed in his personal access code, prompting the door to his private sanctum to slide open, the Kantarh following him inside.  The room was large and dark, save for one light source in the center of the room and dim lights upon the walls, showing off the many decorations the Kantarh could not make out from the distance.

            "My orders did not involve firing on any of their vessels," the Executor refuted as he disappeared into the dark shadows of his sanctum, the Kantarh struggling to make out his location.  "My orders were to recon the system," Tari'Kan continued, his voice echoing throughout the large room.  "To report back the locations of their ships and to determine if their withdrawal from that system had been completed.  I did not order nor sanction any engagement, especially an engagement that ends in the death of ten thousand humans onboard a defenseless transport.  Perhaps you do not realize the difficult political situation you have put us in with this impetuously made attack.  It will now be even more difficult for our leaders to continue convincing the Alliance that all we want is to live in harmony and peace with them."

            "You yourself told me that war with them was coming soon!"  The Kantarh hissed angered by the stern lecture he was receiving from the Executor who, though his superior officer, was far younger than he and hence it was difficult for him to look upon him with the reverence typically accorded to the executor of the fleet.  "Our troops are anxious.  We have tasted the thrill of battle with our swift destruction of their Seventh Fleet and we are forced to back down in order to allow time for this treaty game to come to an end.  It is difficult for us to simply back away once a battle has begun.  My men needed to feel the thrill of victory again!  The thrill of the kill!"  Hearing no response from the Executor, the Kantarh continued with his argument.

            "Why must we waste time with this treaty you told me was meaningless?  Why can we not attack them now while their forces are weak and their guard is lowered?  We should strike at them now and drive them to their knees!  All of this delay, this diplomatic meandering is unnecessary.  They have now seen a demonstration of our power, our willingness to kill, we must finish the job we began with their Seventh Fleet!  We can conquer them all!"  He watched as Tari'Kan emerged from the shadows, standing almost behind him.  Cocking his head over his shoulder, looking into the Executor's red eyes that glowed with anger but seeing a cold, calm expression on his face, he continued.  "Then you and I will walk together on the home world of the humans, and toast our victory with their blood!"

            "Victory will belong to us," Tari'Kan stated calmly as he circled behind him.  When the Kantarh began to turn and face him, the Executor placed his hand on his shoulder, holding him in place.  "But it is not your place to question how that victory will be achieved, it is only your place to fight when and where I tell you to fight."  He pulled his hand off the Kantarh's shoulder, reaching for something at his side.  "And you failed to do something as simple as that."

            "Executor, you told me to secure the system I –" A piercing pain in his lower back and the feeling of blood filling his throat cut off his final appeal as Executor Tari'Kan pierced him through the back with an elongated, double pointed dagger, finding the point between two plates of the black armor worn by all Keilmar military personnel.

            As the Kantarh choked on his own blood, gasping for air, Tari'Kan leaned close to his ear, gently whispering in it.  "Your second heart has been pierced," he stated bluntly.  "Right now you are experiencing shock as your body tries to reroute its functions to your first heart.  In a matter of seconds, your first heart will have been filled with a great deal of blood."  As he twisted the dagger into the Kantarh's back, his other hand slid from his side, positioning another dagger above a gap between two plates of armor near his chest.  As his gasping and choking slowed, the Executor stabbed the second dagger at an angle through the gap of armor into his chest.

            Blood flowed from the open wound, down his armor, covering the floor beneath him.  "Your first heart has now been pierced," the Executor coldly informed him, as all life seemed to fade from his body.  "It will take approximately five minutes for the blood to drain from your body.  You will lose consciousness very soon."  He paused, moving his head around, staring into the Kantarh's shocked eyes.  "You should not have failed me."  Even after his second heart being stabbed, the Kantarh was still able to resist slightly but with the loss of his first heart, the resistance disappeared as his body went limp, dangling on the two blades held in place by Tari'Kan. 

In a swift motion, he pulled both blades from the body, letting it fall lifelessly to the floor.  Two black armored guards wearing black helmets entered the room, making their way without hesitation to the body of the Kantarh.  "Remove that," Tari'Kan ordered, gesturing to it.  The guards collected the body, each taking a shoulder and hauled it out of the Executor's sanctum, leaving a trail of blood on the floor as it drained.

He strode back across the room to the place on the wall where he had retrieved the pair of daggers from their hanging place.  Before replacing them upon the wall, he turned and gazed at the door to his sanctum where the guards had just exited carrying the body of the Kantarh.  The man was a fool but parts of what he said had been correct.  Tari'Kan also felt the need for battle, the thought of peace did not sit well with him and he felt his blood boil with the need to destroy his enemies.  Unlike the Kantarh however, he also knew the need for patience in reaching their goals and knew that through patience, they would achieve their ultimate purpose and their race would endure for thousands of years.

Still gazing at the door, he raised one of the daggers towards it.  "To our victory," he toasted, his black tongue licking the blood from the blade.

****************

EAS HADES; HYPERSPACE STAGING AREA
 MARCH 1, 2272, 20:07 EST

****************

            "The Persephone is in position Captain, all ships accounted for and standing by to attack."  Ensign Perry reported from the tactical station of the destroyer Hades.  The Omega class destroyer Persephone was the last ship in this hastily assembled Earth Force task force to arrive at the hyperspace staging area adjacent to the coordinates they had been given for the raiders command and control base.

In all, eleven destroyers, including the Hades and Dark Thunder the two destroyers that had been chasing the raiders since the beginning, were assembled for the attack against the raider base, where information placed the majority of their capital ships as well.  Advanced probes they had sent into the system confirmed the presence of both a small star base and several large ships of varying design, a raider trademark.

The plan of attack was a simple one, designed by Captain McDouglass and Captain Griffon to inflict maximum damage upon the raiders and to secure information regarding, among other things, their operations throughout the Interstellar Alliance and the suppliers of the advanced weaponry they had been using in recent weeks.

"Very well," Captain McDouglass said, moving across the bridge back to the command chair from the tactical map she had been studying, displaying the most recent surveillance data they had received from their probes in the target system.  "Order all ships to reset communications to secure frequency two seven three eight.  Tell all attack wing commanders to prepare to engage."  She settled into the command chair, toggling a switch that placed the secure frequency on the bridge overhead speakers so she could easily monitor communications traffic during the coming battle.

"All ships report ready Captain," Ensign Perry informed her.

"Tell the first wing to form on us, move into position and activate jump engines."  McDouglass ordered, prepared for battle and ready for their long pursuit of the raiders to finally be brought to an end.  This battle would be the culmination of months of work towards ridding the Earth Alliance of dangerous pirates.

"EAS Apollo and Nemesis are in position."

"Jump engines online, standing by to jump!"

The order was given.  Jump points surged through space a short distance from the cobbled together space station where several raider battlewagons, carriers and smaller ships were docked.  The Warlock destroyer emerged from the center jump point, the two Omegas covering it on each side.  The heavy particle beams of the Hades lashed out, slicing through the hull of the closest battlewagon, cutting the ship perfectly into two halves as the beams raked across the pirate cruiser.  Fighters blasted out of the hangars on all three ships, Starfuries forming a defensive screen around the destroyers while Thunderbolts moved to engage the station and surrounding vessels.

