Chapter Twenty

"Between the Light and the Darkness, We Stand"

Morden sat back, had a sip of his precious chardonnay and smiled at the darkness surrounding him.  He had returned home, resting in his quarters on Z'ha'dum where since his enlightenment he called home.  There a few Humans here settled on this dark world, doing the business of their associates.  And there were others here also, the Drakh, and those called the 'Dark ones', warrior beings who were able to pass thru the very walls themselves to get at their prey.  There were others here also, different species, different attitudes but all called this place home.  Their goals were one in the same- the improvement of all species.  But improvement came through strife and conflict. 

Peaceful civilization was a joke.  Stagnation was the inevitable result, causing species to die out as they became weaker succumbing to entropy.  Those that strived and survived in the mists of conflict were the ones who improved and grew.  The Shadows lived by that creed believing in their truisms with a dedication that defied Human understanding.  The destruction resulting because of the blossoming war had nothing to do with death as much as it had to do with life.  When it was over the races that survived would be stronger, smarter, the forced growth producing superior species.  The addition of the Federation had actually helped matters.  Their strength was considered a level to ascribe to by the younger races, which served the purposes of the Shadows perfectly.  The Centauri were fools to attack them without any consideration to the reports they had received.  But that fight had opened previously closed eyes and now they were preparing for an all out war with B5 and the Earth Alliance in the near future.  Two egos like Cartagia and Clarke couldn't live in this universe without trying to kill one another.  That would be an interesting war. 

The Vorlons had always foolishly believed that growth resulted for obedience and inner contemplation.  'Who are you' was Vorlon question for the ages.  They treated the younger races like little children, he thought contemptuously.  But now the tide had turned and they had been caught unawares and that had made the difference.  There weren't that many of them in the first place, only a few hundred million, a clear example of entropy as a race that had clung to closely to their ways slowly died out.  Vorlon children were rare whereas the Shadows were prepared to spread across this galaxy.

But first, Babylon Five or more importantly Captain John Sheridan would have to be dealt with.  It would be ruinous if Sheridan continued to insist upon gathering the races together for form some type of grand alliance, everybody working together from the good of all.  Screw that.  Babylon Five was destined to be a center for war, not a haven for peace.  That was a job for the Drakh and Centauri, stress out John and his people until his masters could concentrate on them properly.  Therefore John needed to be distracted. A gentle knocking at his door interrupted his thoughts.

"Come in."

An older man stepped through the door, slowly walked in and sat down. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"Not at all," Morden responded. "Would you like a glass? It's a very good vintage."

"No, thanks," the older man said. "I just wanted to talk to you for a little while, touch base so to speak.   I haven't seen you since you returned from Centauri Prime. I hear that Cartagia is fit to be tied."

Morden smiled, took a sip of wine and smile once again. "I hear he's frightened now. Imagine-a god being frightened," he joked.

"I can imagine. Congratulations," Justin laughed. "There's nothing worse than having a madman with an army behind him, afraid that his enemy might come visiting in the night. You've just lit a match to the entire sector. This is a unique opportunity. The Vorlons and the other First Ones can't stop us this time. In fact, there is really nothing to stop us this time in achieving want we had set out so long to do. The dream can be achieved in our lifetime."

Lord Refa stood motionless, his face plastered with the best smile he could muster as his Emperor berated him with some of the vilest insults he had ever been witnessed to.

"You said it would be easy!" Cartagia screamed, his voice being carried through the room loud enough so that the over one hundred people in court could hear him clearly. "'One small ship would be easy to capture' you said. Its precious technology would be ours for the taking because it would not dare stand up to our Imperial squadron. Twenty-four ships and how many returned? Tell me!"

"Three confirmed," Refa muttered as he glanced quickly at a stone-faced Mollari standing off to the side. "It appears that the squadron met unexpected resistance from the Federation Earthers and B5."

"Unexpected resistance," mocked Cartagia. "How quaint. Lord Refa, the Royal Court has been made the laughing stock of the entire sector. The Narns shouted with glee when they heard of the defeat. We had to kill hundreds of them to get them out of the streets. And my people mourn the loss of some many loyal soldiers. You've given me bad advice Refa."

Refa felt as though his hair had shrank an inch, because he knew a death sentence when he heard one. "My Lord, Mollari failed to tell us the extent of the power allied against us. He-"

"Don't blame Londo," the Emperor countered. "He was the only one who tried to dissuade Us from this foolish action. The lack of information is your responsibility. Your and yours alone." Cartagia moved closer almost touching Refa's nose with his own. "You were wrong about them."

