-----chapter 9-----
March 16
1100 hrs EST
The Pathfinder emerged from the blue swirling jump point, streaking out of hyperspace and returning to normal space. Mars, hanging dead ahead with the usual traffic orbiting around the red planet.
Matthew Gideon sat secured in a shuttle as it emerged from the flight bay of the Pathfinder. The three engines igniting as they cleared the bow of the ship, and dived towards Mars through the traffic.
Matthew had been on a Warlock destroyer before. They were the next technological step in space technology from the Omega destroyer.
The Warlock was more powerful than the old Omega. Her engine drive allowing her to streak through the upper atmosphere of a planet which all along was a dead zone for all of Earth starships.
She also was the first Earth made starship that achieved artificial gravity without the use of a grav-axis. This being achieved similar to how Excalibur achieved artificial gravity; the propulsion system.
Holding twice the fighter compliment of the Omega, the only ship on the food chain above the Warlock was the Excalibur. And she was the only of her kind. But capable of taking on a Warlock. Matthew only hoped that day would never come.
The shuttle during its descent encountered heavy chop in the atmosphere that induced turbulence in the shuttle. Matthew sitting in his seat un-shackled, but with two marine guards with high powered PPGs ever by his side.
The shaking ended, attracting Matthew's gaze to the cockpit canopy which displayed the domes of Mars. Each dome holding thousands of thousands humans and aliens.
The domes sprung up over night. After Mars was declared a free colony, the domes were constructed all over the surface of the red planet. The terra-forming process continued, and Mars for the first time since colonization had a voice.
Matthew remembered what it was like before the planet was freed by Sheridan and his Alliance. It was a rough planet. That fact which still remained. But an off-worlder these days were not bludgeon to death.
The shuttle descended to the Sol Inter System Space Port where shuttles rose constantly to their destination. A scene similar to Earth; but not no more.
Ever since the Plague, Earth remained quarantined. All the space ports of the blue continent, closed until further notice. Closed, until the Cure was found. And the cure was not being found with Gideon off Excalibur.
The shuttle landed, and Gideon was escorted to a land skimmer. The land car taking him straight to the inter-dome passage that led to the central dome that governed Mars; Mars Dome.
The car stopped, and Gideon was escorted into the central complex. A building he first visited nearly two years ago when he first found out he was being transferred off Phoenix onto a ship which would lead a crusade to find the Cure.
After his debriefing was completed, he caught a ride on the Omega destroyer Agamemnon which took him to Babylon 5. There he met with advisors from the Non-Align Council. There he found out that President Sheridan himself chose him for the job.
He felt honored.
And scared as hell.
After making a 'deal with the devil', or the Drazi ambassador, he and General Miller of EarthForce left Babylon 5 where parked beside the five mile long station was his new command.
Excalibur.
She was the largest ship he had ever seen. Easily twice the size of his Explorer cruiser Phoenix. And much more powerful.
Named after the ancient sword of legend, which was yielded by King Arthur who brought order and peace to the land of Camelot. The reincarnate Excalibur would lead the crusade for the cure.
And now, he was back on Mars, where it all began. The car came to a stop, and guards approached his door as it slid open. As the sound of the dome hit Gideon, there he was standing out of the car, deep down, wondering if it would be where it would end.