Raiders responded, defensive gun turrets along the perimeter of the station coming to life, tracking in on the approaching Earth Force fighters while Zephyrs launched from three different bays, also speeding towards the approaching attackers.  Power blooms were detected in the power plants of the six battlewagons, three carriers and eight support craft, a mixture of antiquated corvettes and other smaller platforms.  The raider ships began slowly turning towards the Earth vessels while the station defense guns opened fire, spraying the stars with lines of orange pulses.  The sky lit up as fighters were destroyed in balls of fire and others fired upon their opposition, both sides taking significant losses.

Hades, Apollo and Nemesis opened fire with every weapon in their arsenal, orange and blue pulse cannons disintegrating the Zephyrs engaged against their fighters, red lasers and particle cannons slicing through and puncturing the hulls of the raider corvettes, the first of their capital class ships to move into the engagement.  The few raider fighters daring enough to maneuver close enough to the destroyers were instantly destroyed by sustained defense grid fire.

Outmatched against the superior number of raider fighters and heavy fire from the station's defense grid, McDouglass gave the order for her fighters to break away and move to make a stand with the destroyers.  As the Thunderbolts terminated their engagement and fled at high speed towards their mother ships, the few pursuing Zephyrs were cut to pieces by pulse cannon fire from the destroyers.

Captain Sarah McDouglass watched the battle unfold both on the forward screen as well as on the tactical map, displaying digital images of ship symbols, updated in real time using the data from their sensors.  The heavier raider capital ships, carriers and battlewagons had powered up and were beginning to turn towards the Hades and its strike wing.  She listened to the open communications channel for a moment as the fighter wing leader announced how close they were to the destroyers and how many raiders were still pursuing.

As the three destroyers continued their attack, eliminating three more raider support ships and damaging a reactor onboard the station, Captain McDouglass saw no better time to play their ace in the hole.  She toggled a switch on the right arm of her chair, opening a channel to the rest of their forces, still holding position in hyperspace.  "Captain Griffon, you ready?"  She queried, somewhat sarcastically as the ship was rocked for the first time by a hit from the station's defensive weapons.

"Give us the word," the Dark Thunder Captain anxiously answered.

"Do it," she ordered with conviction.

On all sides around the station, blue and white energy of eight jump points surged through space, each bringing forth a new Earth Force destroyer, surrounding the station and the raider ships around it.  Fighters launched and engaged as precisely targeted lasers and particle cannons stripped away the gun turrets lining the station, rendering it defenseless in a matter of seconds.  The threat of the station, for the time, eliminated, the destroyers broke off, engaging the remaining battlewagons and carriers.

Captain McDouglass took no time to relish in how smoothly the battle was proceeding thus far, knowing too well that there was more than enough time for things to begin going badly.  The ship rocked again, taking two hits from laser cannons onboard an approaching battlewagon.  "Get me a shooting solution on that ship," she ordered, looking over her shoulder and pointing a finger at Perry, emphasizing the urgency of the command.

Quickly running his fingers across the controls, he carried out her instructions.  "Shooting solution locked in, missile launchers targeted."

"Fire!"

A dozen missiles launched from the starboard launcher of the Hades, their tails glowing bright red as they zoomed towards the approaching battlewagon.  Its defensive weapons retaliated, attempting to shoot down the deadly attackers before they reached the ship but to no avail.  The missiles landed on target, the first three detonating against the armor of the warship while explosions from the remaining weapons sliced into the hull, ripping the ship apart as they detonated.

On the other side of the station, the EAS Dark Thunder found itself squaring off against a battlewagon and a carrier.  The Shadow-tech destroyer held its fire, closing in on the two ships, taking several unnoticed hits from lasers and pulse weapons of the raiders as the distance between them lessened.  Flying between the two ships, the side guns of the Dark Thunder opened up on both in a brilliant display of blue and green color as the enhanced weaponry cut through the hulls of both vessels, leaving them burning hulks as the Earth destroyer flew past them, firing several additional volleys with her aft cannons to finish the job.

Within minutes, the battle had ended with the destruction of every raider capital ship and fighter present in space.  Captain McDouglass allowed herself a brief smile at seeing the first phase of their plan had been completed realizing however that the second was likely to be more difficult.  She joined Perry at the tactical station.  "Tell Colonel Marcellus he has a go.  Signal the Dark Thunder and advise Captain Griffon that Colonel Cuellar has a go as well."  Minutes later, as the Earth destroyers formed a blockading formation around the station, a marine breaching pod departed from both the Dark Thunder and the Hades, moving towards the station.

The two circular ships landed on opposite sides of the dome shaped station, forming an airtight attachment against the hull of the base, lasers cutting an entrance for the troops carried inside.  Inside the darkened corridor, primary lighting having failed due to several hits to the main reactor, a piece of square metal, roughly six feet tall fell to the floor from the ceiling above. 

Colonel Antonio Cuellar dropped from the hole into the corridor, quickly sweeping all sides of it with his rifle at the ready, probing the corridor with the attached laser-sighting device.  He was soon followed by three more marines dressed in black tactical gear who, along with the Colonel, secured the immediate area, meeting no resistance.  He toggled his headset microphone, ordering the rest of the boarding party to proceed.  Forty-six additional marines dropped from the breaching pod into the corridor, all taking up defensive positions around the immediate area.

"Listen up people," Colonel Cuellar drew their attention, his voice was what everyone would expect from a soldier of his experience, calm, cool and authoritative.  "First three tactical teams with me, we're making straight for command and control at the center of this shack.  Last two tactical teams with Captain Stevenson, secure and search all cargo areas for any sort of weapons or other contraband."  His orders were to the point, not wasting his time with anything that did not need to be said.  "If you encounter any resistance don't hesitate to fire but be sure of your targets, remember the team from the Hades is over here as well and we don't want any friendly fire casualties.  Questions?"  He harshly demanded and received no response.  "Move out!"  He ordered, readying his weapon and moving down the corridor, three teams of troops following him, the remainder moving out in the opposite direction.

They quickly proceeded through several decks of seemingly endless corridors, delicately sweeping every inch in front of them with tactical lights and laser sighting systems attached to their rifles, still encountering not a single raider.  Knowing this to be mostly a supply and coordination base, Cuellar had not anticipated a large amount of crew or security personnel but he had anticipated encountering slightly more resistance, especially now that they were reaching the core of the station.  The teams under led by Captain Stevenson checked in, reporting they had reached the cargo area, also not encountering any resistance.  Marines from the Hades also checked in, reporting that they were nearing the reactor area, having encountered only light resistance from a small raider security force.

At the end of another long corridor, they reached a sealed metal bulkhead, leading to the command center.  The thirty marines deployed in two columns down the corridor as Colonel Cuellar and a Lieutenant approached the door.  Using hand signals, Cuellar ordered the Lieutenant to attempt to open the door using the control panel located on the bulkhead to the right.  He keyed in several combinations but with no success, the door remaining it its closed and locked position.