Refa exerted every bit of will power he had to keep from fainting.

"You were right, however," he continued, "about the threat they represent." Smiling viciously at Lord Refa, clearly enjoying the man's unmitigated terror, he moved off. "The Klingon ship has since been seen in Centauri territory. "Four of our border ships have been destroyed, including one of our heavy warships. Their course of actions is clear. They intend to come here, to Centauri Prime, find out our secrets and report back to Babylon Five."

Refa looked at his leader, totally perplexed by that last statement.

"I've have had a lot of time to think about this," Cartagia intoned, making grand gestures with his hands pointed to the sky. I have talked to my advisors and we have agreed. This is all a grand ploy by the Earth government to conquer Centauri Prime. That entire spectacle with Babylon Five was simply a ploy to put them into this position to strike. There is no Federation, only Earth Force prototypes. The whole story is a fake," the Emperor announced waving his hands hysterically.  "Klingons are simply an unknown people the Humans discovered, who they are now in league with, to take over our territories. That's why Clarke didn't have B5 destroyed when he had the chance. That's why he agreed so readily when I made the suggestion to capture the ship. He wanted to test its firepower against our ships. He didn't care about his station because he knew it was safe. There was no way we could have destroyed it. But he made a mistake."

A very relieved Refa watched the mad Emperor carefully. He hated to bring Cartagia's attraction back to him but he had to know.  "Sir, I don't understand."

Cartagia returned back to Refa. "Of course not," he whispered. "You're not the one evolving to godhood. How could you possibly understand?" In a grand gesture, he turned to everyone. "President Clarke set this little show up so that he could access our determination and strength.  He plans to make war against us. It was all a ploy. Earth feels that it's strong enough to conquer us. Well, they are wrong. We will strike them first before they have a chance to incorporate their new weapons in mass against us."

Cartagia nodded and his officers left. "We will strike at Earth first. If they think what has happened to Narn war brutal, wait until the see what happens to their precious planet."

The mad fool has just declared war on Earth, Londo's mind screamed. He doesn't care about the destruction of our world. The Minbari are about to come to our world in force. The Drakh fly over our world as if it were theirs. And no one has the courage to stand up to him before it is too late. He bowed his head slight to keep from crying.

Not even me.

"What is wrong, my dear Londo?" the Emperor asked. "Are you sad for the Humans? Don't worry. I'm sure that there will be a few left when this is over."

"I'm sad that so many of our people will lose their lives, my Lord," he said honestly.

"In death comes strength, Mollari. Our associates have made that truth clear. Many will die but we will be the stronger for it and together we will walk this universe as the gods we were meant to be."

"But the Minbari will come." And come they would. They couldn't fail to see the hundreds of Drakh ships flying side by side with the Centauri.

"Let them," he countered. "The Drakh will fight them and if they cannot defeat them, then when the Shadows finish with the Vorlons they will personally destroy those loathsome aliens."

Londo bowed even as he cursed his master. "What about our people on Babylon Five?"

"When one sacrifices one's life for his people it is truly a glorious cause," he laughed. "I'm sure they understand."

White Star One exited the Babylon Five Jump gate and the crew again bore witness to a scene that was becoming all too familiar. This time the wreckage floating near the station contained the wreckage of Centauri warships. Surprisingly there was a lot less wreckage than the Captain and crew had anticipated. The cleanup crews had obviously been hard at work removing the tons of micro-debris left from the remains of the battle.

Almost before they were thru the gate, Captain Hiroshi was on the horn.

"Glad to have all of you back! We've had some problems here as you can see. Before you ask, the Station's damaged but okay. The plating worked wonderfully."

Sheridan surveyed everything before he spoke. "Why did they attack our station? What could we possibly have had for them to attack us like this?"

"They claimed to be after the Klingon ship, some nonsense about them spying on Centauri territory. But they had over two-dozen heavy warships and the majority of them were pointed in our direction. They intended to attack us whether we got involved or not. I believed that they intended to destroy this station. The good thing is that we loss only three Century Star Furies and one of the modified Thunderbolts. I lost Higgins. His wingman made it back from the hyperspace wash but we lost Gerald."

Ten minutes later, she finished her report.