Cuellar raised his hand, giving the signal for the breaching team to move forward.  Six marines emerged from the columns, three of them carrying heavy equipment in large, nylon duffle bags.  They quickly unpacked the breaching charges and detonators from the bag, placing just enough explosives to breach the door but to avoid breaching the hull.  After setting the charges, they gave a signal to the Colonel that they were ready.  The Colonel and all except for two of the marines fell back to the front of columns.  Of the two remaining, one held the master detonator controls and the other a stun grenade; ready to toss it into the room the second the charges breached the door.

"It's a focused blast," the soldier carrying the detonator whispered to the one with the grenade.  "It'll blow into the door but we might get a little residual punch off of it so be ready."  The marine with the grenade nervously nodded as the one with the detonator began counting down five seconds using his fingers.  When the count reached zero, he clenched his fingers into a fist and pressed a red button on the remote.  The charges exploded sending a barrage of shrapnel and debris into the command center, quickly followed by the marine tossing a stun grenade inside.  The grenade went off, marked by a loud banging noise and a bright light.

Colonel Cuellar gave a hand signal and charged forward through the breached door, the rest of the Marines quickly following behind him.  As the smoke cleared in the command center, several disoriented raiders brandishing rifles and small arms became visible.  Cuellar trained his weapon upon one, the rest of the marines also taking aim, his laser sight falling directly on the individual's head.  "Drop it!"  The Colonel sternly commanded.  Many weapons fell to the ground as all the raiders present surrendered without a fight; the Earth Force marines took them into custody as they secured the command center.

Shortly after the raiders had been removed from the command center, escorted to the shuttles the Dark Thunder was sending over, the marine contingent from the Hades checked in, advising they had secured reactor controls and were working to restore power to the main computers for the purpose of commencing a data dump to the destroyer.  They would then be rigging the reactor to go critical once the marines' work on the station was done.

Immediately following the team from the Hades, Captain Stevenson contacted Colonel Cuellar.  "Colonel, we've secured the cargo hold, seventeen raiders in custody," he advised, the tone of his voice leaving Cuellar to believe there was more to the reason the Captain had contacted him.

"Anything else?"  Cuellar was not the type who liked to beat around the bush, especially when information that could be important was concerned.

"Yes sir," he replied apprehensively.  "It seems like we stumbled on some sort of meeting down here, we've got crates full of heavy weapons and," a hesitant pause.  "We've got something down here sir and, you'd better come see, you're not going to believe it."  Cuellar was frustrated by this point but also curious to the point where he needed the information.

"I'm on my way Captain."  He killed the radio by flipping a switch on his tactical belt.  "Lieutenant Jordan, you're in charge here until I get back."

****************

ADMIRAL BARNES' OFFICE; BABYLON 5  MARCH 1, 2272, 20:48 EST

****************

            "Tell me you don't believe that!"  Captain Lochley exclaimed, her face displaying in equal measure as her voice the signs of her anger at the situation as she locked eyes with Admiral Barnes from the communications monitor in his office.

After knowing her for over eight years, Admiral Jerry Barnes would have hoped she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't be fooled by something so blatantly fictitious.  "Of course I don't Elizabeth," he insisted.

"Then how come we aren't doing anything about this?"  Barnes had the advantage over Lochley of being away from the frontlines and hence removed from the personal aspects of this conflict with which they were faced.  "They deliberately killed over ten thousand civilians and we're sitting back and doing nothing while listening to their ambassador giving us some bull shit story and Sheridan saying that all is forgiven!"

Barnes winced at the verbal attack from the Captain.  He could understand her feelings; his had been one and the same when he had first learned of the destruction of the transport ship Preston.  Shortly following the discovery of the attack by White Star 67, the Keilmar Narcon, ambassador in their language, had issued a rather lengthy explanation regarding why the attack had taken place.  The statement had stopped short of apologizing for the attack, stating that they believed today was when they were to take possession of the sectors, claiming that something in the translation of the treaty had been a mistake and that they would withdraw their forces until the appointed day arrived.

"Because we need the time Elizabeth."  She gave him a curious look as his statement raised more questions than it answered.  Barnes circled around his desk, sitting down at the chair and turning to face her.  "The President is fed up by these games the Keilmar are playing with us," the Admiral commented, his voice close to a whisper.  "Even after they issued the statement saying the attack was a mistake, large elements of their fleet were deployed along the border, no doubt preparing to move into those systems as soon as the treaty allows.  We're going to use these next two days to move as many of our forces as possible into the systems where you are.  Your orders, effective immediately, in addition to safeguarding the lives of any civilians, is to hold those systems against any Keilmar advance."

Lochley was taken far unprepared for the orders given to her by Barnes.  Though she had hoped for some sort of response by the Alliance to the Keilmar attack, she had not anticipated measures so drastic as to defy the treaty they had established with them for the sole purpose of preventing a war.  "You realize Jerry, that if we refuse to withdraw when their forces arrive, it's very likely to start a war."

Barnes was reminded of the conversation he had moments ago with Sheridan when the President gave him those same orders, this conversation with Lochley being virtually an echo of that one.  "Yes I do."  He admitted.  "We've tried peace Elizabeth, we've made more concessions than we should have and done everything in our power to avoid this but nothing has worked.  They don't want peace, no matter what they claim, no matter what kind of show they put on and no matter what kind of lies they tell, it's becoming pretty obvious the only thing they want is war and they've just been biding their time before showing their true colors."  He felt himself becoming increasingly agitated, simply at the thought of the Keilmar and the lies they had been telling for the past month and took a moment of silence to allow himself to relax, not wanting to betray that he was as angry as she.

"I am willing to go to war if it is the only way to protect the Alliance and ensure that these Keilmar do not continue to threaten us and our ways of life.  War is coming and if that is the only way to bring peace back to this galaxy then I'm willing to fight."

"So am I," Lochley softly conceded.  "So what's the plan?"  She moved on, her confidence returning.

Barnes confidence was also reinvigorated as he began to brief her on the new mission.  "Every element of the White Star Fleet that can reach your location by the third is now en-route as are ships from the Minbari, Narns, Earth Force and a couple of the other member worlds who are willing to support the war against the Keilmar.  You are to consolidate your fleet and take up position in this system," he spun around, tapping a control on his desk, transmitting to Lochley a map of the evacuation zone with the location marked on it, spinning back around to face the monitor.  "It's the closest to their border and likely the system they will try to take possession of first.  You are not to fire first but you are authorized to defend yourself and the territory as needed.  Meanwhile, President Sheridan is going to be speaking with their leaders, trying to come up with a new set of terms, this time in our favor, using the attack on the transport as leverage.  It's not likely to work, but he has to try."

"If they attack?"

"If they attack," Barnes answered.  "The President will issue a statement declaring war upon them and the council will enact the Alliance military act."

Lochley was hit with the sudden realization of what would be happening in the next two days.  "And do you think the member worlds will support that war?  From what you told me a couple of days ago, it doesn't sound like there's too much support for any action against the Keilmar."