Sheridan was enraged. This had happened once before, albeit on a smaller scale but the pattern was the same. That time they tried to blow him up. But this time it would be different because he wasn't about to give them a chance to try it again. "Captain Hiroshi I want you to round up every Centauri on the station. I want them off in the next twelve hours. Contact Centauri Prime and tell them come and collect them before I have them all shoved out the nearest airlock."

Commander Ivanova was shocked by the enormity of the report. Captain, where's all the wreckage? Surely you couldn't have cleared it up in so short a time? How'd you do it?"

"Ivanova, there wasn't that much of them to clean up."

For once, the crew of the White Star wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

A trembling Vir Cotto pushed his way thru the crowd of his people to speak to a very angry Sheridan. He too remembered what had happened when a vengeful Centauri attempted to kill Captain Sheridan after a Centauri warship had been destroyed while trying to destroy a crippled Narn cruiser. "Captain, I want to, that is I would like to speak to you, if it isn't too much trouble."

"And I want to talk to you too, Vir," responded a very angry Sheridan. "What were your people doing out there? Haven't they caused enough trouble over the last few months, attacking the non-aligned worlds, killing the Narns left and right, after you've turned half their planet into a wasteland? What can you possibly talk to me that can justify this incredibly stupid act? Did you even consider the lives of your own people on this station not to mention the half million people you almost killed?"

Vir grasped his hands rubbing them violently as he prepared to answer. "It wasn't us, I mean it wasn't me. I didn't know that my people were coming here to start a fight. If I had known, I would have-"

"Would have what?"

The short Centauri gasped. "I would have told you everything. You must understand. Emperor Cartagia isn't, well, stable. He didn't tell any of the Centauri what was about to happen here because he was expecting us to die with the station. Captain, we can't go back. He'll kill us all."

"That's not my problem, Vir."

"Captain Sheridan, You know me. You know what I did to help the Narn. I would have never have condoned the destruction of this station. Sir, I am a loyal Centauri citizen, but I want to stay here. I can't help my people from home. There are things there that I can't fight at home. Things you need to know."

Sheridan waved him into a private room followed by Susan and Garibaldi. The second they entered the room they surrounded him and waited.

"Cartagia," he plunged in. "As I said before, is not stable. In fact he's quite mad. More than mad actually. But there's more. He's made a deal with Mr. Morden's associates. I think they wanted the station destroyed. I believe that my people are going to star a war with someone very soon and Morden is behind it. I can't fight him from there, but I can make a difference here."

As Sheridan evaluated the slightly plump Centauri, his mind churned furiously. Point in fact, he liked Vir and he more or less trusted him more so than Londo nowadays. Michael Garibaldi was the first to speak after Vir left the room.

"Normally I would say send him back. The last thing we need is a spy for the Centauri Government in the middle of this crisis. But when you come down to it he's caused us a lot less problems than Londo ever has and he has kept his promises to us."

"Not to mention that little Narn episode a few months back," Susan added. "We're still using that cover he made. And I might add, it is pretty good to work for so long."

"And," Michael added. "He's doing the same thing that we're doing right now and for the same reasons. It's just that it's one of him. I'm not saying that we trust him completely but even G'Kar has made peace with him and that says a lot."

"I agree," Sheridan answered, nodding his head. "Point in fact is that I do trust him. But for his sake, I think I'll give him some cover in case he Centauri government gets too curious about the real reason why he's here. I want Marcus to be his personal bodyguard."

"Why him?"

"Because he's high profile and will help give the impression that Vir is under house guard, a perfectly understandable reaction. Plus he can serve as a true bodyguard as the need arises. Unlike us, Vir is alone and if he makes this stand then I want to make sure he doesn't make it unaided. Personally, I understand how he feels."

"We all do."

"Then it's agreed."

"Good," Michael said. "Now, why didn't you tell me that Captain Sinclair was on board B5?"

Susan sighed. Here it comes…

A week had passed since the attack by the Centauri fleet and in that time the Klingon Marauder hunted down and destroyed six Centauri warships of various classes.  Attacking from a rear, cloaked position, the enemy ships never had a chance.  The consensus onboard K'mpec's Honor was simple-since the enemy started the fight first everything was fair game.  However that was not how Worf had seen it and he had made that forcefully clear in the days since.

"We are to do reconnaissance first," he had told the crew.  "There is no honor in destroying helpless prey.  Civilian ships should not be targeted."

"And why not? Koss had asked.  "We were dishonorably attacked first.  The enemy lied and tried to capture us.  Should we not destroy them where they are?"

Surprisingly, Worf noted that the comment was more than a point of interest rather than a full challenge.  He felt encouraged.