Barnes had felt the same way days before, especially given the level of support they had been receiving at the time from many of the more moderate member worlds.  "Shortly after the attack, just after we found out about it, ISN and every other planetary news network broke the news."  He dropped his voice slightly, providing subtle emphasis to his words.  "People across the Alliance are outraged Elizabeth.  In the short time since the attack happened, protests against the Keilmar have been organized, people are demanding retribution and calling on their governments as well as the Alliance, demanding that some kind of action be taken.

"Though they haven't come straight out saying they'd support broad military action against the Keilmar, President Sheridan and the rest of our supporters on Minbar feel like many of the Alliance leaders are beginning to come around now that popular support is beginning to sway away from peace."

Lochley laughed lightly, finding a bizarre humor in the Admiral's comment.  "It's funny that after all this time trying to bring peace to the galaxy we're now suddenly wanting everyone to support the prospect of an intergalactic war."

"We need that support Elizabeth," Barnes added, not finding the humor she had.  "Everyone is tired of being pushed around and bullied.  If given the choice between lying down, taking whatever they do to us and fighting them, it seems as though most are coming around to the idea of not wanting to fall back any further."

Lochley smiled, a silent agreement with his words.  For a fleeting moment, neither of the two officers said anything to the other, an exchange of glances saying more than they could have with any words.  "I suppose I have a great deal I need to be taking care of."

"And not a lot of time to do it."

"Any last minute instructions?"

"If this does come to war, until the member worlds forces are placed under my command and can become organized, your fleet is basically all that stands between us and the Keilmar," Barnes had debated whether or not to burden her with the grave repercussions that there would be if the Keilmar broke through her forces.  "The White Star Fleet cannot fail in this duty.  Whatever types of forces they send, you must hold them."

"Understood Admiral," she coldly acknowledged, not allowing any emotions to show.

"And come back safely," Barnes added, allowing his emotions to truly show through for the first time in the conversation.  She smiled as her image disappeared, replaced by the symbol of the Interstellar Alliance.

Barnes leaned forward onto his desk, virtually exhausted, having barely slept this past week, working to do what he could to prepare the Alliance for exactly this event.  Returning to the paperwork that had formed a mountain upon his desk, he was quickly pulled away by the chiming of his link, a sound that had moved in his mind from routine to annoying.  He toggled it on, slowly raising his wrist close to his face.  "Barnes."

"Admiral," Commander Corwin spoke with an urgent skepticism in his voice, withdrawn but hurried at the same time.  "We've just received an ultraviolet transmission from the Hades and the Dark Thunder, both of them are on their way here, Captain McDouglass says they've found something you need to see, something they don't want to discuss over communications at the risk the transmission might be intercepted.  They say the few people that know about this right now, the better."

Barnes curiosity was peaked; as was concern over what they could have discovered that had to be kept so secretive.  He accepted however that there was little he would be able to learn at this point, knowing contacting the Hades would do no good if Sarah had already set her mind on not talking about it until they arrived.  "How long?"  Was all he had to ask.

"Six hours."

It was going to be another long, sleepless day.

***

            "What do you think it could be?"  Vice Admiral Michael Taylor watched as Admiral Jerry Barnes continued to pace back and forth throughout the arrival lounge, he himself standing still.  With the time nearing three in the morning, the two of them had been waiting for the arrival of the Dark Thunder and Hades, which was now overdue by several minutes, for the past half hour, the signs of anticipation and fatigue were beginning to show on his superior officer.

"I have no idea," Barnes had asked himself that question more times than he could count since he had learned the two destroyers were on their way to the station and still came up with no feasible answer.  "Since they left here after the ceremony, the Dark Thunder and the Hades resumed their mission to put an end to the raider groups that keep springing up inside Earth Alliance territory."  Barnes noted, remembered the past two months had seen both an increase in raider activity and an increase in the damage they had been causing throughout the Interstellar Alliance.  "I can't imagine what they could have found while conducting the mission that would make them drop everything and set course for Babylon 5."  Taking advantage of the time they had, Barnes switched to another pressing topic.  "What's the status of our fleet buildup on the Keilmar border?"

Vice Admiral Taylor had been charged with issuing orders to all available ships whose governments were willing to support the military buildup to rendezvous with the White Star Fleet and other forces that were already stationed in those sectors.  "Slowly progressing.  Multiple Earth, Minbari and Narn units are en-route.  They're pulling everything they have that can reach the rendezvous in time and are sending them.  The Drazi have sent a contingent of warships as have the Vree but they're not willing to send everything they can, wanting to keep some elements of their fleets close to home."

"Understandable," Barnes admitted, the Alliance having taken similar moves to protect its own key installations and planets, Babylon 5 and Minbar falling at the top of that list.  "What's the best estimate for the number of ships we'll have by the time the Keilmar are scheduled to move in?"

"Between nine hundred and one thousand capital class ships along with support ships.  We don't know what kind of firepower the Keilmar can muster but ours should be an impressive showing no matter what kind of forces they send at us."

"But will it be enough?"  Barnes displayed a pessimism that had become his norm in the past month.

"I don't know," Taylor confessed.  "Everything we've seen has shown that the White Star Fleet can stand up to their forces when it comes to technology but we have no idea what type of numbers they'll send at us or if they have technology they haven't revealed to us in battle yet but either way, they'll be in for one hell of a fight."

"That they will but let's hope the President can still work out some sort of a diplomatic solution to this mess."  Though Barnes knew they were as prepared as they could be for a potential war, it was still something he only wanted to resort to as a last recourse.

Taylor shook his head, having discounted that possibility in his own mind some time ago.  "With everything we've seen from the Keilmar, any sort of diplomatic agreement from this point on will be nothing but another exercise in delay on either our part of theirs.  I think you know that," Taylor pointing that out, despite Barnes' seeming hopefulness for a peaceful solution, he seemed to realize a war was on the horizon.  "And I think the President and all those other diplomats on Minbar realize it as well."  Barnes nodded, a silent admission.

Barnes' link chimed, he answered it with a renewed vigor.  "Barnes, go."

"Admiral, the Hades and the Dark Thunder have just jumped in.  Captain McDouglass is requesting you join her onboard the Hades as soon as possible."

Barnes and Taylor shared a look of skepticism; both having assumed the Captain would present whatever it was she had found to them onboard Babylon 5 rather than the Hades.  "Did she advise why?"  Barnes ask, hoping to probe Commander Corwin for any other information he may have received but neglected to inform them of.

"I asked Admiral and she said it would take too long to transfer everything you need to see and also expressed concerns for the prisoners if she tried to transfer them to the station as well."

Having no further need to question her actions, Barnes acknowledged and ordered a shuttle to be immediately prepared for Vice Admiral Taylor and himself.  Within two minutes, they were leaving the docking bay onboard a standard Earth Force passenger shuttle with Taylor at the flight controls.  Exiting the docking bay, Barnes took note of the area around the station, always quiet at this time of morning.  Aside from a plethora of White Stars, a Minbari cruiser and the small engine glows of Starfuries on patrol, there was little traffic around the station.  Though it was not a site he was often able to see, Babylon 5 from this perspective at this time of day, when the night lighting of the station illuminated the silver and blue hull, always managed to put him slightly at ease.