"We are only one ship," he answered simply.

"All the more reason to destroy all life on Centauri Prime," countered the young Klingon.  "No one would dare attack us again.  Destroy our enemies.  It is the way of the warrior."

"You are wrong," Worf had countered.  "We would be hated and then hunted down like maddened targs.  "The non-combatants do not deserve such a fate."  His face never cracked but inside his mind everything was a whirl.  In many ways, this was the same argument that had caused Betazoid to be bombed.  He would not have that responsibility on his liver, unless it proved to be a necessity and right now, it wasn't.  "We need allies, a support base powerful enough to defeat our enemies.  Babylon Five is strong, but they are only one station.  The Humans and others there have proven their honor but eventually they will be destroyed unless they have allies strong enough to support them.  The Federation ships even with our support cannot survive against the continued attacks to come."

"All the more reason to sterilize the enemy," Koss retorted.  But it was an empty argument, without heart enough to make it real to the others.

Now, their Narn allies were weakened, but their hearts were strong and the thirst for vengeance and the need to regain what was theirs would give them strength, make them strong.  It was well documented-all races fought harder when invaded or trying to regain what was theirs from the beginning.  The Narn were such a people. 

The return scans from their cloaked satellite inserted deep into the Centauri home system, had detected hundreds of Centauri vessels and those bizarre arrow ships of all different sizes and shapes.  Even one of the so-called Shadow vessels had been observed over the Homeworld.  At the Captain's insistence, the recordings were transmitted directly to the Federation starships.  Worf's heart soared with the possibilities brought about by that action.  The hatred and distrust of the Federation was breaking-just a little, if only here and nowhere else.

All the signs were clear.  The Centauri were planning a war against someone.  A perhaps, reckless charge on the planet would be a futile gesture, the success not be worth the price that would have to be paid.  Besides he and Captain Koral were in agreement.  They would not be pulled into another war by someone else's manipulations and that by all accounts, was exactly what the Shadows seemed intent on doing.  Their opinion was that if a planet needed destroying, they would be ones who choose how it's done.  

"We have detected the Narn war craft.  Six million kilicams."

"Move towards them."  

Even from that distance they could detect the Narn heavy cruiser's considerable battle damage sustained in multiple engagements with the Centauri.

"De-cloak!" 

With this action the Klingons would seal their bargain with G'Kar.  There was an old saying among his people-allies in words, allies in blood.

The Klingon vessel shifted into view less than a kilometer from the surprised Narns.  Captain Koral loved doing that to those who had never experienced a cloaked vessel appearing on top of them.   "Hail them."

"They respond."

"This is Captain Koral of the Klingon vessel K'mpec's Honor," he announced evenly, as non-threatening as possible.  "We are here to assist you in the repair and upgrading of your ship.   Have your engineers ready.  We will transport now."

The Narn Captain, recovering from his shock of the hostile-looking craft hovering next to his ship, simply nodded.

An hour later a female Klingon engineering specialist called Kal'criss was growling at her Narn engineering counterpart as both of them inched deep into the guts of the weapons ports.  "The crystal used to focus your energy emitters are cracked," she growled.  "You couldn't destroy a shuttle with this power rating."  It was an exaggeration of course but she had gotten her point across.

"We have not been able to effect repairs," G'ton responded hotly, which seemed, he discovered, to be the best way to respond to the uncouth female.   "We are one of the last free ships.  We are constantly pressed by the Centauri."

Kal'criss nodded in understanding.  Being alone was rough.  "We need to change the energy converters to make them compatible.  Your particle weapons will be able to channel the new disruptor beams properly. Then your enemies will be in for a surprise," she snapped at him happily." 

G'ton smiled.  He liked what he was hearing. 

In engineering, there were also new components being added.  The navigational and deflector screen generators were being hooked into their respective consoles and again compatibilities with the power relays played havoc with the configurations.  But the Narns were more than used to jury-rigging equipment, and the procedure went more smoothly than many had anticipated.   The Klingons had a clear purpose, a real agenda now and were in a good mood.  They began replacing the Narn energy mine warheads with their own photon yields.  The Narn accepted eagerly and reciprocated with detailed information on jump-point computations utilized by their own FTL systems.  It was a makeshift alliance born out of desperation and casual conversations between a single, homeless Narn and a castaway crew of lost souls.  What would become of this alliance and the additions to follow would prove be the first line of defense against eternal night.

The Minbari Flagship:

"Is it true?  Tell me!" 

"Yes.  It is true, Delenn," Neroon answered.  The look in his eyes said it all and the Satai recoiled.

"I do not understand.  Our people have been attacked and you wish to focus mainly on the warrior caste, because you consider them of more value that the others during this time of crisis?  Explain this to me," she hotly demanded.

"Our people need guidance, Delenn," he answered rather defensively.  Being a member of the warrior caste, his answers to the Satai as a whole usually bordered on arrogance.  And he never had a great love for Delenn.  But things change and the rift within was almost as bad as the war without.

"Since your little display," he continued rather dryly, "the people have been divided.  The other castes have grown more and more distrustful of the warrior caste, we who are responsible for protection of Minbar.  These attacks have served only to underscore that importance.  We stand ready to defend and avenge our people but we must lead in order to fulfill those vows."

You would cast out the religious and worker castes to grasp a bit of power over our own people?   Neroon, I cannot believe that you would do this!  There will be bloodshed, much more bloodshed because the dead of so many Minbari cry out in anguish at our foolishness.

"The people are scared.  They need guidance.  This isn't like the last war-"

The tall Minbari stood quietly at Delenn's side.  He was right.  That time it was an error, foolishness on top of misunderstanding.  This time it had been a deliberate attack designed to keep them away from aiding the Vorlons in their time of need.  Minbari ships were tracking the enemy now back to their home base.  She already knew where the trail would lead. 

"This isn't like the last war," she agreed.  "Then, we were one people, united, to avenge our lost.  This time, we are close to fighting among ourselves even as the enemy destroys our homes.  Neroon, if the warrior cast should lead then they must be willing to serve those they would rule.  Have you considered being the servant? Do you have the strength to do so?"

His answer was careful and considered.  "I don't know."

"Then before you choose to rule, find out what it means to truly serve.  Anything less and you will not be worthy."

"There are times when you truly surprise me Delenn.  Again I am reminded why he chose you," Neroon said in mocking humor and grudging respect.   "What of the Humans on Babylon Five?  Will they support us?"

"We acted in their time of need.  They will respond accordingly," she said, utterly confident to speak for Sheridan and the others."

"There is another point that has me greatly concerned," Neroon said as they began to walk towards the chambers of the Grey council, the seat of Minbari power.  "I have heard and seen the reports of the Federation Human ships.   At first I discounted the reports and rumors as overactive imagination, but I can't discount them anymore.  If they are as powerful as I have been told then what type of threat are they to us?  Captain Menroi has told of fantastic technology and the weaponry that was used against the Centauri has given the warrior caste cause to turn our eyes on them.   Menroi and his crew are very taken with them.  But I would like your evaluation, Delenn.  Are they a threat?"

"First, they are not simply Human but a combination of races working together for the improvement of all.  It has not worked out as well as they hoped as they have been at war with a vicious and brutal enemy called the Klingons for over twenty of their years.  But even in this these people have managed to obtain a real truce with the ones who are here.  They talk to each other and they have worked together.  The Human on both sides share a commonality.  They can make build communities with others that are not their own.  B5 is an example of that and the Humans onboard the Federation starships share that same trait.  They have helped B5 weather storms and have improved quality of life on the station.  Even Kosh was saved by them, and for a Vorlon to speak constantly with their Ambassador should be answer enough."  

That little revelation surprised him.  Vorlons were very isolated.  They barely talked to anyone.  "I would like to evaluate them myself one day soon."

"That may come sooner that you think.  This information I hold comes from them."

He raised his hairless eyebrows and the two separated as Delenn now stood at the entranceway of the Grey Council.  For years this was the door she walked thru and she had valued it as a friend, like a familiar face.  But only recently had it turned to an adversary, seeming now to look back at her in reproof.  She swallowed and the door opened into darkness.

-And into the light. The circle of light, her people's light and she grew strength from it.  Now she was ready.

Nine hooded figures, Minbari all, surrounded her as they stepped into their own circles.  Now they were ready.

"I am Grey," Delenn said, her hood covering her Human-like hair.  "I stand between the candle and the star. We are Grey. We stand between the darkness and the light. I come and stand at that place that has been prepared for me and was broken by our foolishness.  It is time to stand together once more.  We are Grey."

"Delenn," one of the members of the warrior caste began.  "You who have broken the circle, why are you're here?  Have you come right the wrong which had done here?  Do you ask for forgiveness?"