Looming just off the jump gate, coming into view as Taylor pitched the shuttle around, the two massive forms of the Dark Thunder and the Hades two very different ships with two very similar ancestries.  While Taylor angled the shuttle towards the glowing red docking bay of the Hades, Barnes' gaze remained fixed on the Dark Thunder.  Even after all these years, he still felt a unique attachment with his former command, feeling as though they were still connected in someway, the same feelings he had felt from the day construction of the destroyer began.

Taylor did not take note of Barnes focusing on the Dark Thunder, instead paying attention to his flight path.  Initiating a final approach maneuver for docking, he activated the communications system, transmitting on a standard Earth Force frequency.  "Babylon 5 shuttle one one three eight two to Hades control, request landing clearance."

"Hades to Babylon 5 shuttle, you are cleared for immediate landing," an urgency marked even the voice of the communications officer.  Whatever it was they had found the crew no doubt knew what it was.  Taylor brought the shuttle in for a smooth landing in the dimly lit landing bay of the Earth Force destroyer.  The two officers stepped out of the shuttle, their boots clanking against the metal deck plates of the destroyer.

Captain Sarah McDouglass was the sole Earth Force officer who awaited their arrival, snapping to attention and delivering a crisp salute as the two Alliance officers approached.  Lacking any true enthusiasm in doing so, Barnes returned the salute.  She stood at ease; Barnes looked into her eyes, seeing dark circles beneath them, it was evident she too had not slept in some time.  "Admiral Barnes, Admiral Taylor, thank you for coming so quickly."

"You didn't leave us with much of an option Captain," Taylor sarcastically commented with a wry grin, beating Barnes to the punch.  Captain McDouglass slightly chuckled, recognizing the humor intended despite it being a serious comment.

"I apologize for being so secretive but this isn't your everyday thing," the Captain gestured down a corridor leading away from the docking bay, the two Admirals following her.  "I didn't want to risk anyone listening in if I told you over communications channels and for our own security, I didn't want to risk having to transport anything over to Babylon 5."  The short walk led to an empty, waiting lift, the three officers stepping inside and Captain McDouglass keying in a destination for one of the lower decks, the lift taking off with a low whining noise.

"Commander Corwin said you mentioned something about prisoners."  Barnes skipped straight to the point that had attracted his interest more than any.  Everything about the mysterious arrival of the Hades had him curious but whoever these prisoners were, they were likely to be the largest part of the reason Captain McDouglass had chosen to bring her command to Babylon 5, not wanting allies of the prisoners to get word they had been captured and were onboard the Hades.  Still, he wondered ultimately how important they could be if they were found during the hunt for raiders.

"We're on our way to see them now, then I think everything will start to make sense," she spoke confidently, only serving to add further puzzlement to the minds of the two Admirals.  "We found them on a space station we attacked yesterday, a raider base of operations," she decided to fill them in on the background of the situation while waiting for the lift to reach its destination.  "These raiders, during the past couple months, have been greatly stepping up their attacks on not just the Earth Alliance but on all Alliance member worlds."

"That's true," Taylor confirmed.  "In fact losses to raider activity during the past month has been higher than any recorded in the past decade.  They've also become a lot more brazen in their tactics, even going so far as to target military forces, managing to destroy several ships in the process.  Though the losses haven't been grievous, they have hurt the member worlds enough to slow them down in the event any mobilization would have to take place."

A realization seemed to hit Captain McDouglass, the scope of her discovery now becoming even more evident.  "It all makes sense then," she whispered.

"What makes sense?"  Barnes insisted, growing tired of waiting for answers.  The lift came to a stop, the door slid open and Captain McDouglass led the way down another corridor.  Barnes took note that they were on the security deck of the ship, apparent by markings upon the walls, the prisoners Captain McDouglass continued to speak of were likely being held on this deck.

They approached the detention area, two guards outside standing at perfect attention saluted, Captain McDouglass returning it and moving quickly to the door, keying in her access code to a digital pad on the door.  The three officers stepped inside the main office, where two security officers observed monitors that looked in on all of the thirty holding cells.  The two light brown shirted security officers hastily snapped to attention, springing from their chairs and removing their feet from the desk, when the Captain and two Admirals approached.

"On the station," Captain McDouglass chose to continue with her briefing rather than scold the two security officers.  "We boarded the station after destroying the raider ships surrounding it.  Onboard, we found crates full of advanced weaponry, designs we've never seen before aside from on some of the raider ships we previously captured in the last month.  It didn't make a lot of sense until we found these three in one of the cargo bays, along with detailed schematics on how to adapt these weapons to the raider ships."  She snapped around, looking at one of the security officers, gaining his attention without using any words.  "Put up cell three on this monitor please," she pointed to the central monitor that was currently blank on the wall in front of her.  The officer tapped a series of controls, activating it, displaying a color image of the holding cell.

The answers Barnes had wanted became all too clear the instant he saw the image.  Seated on the gray metal bunk, surrounded by equally simple metal walls, was a large figure clad in deep black armor, bearing no other distinguishing markings.  All but the head of the figure was covered; his skin was a scaly blue color, looking in itself like a second armor.  Barnes had embedded the face of this enemy in his mind for the past month but now was shaken seeing them in such a position.

"What do you want to bet those weapons turn out to be Keilmar as well?"  Captain McDouglass accurately explained her theory, the same as the one Barnes and Taylor were quickly developing in their minds.

"They've been planning this all along," disgust dripped from Barnes' soft voice.  "While operating under the guise of wanting peace they've been working to disrupt any chances of responding to an attack if they were to make it."

"What are you going to –" Admiral Taylor's question was cut short by the chiming of Captain McDouglass' link.

"McDouglass."

"Captain, I don't know where it came from but a Keilmar dreadnought just jumped in right on top of us.  They've identified themselves as the Sek'Al and state they're here under a flag of peace for parley.  The officer we spoke to claimed they have someone named Tari'Kan onboard and he is wanting to speak with Admiral Barnes onboard his ship."

"Admiral, I don't think it would be wise," Vice Admiral Taylor was quick to voice his objection.

Barnes shook his head.  He was tired of the endless series of games the Keilmar had been playing with them during this past month and made a decision that it would end now.  He toggled his link on.  "Barnes to launch bay, prepare a shuttle, I'll be leaving shortly for the Keilmar ship."  He switched his link back off and raised his hands to block the coming protests from both Taylor and McDouglass.  "It's time we confront them, about the lies, about the sneaking around behind our backs and about what they really see this coming to.  If going face to face with the commander of their forces is the only way to bring the truth out then I'll do it without thinking twice.  Plus I have a bargaining chip," he gestured to the three monitors where the Keilmar prisoners were being watched.  "Perhaps I can use that to succeed in some sort of diplomatic option where the President has failed but, if there is to be a war, I plan to make the games stop here and now."  Not wanting to hear any debate on the subject, he stormed out of the room.