The bitterness ran deep.  She ignored the glib.  "For years we have been warned that the darkness was coming and now it is here.  For a thousand years we prepared for it and just as we became laxed, it has struck.  We ignored the warnings from the other races as they began to war among themselves.  We said that the problems of others were not our concern.  Then the very enemy that we have waited for, for so long have now attacked the Vorlons.  Now we began to prepare, but it is a half-hearted effort, for we were broken and afraid.  We did not take the first step and now we are running behind to catch up.  Now we are too late.  We have been attacked by that same darkness and we have no idea where to turn to strike back.  But instead we have struck against ourselves.  There are those in the warrior caste who believe that they are the power and now refuse to fully support the others in their time of need."

"That is a lie!"

"Then prove it by remembering why the Grey Council was created in the first place!  If you wish to lead, then you must first serve.  If this is done, we of the religious caste and the worker caste would follow gladly."

Another of the warrior caste spoke up.  "We die for our people, Delenn.  What more can we do to prove that we serve?"

"By putting your trusts and your hearts in our hands knowing that we may squeeze and crush it, as you would do to us.  The temptation for power is too strong and we must be ready to defend ourselves against that which comes."

"You're suggesting that we change the Grey."

"There is no Grey!" she yelled.  "Only leadership that have lost its way!"

There was silence for several moments as what was said was digested. 

"We must serve now as never before," she said breaking the tense silence.  "If we do not, then none of us may survive.  Look."

 The three dimensional visual materialize above them and an image of Centauri Prime's solar system appeared.   Even from a distance the Council could pick out the hundreds of Centauri craft interspersed with another group they could not fail to recognize.  Those arrow shaped ships were very distinctive, not matter what their size.

"These images were taken by the Klingon vessel less than two days ago.  There are hundreds of them throughout at least three systems in Centauri territory.  They are coming and we must prepare.  It is not just us, but the non-aligned races as well.  We must come together before the Shadows and their allies crush us.  We need a reference point, a place to organize, a fortress as we had a thousand years ago."

"You refer to Babylon Five, I assume," one of the other Leaders from the worker caste said.  "But we must first defend our people.  Make our planets safe."

"Yes.  But there will come a time when we must attack as well as defend.  When that time comes, it will be there on Babylon Five where we will coordinate."  

"We will consider."

"Consider quickly or soon, we will not have anything left to consider."

Proxima III:

Four EAS destroyers prepared to get underway as escort, protecting their most precious cargo on its journey back to earth.  General Brindley watch nervously as the convoy activated their jump engines and disappeared into hyperspace.  The centers of power might have just shifted if the big heads at home did their jobs correctly. 

The USS Yeager had made it back to Babylon-Five with hardly a scratch, neatly avoiding the minefields and other traps set by his government to bring the small scout ship down.  But all the preparations failed as he had expected them to and the pursuers continued on to Proxima III.  Their new hope of capturing or destroying the Federation ships rested in R&D's research and they had just delivered the prototype.  It was ungainly and had to be fitted on the outside of an Omega-class destroyer.  It had exactly two shots worth of power.  The result of rushed research and inadequate preparation, it was a risky venture that Brindley wasn't prepared to take.  The particle-laser hybrid weapon was estimated powerful enough to damage Federation shields, but one had to close to almost to point-blank range in order for it to work.  The rumors were flying that President Clarke would order waves of ships into the fire so that two of the destroyers would get a clear shot.   It was rumor of course, but that type of rumor gave credence to the state of moral problem still plaguing the EAS. 

However the tide was beginning to change, a change that started one day after the Centauri-Babylon Five conflict.  A lone Star Fury exited an EAS-controlled jumpgate and moved quickly towards the nearest blockading destroyer.

"This is Lt. Cdr. Gerald Higgins of Babylon Five," the pilot had said repeatedly.  "I am non-hostile and I have information vital to Earth Gov and Earth Force.  I repeat this is Lt. Cdr. Gerald…"

The rebel ship had been surrounded and escorted into the landing bay of the EAS Evanston and within an hour technicians were all over the modified Thunderbolt class Star Fury.  This was the most important find in the last fifteen years.  Polarized plating- an absolute wonder!-a smaller more powerful fission generator, a new standoff and deliver system complete with lased-energy and phased generators.  The engineers and technicians were practically drooling over the technology and the schematic their scans had begun to reveal.  And it had been delivered into their hands; a gift handed to them by a loyal member of the Earth Force.  There was the information on a new class of Star Fury being built, one which would effectively humiliate anything Earth Force could come with in the next ten to twenty years.

Interrogation and telepathic scans of the prisoner proved that he was telling the absolute truth.  He had never approved of going up against his own government, indeed was forced to by the situation of being on he wrong side at the wrong time.  He said he loved his Captain (as a true, close friend), but Hiroshi was wrong.   Furthermore he was a wealth of information.  He spoke of the Federation marvels, including the replication systems that had intimidated Brindley and Christov so.  He spoke of the command structures of B5 and the Federation.  He gave details of the Centauri battle.  He had a wealth of information about foreign policies and the problems with the Vorlon-Shadow war, which Earth Force knew next-to-nothing about.  He also expressed something else.

Fear. 

-Fear of the upcoming war with the Shadows or even the Centauri against Earth.  Without a doubt he believed that those same Shadow aliens would one-day attack, and Earth had to be ready or everyone would die. 

Terrell Drake, Captain of the Evanston stood next to Brindley and several other senior staff members, saying nothing as both sweated over the most recent reports and the information obtained from Higgins.  From the corner of his eye Brindley watched the Senior Captain as he turned several different shades of red with each passing hour.   So, finally after an hour, he decided to have compassion on the man. 

"Out with it."

"This is exactly what I feared," the man blurted out.  "Every day that station is getting stronger and stronger.  This embargo on B5 is a joke," he said stressing every single word.  "The new weapon is a joke and we're sitting here like scare rabbits trying to decide what we're going to do next.  It's true that we've just about figured out how to track their ships in warp but you've read the report about the Feds.  They've almost discovered a way to track our ships in hyperspace with enough detail to read the nameplates on them.  And their so-called subspace weaponry is being configured to take us out while we're in jump transit.   Picard and Garrett have been practicing reconfiguring their subspace emitters to open hyperspace jump points.  If this continues for much longer, we're going to have to nuke the entire system before they come after us and step all over our fleet for sport."

Brindley expected something like this and it appeared that several officers shared the Captain's assessment.  Even he agreed with everything that was being said.  Higgins's report had also stated that the first of Sheridan's White Stars was in the process of being fitted with warp engines.  The Ambassador's science labs were making new discoveries everyday.  Very soon, any attack against them would be futile.  Nuclear strike?  It'll probably just make them mad.  He shivered at the thought.  Like it or not, Babylon Five was becoming an independent power.  However with this-gift from heaven-maybe they wouldn't trail too far behind. 

The EAS Charon and the battle group had disappeared in a flash of jump space distortion carrying that most valuable cargo and with it the hopes of Earth Force. 

A young lieutenant clearing his throat for the second time interrupted his thoughts.  His people knew when not to bother him unless it was very, very important.   He was about to soundly blast the young man when the comments died in his throat.  Behind him coming up fast, was Colonel Griffin and an Earth Force Major whose name he couldn't remember.

"Sir, our deep space probe intercepted a transmissions," the lieutenant said quickly.  "Apparently there's a ship, one of Sheridan's forces that's penetrated Vorlon space."

Quickly, the General moved to the communications center of the ship where they were still receiving the transmission.  Evidently, it was being broadcasted on a standard frequency to make sure that someone would see it. Surrounded by his staff, he listened and saw.

"Babylon Five, Captain Sheridan, are you receiving this?" the voice said.  "The Shadows have penetrated the outer defenses of the Vorlon home system or at least what we think is their system.  They're not even concerned that we're here.  The Vorlons have destroyed hundreds of the Shadow vessels and still they are coming.  But the Vorlons are being pushed back.  The fighting has been unbelievable.  We dare not get too close.  They're trying to stop something, some kind of device covered in a cloud-like vapor…"

About five minutes, again the transmission returned.  "It's orbiting the outer most planet now.  Something's happening."

"Are we recording this?"

"Absolutely, sir.  We're also relaying the information to Earth Force."

"Good.  So those are the Shadow ships in action," he whispered to his people. "Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like the one found on Mars.  I think B5 has just been relegated to number two of our list of problems."

"They continued watching in silence as two Vorlon fighters slammed themselves into the cloud.  They went in.  Nothing came out.

"There's something… B5, can you see it?  Missiles, almost two hundred meters long, thousands of them.  Aimed towards the planet.  They've hit!  They're penetrating the crust…ten miles…twenty miles…thirty miles.  They're tunneling into the planets core."