***

            From the instant he arrived onboard the Keilmar warship, Barnes could not help but feel unwelcome.  Though he made it no secret he was coming alone and unarmed, the Keilmar guards still saw it fit to thoroughly search both him and the shuttle he piloted over.  Escorting him through the dark, drab metal corridors were eight guards, three standing in front and behind him with one on each side, clad in the normal black armor he had learned to associate with the Keilmar military.  The only differences he had observed in any of these sets of armor were the markings upon them.  The quantity and color of various markings upon the shoulders and chest plate of the armor appeared to signify rank, remembering the blue and gold markings on the armor of the Executor when they had first met one-month prior.

They escorted him through a series of seemingly endless corridors.  Each was the same with no distinguishing markings or even so much as a symbol to indicate where they were.  Though Barnes prided himself on his since of direction, for all he knew, they could be leading him in circles.  Finally, after what Barnes figured was at least ten minutes of walking, they came to an end of a corridor and a black door with two additional guards standing outside of it.  One of the door guards, each of which wore a single red echelon on both shoulders, turned to a digital panel on the wall next to the door, typing in a code with his left hand.  With a hiss, the door slid opened, the guard commanding Barnes to enter.

Stepping inside the room, Barnes was quick to make note of his surroundings.  Though the room was dark, there was enough light for Barnes to see it was essentially a large, easily twice the size of Babylon 5's command and control center, empty room.  The only furniture he could see was a single desk near the wall in front of him, the middle of which housed a large circular window, flanked by digital tactical maps on either side and, in the center of the room, a small circular pad with a light source emanating from it. 

More so than the furniture, or lack thereof, it was the walls Barnes took note of.  To the left of him, the wall was decorated, covered almost completely in a large collection of shining bladed weaponry.  Barnes saw several shapes that bore striking resemblance to classes of warships from the Keilmar fleet, confirming his theory that their designs were based off bladed weaponry from the Keilmar culture.  The blades were neatly cleaned, their handles all black, decorated in gold trim with red, blue, purple and green stones and other metals.  Dim lights upon the walls illuminated the blades, making them standout even in detail.

Adorning the right wall were items that took Barnes even further by surprise.  Made quite clear by lights hanging upon the wall were art pieces of all sizes from many worlds Barnes recognized and others he did not.  Though he would not claim himself to be an expert on art from any world, including his own, he did recognize the origins of several different pieces.  Paintings, sculptures, statues and other pieces from the Minbari, Narns, Brakiri and Drazi, along with several from his own home he could distinguish.  The others that he did not recognize, he could only surmise were from other member worlds of the Alliance.  He gasped at the sight as his eyes became fixed upon it, realizing that the Keilmar had been studying them for far longer than the Alliance had know of their existence.

"Quite a collection is it not?"  The unmistakable voice, one that had been burned into his memory after only a brief encounter came from behind Admiral Barnes.  His metal clanked against the deck as the Executor approached from behind Barnes, who had turned to face the assortment of art upon the wall.  Barnes looked over his shoulder at the approaching Keilmar who walked with a confident stride and carried an arrogant grin on his black lips.  "My only regret is that I was unable to procure originals of these works."  He stood just behind Barnes, giving the Admiral almost no heed as he admired his own collection.

"How did you get these?"  Barnes was alarmed at the picture now painted for him.  Until this point, he thought the Keilmar had simply stumbled across them when they encountered the Seventh Fleet but now that belief was changing, now he began to realize the Keilmar had been planning this for a conceivably long time.

"Does it matter?"  Tari'Kan mocked.  He extended his arm, pointing to the largest painting, housed in a dark wooden frame behind a piece of glass, taking another series of loud steps forward, standing side by side with Barnes.  "'Starry Night' I believe it is called.  I don't know why," the Executor mused as he gazed at the painting, almost lost in it.  "But I think it is my favorite, so simple, yet so complex at the same time.  Much like your race Admiral," he turned and looked at the Admiral who was still facing the wall.  "Art is something of a hobby of mine."

"I never much cared for his style and art can only tell you so much about a species," the Admiral commented, displaying his familiarity with the artist.  Barnes faced Tari'Kan who had returned to gazing at his collection.  In the imposing presence of the Keilmar Executor, he felt weak, almost powerless.  Aside from the obvious fact that he was physically larger than Barnes, something about the power he seemed to carry made Barnes feel inferior standing beside him.  "What is it you wished to discuss?"  He was uneasy and his voice betrayed it.

Tari'Kan's head shot around, his face still showing his arrogant grin as his eyes met those of the Alliance Admiral.  He looked Barnes over once before speaking.  "You hold three of my soldiers onboard the EAS Hades.  They were taken, approximately seven of your hours ago, from a space station by Earth Force soldiers," he snapped around and began striding to the center of his sanctum, Barnes turning and watching him but remaining where he stood.  "I want them returned to me."

"You come all this way yourself to negotiate for the release of three lowly prisoners?"  Barnes challenged, intent on not allowing Tari'Kan to dominate him during this exchange.  "Seems like a rather unimportant duty for someone of your standing."  Aside from not wanting to allow the Executor to control the conversation, Barnes also wanted to seize the opportunity to try and get into his enemy's head.

"Every soldier under my command Admiral is my primary concern," the Executor launched a counterattack, pivoting on his feet to face Barnes again as he reached the center of the room.  "Certainly you can understand that, with your distinguished record of service."  Tari'Kan pointed to the digital monitor on the right side of the wall and pressed a concealed button on the arm of his armor.  The image shifted from a tactical map to displaying a picture of Barnes with scrolling text beneath it, the Admiral instantly recognizing it as his Earth Force service record.  "Jerry Lucas Barnes, assigned to the EAS Dorsetshire as fighter wing commander, a year out of officer school, during the Minbari War."  Though he was reading it from the display, Tari'Kan seemed to have most of the information memorized.

"Promoted to first officer following an injury that prevented you from continuing to pilot fighters and after the first officer was killed during the same attack.  Captain Mills noted that you had excellent command potential.  Assumed commander of EAS Dorsetshire after the Captain was killed during the closing days of the war.  Led the defense of Proxima 3 and jumped into the Sol System just after the Minbari had surrendered."

"I don't need to be read my own records," Barnes protested, wanting to get to the point, disregarding the urge to try and discover how the Keilmar had acquired his Earth Force service file.  Though it was not information of the highest classification, he still could not understand how this race they had never heard of until two months ago had so much information on the Alliance.

"You are sure?"  His confident composure did not falter.  "It is very interesting, I've read it several times."  He pressed the control again, the display returning to displaying the tactical map.  Barnes attempted to study what region of space was displayed on the map but could not tell, given he could not read the Keilmar language.  "I find it important to know all you can about your enemy," he walked closer to Barnes, standing only inches in front of him, locking his beady red eyes with the Admiral.  "Don't you agree Admiral?"

Barnes shook his head, determined not to allow Tari'Kan to best him.  "We're not at war Executor, we're not enemies yet," he countered; displaying a new found confidence in doing so.