The signal broke up for a second.  "The Vorlons have fired some type of energy weapon at the shadow cloud.  There was an explosion, the entire area lit up.  The cloud is dispersing, breaking up."  There was another pulse of interference much longer and more pronounced this time.

"That was a massive electromagnetic pulse on the planet," the voice continued.  "The missiles just exploded, thousands of them, each of them with thousands of megatons.  The planet is convulsing; earthquakes, magma explosions are evident everywhere on the planet.  It's breaking up from the inside…My God!  There's another of those things that just exited from a jump point.  It's moving towards the next planet.  I believe the Vorlons are bringing in another-"

The rest of the vid feed was lost as the sensor's officer's voice rang out accompanied by proximity alarms.

"Sir.  We have a jump point opening one million kilometers from our position.  It's two, repeat two Centauri Vorchans.  They are on an intercept course heading for Proxima III." 

"Hail them."

"They're hailing us, sir.  Sounds like it's a pre-recorded message."

"…Cartagia and the Centauri people will no longer be spied upon and subjected to the whims of the Government of Earth.  It has struck against us once but never again…"

Brindley fumed.  This nonsense about spying on the Centauri was lunacy and the riveting transmissions he had to tear himself away from were far more important than some political crap coming from the Centauri right about now.  However in the back of his mind alarm bells were ringing.  "Open a channel."

"Channel, open."

"Centauri vessels.  This is an Earth Force restricted area.  You will leave immediately."

The Centauri ignored the order and continued to close in almost casually.  Something was wrong.   He could feel it.

"Battle stations," he ordered.  "Power everything up and launch all Star Furies.  Everything!"

"Sir, we have multiple jump points all over the system!"

He could see the obvious quite clearly.  The sky seemed full of Centauri ships as they too launched their fighters and in an instant they found themselves defending the very colony that just moments before was under military law.  Nearly two hundred Sentri interceptors swarmed the ten Earth Force destroyers and their fighters.  Earth Force didn't wait but began firing and immediately dozens of Centauri fighters were damaged or destroyed.  The larger Primus and Vorchans hit the Earth fleet like a sledgehammer.  Overwhelmed, the EAS Nemies was the first to die under the withering fire of four Primus battleships.  Fires erupting from over two hundred different areas signaled the death of its crew. 

Although caught unprepared, they gave as well as they got, but all of the EAS ships were taking a severe beating.  There were simply too many of the enemy attacking at one time.  A second Omega broke apart even as it gutted its assailant.  Dozens of escape pods ejected, filled with desperate men and women trying to escape the death throes of the mother vessel, but to the crew of the Evanston's mounting horror the survivors were being blown apart by the Centauri interceptors.  Aurora and Thunderbolt furies fought for all they were worth but the end was a forgone conclusion.  Six to one odds were not winnable under these conditions. 

The Heracles blew a port engine when the order to retreat was given by the commanding General.  He clearly understood what he was asking his fleet to do and he felt a bitter regret for leaving the scene, but for the sake of his command and the people under him he had to get them to safety.  Proxima III would to be abandoned.   The Centauri were after them not the civilians. 

"Punch us a hole and have the fleet prepare to jump."

"Yes, Sir," Drake said.  "The Heracles will not be able execute the jump."  The ship was far too damaged to move more than five thousand KPH let alone endure the stress of hyperspace travel.  "They will have to surrender."

Brindley would not abandon the Heracles and was about to give the order when Centauri Battleships began firing point blank into amidships of the wounded EAS Omega.  The vessel tore itself apart spectacularly and in full display of the Earth fleet. The Centauri had no intentions of accepting surrender of any kind.   Even as he watched the vile spectacle in horror he saw several of the Centauri change course, heading towards the planet.  With a sense of nausea, he watched as those ships fired directly into the heart of the colony with the resulting fire creating mushroom clouds large enough to be seen from orbit.  Tens of thousands maybe far, far more were dead.  President Clarke had once suggested the same thing, but had relinquished under the criticism from even his closest advisors.  But this was different, he thought, trying to justify it.  These were aliens killing Humans, his people.  It had been his responsibility to protect his people from such threats.  But now, just as the threat represented a clear and present danger he had failed.  Military quarantine or not, he had failed those people-his people and the weight of that failure felt like the rock of Gibraltar on his back.  He could barely breathe as the Evanston and his four badly battered, surviving ships fled to the safety of hyperspace.  

Seconds later, relief turned to determination as scans reported ten Centauri warships on their tail intent on running them down.

And they were slowly succeeding.

He had no choice at all.  Heaven help them.