"Very good Admiral," the Executor wryly nodded his head and smirked with his response.  "Very good.  But let me assure you of this," Tari'Kan's mocking tone vanished, replaced by a stern, commanding voice.  "If you do not release my people then there will be war, I promise you that.  I will do whatever is necessary to see my soldiers returned home safely, if that involves crippling the Hades and taking them by force that is what I will do."

Barnes, taken aback, having not anticipated such a stern response from Tari'Kan, acted accordingly.  "You'll be destroyed if you do.  The Hades, the Dark Thunder, Babylon 5 and every other ship out there won't hesitate to blow you out of the sky, even with me onboard, I've already made sure of that."  Barnes allowed a slight pause as he continued his offensive.  "And let me assure you of this, if you try to occupy our territory, there will be war.  The Alliance is no longer willing to standby while we come under attack."

"You would violate our treaty by refusing to cede those systems to us?"  The Executor took the opportunity Barnes presented him.  He was determined to make the Alliance see that peace was what the Keilmar wanted, despite the truths of the situation.  If he could make Barnes seemed like the aggressor, he believed it would be so much the better.  "It seems to be that you are not as interested in peace as you seem."

"You have already violated the treaty!"  Barnes fired back.  "Or at least the spirit in which it was adopted, to keep our two races at peace and to keep the galaxy from falling into the abyss of war but you have attacked civilians, supplied arms to pirates in an effort to disrupt our military.  We are not the ones interested in a war here!"

"We are digressing!"  Tari'Kan was forced to the defensive.  "Release my people now!"

"Then you will drop any and all claim to those systems along our border and withdraw your battle squadrons that have taken up position near them."  Barnes played his gambit, testing how truly sincere this Keilmar was about protecting his people and protecting the peace.

"I do not have the authority to do such a thing!"  The Executor hissed his response.  "I have come only to retrieve my soldiers, not to try bargaining with you for their release!"

"Come now Executor," Barnes continued his offensive in a mocking tone.  "Surely you do not expect me to believe your government sent you to secure their release without giving you any kind of authority to negotiate for it."

"My government does not even know I have come here Admiral."  The Executor dropped his defense, revealing his true motives to the astonishment of his adversary.  "When I briefed the Kaishar on the capture of our operatives by the Hades, he ruled it to be acceptable losses," the Executor circled Barnes, his head hung low.  "But I do not consider the loss of even one soldier to be acceptable, not when there is a chance that I might be able to do something to ensure their safe return home.  Every Keilmar is sworn, as soon as they are old enough to understand the oath, to fight and die for the Empire if they are called but I have seen too much death in my time Admiral, I have participated in too much killing.  Though I do it without question, when the opportunity arrives for me to try and save one of my soldiers, I will take it, regardless of what foolish leaders may think."

"We have the chance Executor, you and I, right now to stop anymore killing from happening.  We both know the treaty was nothing more than a fool's show and we both feel it collapsing beneath us, but we have the opportunity now, you and I, to build something stronger.  Build something on the foundations of trust and honesty rather than on lies and deceit."

"It is too late for that Admiral," the Executor admitted, his true colors showing more than ever.  "Wheels have been set in motion that cannot be stopped and my race is running out of time.  We must act soon or there will be nothing left."

"Why do you keep saying that the galaxy will be destroyed if you cannot stop something?"  Barnes cut in on the middle of his speech, insisting for answers.  "What do you know that we don't?"

Tari'Kan sighed and shook his head.  "I cannot say."  He looked Barnes in the eyes, a sincerity falling into his voice.  "You and I are soldiers Admiral, warriors, nothing more and nothing less.  We cannot hope to prevent the inevitable, we can only hope to lead our races through it and survive.  All I am here to do is bring my people home.  I have nothing to offer you in exchange for allowing them to return aside from my promise to one day show you the same humanity you would be showing me by allowing them to go free."

Barnes was moved by the appeal.  Though they were very different people, in many ways, he could see himself in Tari'Kan's position doing the exact same thing.  He slowly brought his wrist to his face and toggled the link on.  "Barnes to Hades, have the prisoners transferred to this ship, on my authority they're being released."

"Admiral, I –"

"Do it Sarah," Barnes reiterated, toggling the link off.

"I appreciate your kindness Admiral," Tari'Kan gave in to his emotions, dropping the cold, powerful front he had been putting on.  Barnes turned, slowly proceeding towards the doorway of the Executor's sanctum.  "But remember," his words caused Barnes to freeze in his stride.  "The next time we meet," his red eyes pierced into Barnes' soul.  "We will be enemies."  Barnes said nothing, leaving the sanctum and escorted back to the waiting shuttle by the same eight guards.

While piloting the shuttle back to Babylon 5, Barnes signaled Vice Admiral Taylor to return to the station and signaled command and control to clear him for an immediate landing.  With the shuttle on autopilot, Barnes looked out the window at the black form of the Keilmar dreadnought as it jumped through a swirling red vortex into hyperspace, once the shuttle from the Hades had finished transferring the prisoners.  His conversation with the Executor left him unnerved and uncertain about what the coming days would bring.  The Keilmar leader seemed much like two different people at times, causing the Admiral to wonder which was his true self.  He realized that part of the powerful, deadly image the Executor put on was showing commitment to his duties but Barnes considered that it may be less of an act than the part of him that seemed to be interested in preserving the peace.  By the time the short flight was over, he had an answer and had made a decision, setting his course of action with no chance of return.

Within four minutes, Barnes was back on Babylon 5, quickly striding through the arrival area, on a direct route for his office.  "Barnes to C&C," he spoke into his link as he walked.  "Get a priority channel to the Victory, ultra-violet priority, tell Captain MacDonald I need to speak with him now."

***

            "Understood Admiral," Captain Edward MacDonald bluntly acknowledged.  "How soon can we be expecting the order to move?"  Having been fully briefed on the Admiral's plan, that was the only questioning looming in his mind.

"Soon," Barnes confirmed his suspicions with a single word.  "I've ordered Captain Lochley to begin broadcasting messages across the Keilmar border, advising them that if they try to move in and occupy those sectors that they will be met with deadly force."  He paused, rubbing his eyes, obviously fatigued.  "But I doubt that will be enough to deter them.  Captain Lochley has been ordered to send you a coded message in the event they do cross the border, that will be your signal to go."

"So long as Lochley is able to keep their forces occupied, we should be able to slip into their territory unnoticed."  Captain MacDonald, since first devising this plan in cooperation with Barnes weeks before, had ran multiple simulations to help train his crew for the event they would be called upon to perform the mission.

"Let's hope so Captain."

"Get some sleep Admiral," MacDonald could easily pick up on how tired his former Captain was and knew how stubborn Barnes could be.  "The galaxy can survive without you for a few hours you know."

Barnes sarcastically grinned.  "I'm not so sure about that anymore Captain."

MacDonald laughed slightly, feeling he should have learned a long time ago that there was no reasoning with Barnes when he got in moods like this.  "We'll be waiting for the go order from Captain Lochley, the Keilmar won't know what hit them," he assured his old friend.  "Good luck Admiral Barnes."

"To us all Captain MacDonald," Barnes offered with little hope in his voice.  "I have the feeling, in the next few days, I have the feeling every one of us is going to need our share of luck."  Barnes image disappeared.  Captain MacDonald rotated his chair away from the communications monitor and back to the front of the bridge.  The morning shift of the IAS Victory was just coming on duty, taking their stations after relieving the night shift.  MacDonald considered taking the advice he had given Barnes as he was nearing his twentieth hour on the bridge of the destroyer.  Commander MacKenzie would be on duty soon and the Captain felt somewhat comfortable leaving the ship in his care long enough for a quick nap.

Then he considered that there was too much to do, especially now that Barnes had given the order placing the Victory on standby.  There was far too much he still had to do and, it seemed, far too little time in which to see it done.  This feeling was no stranger to Edward MacDonald, he could feel a war looming on the horizon, he felt the breaking point was near.  Feeling a renewed vitality as his duties were upon him, he shot his head around to the operations officer.  "Open secure channel theta three to the Night's Eye."

On the communications monitor hanging from the ceiling at the Captain's side, the image of Val'Na Natalie Johnson set against the backdrop of her bridge burst into view.  "Barnes has put us on standby," MacDonald disregarded any pleasantries or greetings, making his point quickly.  "All we're waiting for is the go ahead order once the Keilmar cross into the evacuation zone.  You are cleared to begin phase one."

"Understood sir," was her only acknowledgement before the image disappeared.

MacDonald slowly rose to his feet, surveying the bridge.  "Listen up people," he drew the attention of the bridge staff away from their consoles, all eyes focusing on him.  "The galaxy is about two steps away from war and we're on the front lines.  Everyone knows what is expected of them and what you have to do.  Let's go to work!"  The bridge crew applauded him; those short words were all that was needed to motivate the dedicated soldiers.

In the darkness of hyperspace, a single ship, the black form of the IAS Night's Eye broke away from the stationary battle group that stretched further than the eye could see, comprised of ships from dozens of different races.  The black ship proceeded forward on a course for the inevitable.

****************

BABYLON 5  MARCH 2, 2272, 19:09 EST

****************

            Standing in the gallery, gazing into the stars, Jerry Barnes found himself lost in them.  After spending the entire day waiting for word as to if the Keilmar had crossed into the evacuation zone, and hearing nothing but reports of all quiet, Barnes finally made the decision to take a break from the war room.  Gazing at the stars from this perspective, almost able to feel the station's rotation, usually put his mind at ease, something that had become a rarity these past months.

Today seemed to be an exception.  His thoughts still rested exclusively on the fleet in the evacuation zone and how, any moment, the Keilmar could attack them, this being the day they were scheduled to take possession of those systems.  So far, their battle squadrons had kept a wide distance from the border but Barnes could not ignore the warning he had been given earlier by their Executor, that war was coming.

He considered, perhaps, that Tari'Kan had reconsidered their position and managed to convince their leaders of the same.  Shortly following his conversation with the Executor, the Keilmar battle squadrons withdrew from their places along the border and Captain Lochley had reported no additional sightings of their forces.  This was offset by the fact that President Sheridan was having no luck contacting their leaders, meaning the situation with the Keilmar had reached a virtual stand still.  Barnes, tired of the games and lies that had marked their entire relationship with the Keilmar, was beginning to wish they would just attack.

Chiming of his link broke through the still silence, snapping Barnes out of his momentary daze.  "Barnes."

The voice of Vice Admiral Taylor came through and from the tone his first word carried, Barnes knew very well what his second in command was calling for.  "Admiral, we just received a garbled transmission from the evacuation zone, reports coming in are still sketchy and we're trying to sort it all out, but we know the Keilmar have attacked.  The report came from White Star Ninety-One, it broke up quickly but they advised there was heavy fighting but the Keilmar have them outnumbered and outgunned.  Captain Lochley had ordered a general retreat and our forces are attempting to regroup and make a stand in sector 2100.  They said the attack came quickly, that a large fleet jumped into the system, their sensors and communications briefly went dead and one of their fighters was shot down, everything went to hell after that."

Barnes almost lacked the strength to overcome the initial shock.  He had known the moment was coming but could barely face the consequences now that it had arrived.  "Casualties?  Losses?"  He managed what he believed to be the most important questions first.

"White Star Ninety-One didn't have any sort of an accurate count, we're trying to break through the communications jamming now to get an update on the situation."

"Elizabeth?"  Barnes choked on her name.

"They reported that the Valen's Hand had taken a hit to its jump engines and was taking heavy fire from three Keilmar dreadnoughts when the White Star jumped out of the system.  Again, we're trying to break through the jamming now and get a status update from them."

Now that the war had begun, Barnes had a final pressing question he needed an answer to.  "What about Captain MacDonald?"  If he knew his former first officer as well as he though, by now Mac would be well on the way to his mission.

"We received a transmission, he monitored what is happening and his battle group is en-route.  Admiral," urgency marked Taylor's voice.  "You'd better get up here, reports are coming in from across the Alliance that Keilmar battle squadrons are advancing on the member worlds, we're attempting to organize a defense, we need you sir."

Barnes did not know what he needed to do though he did know where he needed to be.  "I'm on my way," he toggled his link off and quickly snapped around, facing the door, beginning a quick stride towards it.  He managed only four steps before he halted in his advance as Captain Sarah McDouglass appeared in the doorway.  Her elegantly beautiful face was distressed as she looked into his eyes, saying more than she could with words.

"I was, on my way to see you," she said softly, her voice deeply troubled.  "I heard."  She took several small steps towards the Admiral, who remained still, closing the gap between them to almost nothing.  "What are we going to do?"  She said, looking up to him with eyes that still carried a hint of innocence.

"Fight them," Barnes said, barely believing the words he used to try and encourage her.  "Fight them, beat them back and kill them."

"Do you think it will be that easy?"

"Is it ever?"

"No," her head dropped.  Though he knew Sarah was strong, Barnes also knew her better than to think she would easily take the concept of another war.  "It never is."

"War can't be easy.  Nothing worth fighting for comes easy," Barnes repeated the words he had said to others and to himself many times before.

Barnes placed his hand under her chin, providing some small amount of comfort to her as he raised her face and looked her deeply in the eyes.  "It'll be all right.  We'll make it through this, like we always do."  Suddenly, he was the strong one, trying to provide her with hope.

"I know," she collapsed against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.  Their brief moment of tranquility could not last however.  Both of their links chimed simultaneously.  Vice Admiral Taylor informed Barnes that they had broken through the jamming and had a distorted channel open to the IAS Dragon's Fire, one of their destroyers still fighting in the evacuation zone.  Reports were also coming in that the Keilmar had engaged Alliance forces at seventeen other locations.  Captain McDouglass' first officer onboard the Hades advised that she had an incoming ultraviolet transmission from Earth Force HQ.

"I've got to go," Barnes said, realizing duty could wait no longer.

"Me too," McDouglass recognized the call of her own duties.

Both officers left the gallery together, quickly parting and making their way down separate corridors.  Despite the urge by both to do so, neither looked back.