10: Dawning Alliance
by Chaoseternus
When Enerina is sent to investigate why every gate in an area of space will not establish a wormhole, she finds something totally unexpected...
ThreeA council convenes; the room is dark, shadowy lit only by several spaced beams of light, placed in a circle over the room.
"The barrier is string, our most advanced sensors cannot penetrate it" the first voice, male and strong, almost military speaks.
"That barrier is not mentioned in our records, in fact the records are specific, at the time of the last war, there was no barrier here" This voice speaks of authority, of command, of leadership and comes from a grey cloaked figure slowly striding around the edge of the room.
"We should not attempt to cross it at sub-light, we have no idea of the depth of this barrier" A third voice speaks.
"And yet, we must" a fourth figure steps forward, the hood of the cloak slipping back over her head, "after all, how else will we know if the prophecy is true, if the shadows are once again returning to plague us"
"Delenn speaks the truth" the second says, striding to his place in the circle, "We cannot go back without completing our mission and yet we cannot go forward as we are"
"We must attempt a sub-light transit" Delenn looked anxiously around the room, "but the little we know of such barriers suggests the transit is hazardous, requiring an unusually sound ship"
"We could order the crew to reinforce the hull" third speaks.
A slight frown on his face, first steps forward, "We are being scanned"
Startled gasps fill the room as the lights flicker, but first just nods, "the scans are powerful and are beginning to interfere with ships systems"
"Where are the scans coming from?" second asks, taking the developments in his stride with practised ease.
"A ship just coming into sensor range…" one glanced around disturbed, "the silhouette does not match any on our databases, nor does it appear to be of any race known to us"
"Show us" two commands.
A hologram lights the room, showing a sketchy, blurred outline of a vaguely ovoid shaped vessel, to which a sharp point appeared to be attached to the top.
"We are approaching with gunports open" first continues, "as is the custom of the warrior caste"
"Milady, the unidentified ship is readying weapons!" De'elc shouted, red lights' flickering across the image on his screen as power was detected being diverted into offensive systems.
Calmly, implacably Enerina voice quietly commanded that shields were to be raised. Inside, her thoughts were spinning, chaotic, uncontrolled.
She wanted to do this, to make first contact, bring another potential ally into the war against the Goa'uld but there were so many ways it could go wrong, so many ways she could disappoint her allies the Tau'ri who had accepted her when so many would have killed her out of hand.
But she had never tried to contact anyone new peacefully before.
Delenn stepped forward, shocked as the holographic image of the vessel disappeared abruptly, leaving the room in almost darkness once more.
"Sensors can no longer detect the unknown ship; they appear to have a jamming field in operation" first spoke again, fear now tinting his voice as the few lights in the room slowly began to fade, "jump drives have now been disabled by the interference"
"If they strike, we cannot retreat" a fifth voice, also military sounding now spoke, "we have a word for this, decapitation strike"
"The entire Minbari government in one place" One added.
De'elc frowned, then his voice low and menacing "they now appear to be targeting us"
"And still no sign of any shields" McKay's smug voice sounded, earning him a sharp glare from Sheppard, Enerina noted.
De'elc stiffened, "we are under attack! Weapons fire emanating from the unidentified vessels, shields are eroding"
Enerina frowned; sighing unhappily she bowed her head, not noticing as Sheppard strode quickly over to the sensor screens, "return fire"
"Wait!" Sheppard's voice broke into the room, loud and urgent.
First stepped forward, confused "the unidentified vessel is not returning fire"
His expression changed suddenly, to one of delight, "the interference has disappeared, we now have jump capability, recommend we retreat immediately"
"Wait!" unconsciously echoing Sheppard from seconds before, Delenn shouted into the room, "they could have destroyed us easily, why didn't they?"
First snorted, "the joy of the hunt perhaps?"
Delenn looked directly at the council's leader, number two, "I recommend we cease anything that could be construed as hostile, drop to normal space and begin preparations for first contact"
"No" First stepped forward, shocked "we would be vulnerable to attack, we need to retreat, seek reinforcement"
"No" second slowly said, "is it coincidence they appear now? With the Shadow war on the horizon?"
He glanced around the room, "I think not. Jump to normal space and begin preparations for first contact. Divert power from weapons but do not close the gun ports. If they prove hostile we can be ready more rapidly if they are already open, if not then as the Warrior caste say, it is just a gesture of respect, showing we hide nothing"
"Well, Shepard you surprise me" McKay said as he glanced over the meagre sensor data of the unidentified vessel, "you do appear to be right however," McKay glances up at Enerina, "Our sensors do appear to have been interfering with their systems"
"To the extent which could be considered a hostile action" Shepard added, needling McKay for not spotting it first.
De'elcs voice broke into their conversation, "they are diverting power from weapons… and preparing to jump"
"Follow them out of hyper" Enerina ordered, her shaky voice betraying her fear at how close they had come to blowing her first First Contact mission, "and tell Weir to get her team together, we have to arrange a close encounter of the third kind…"
McKay frowned, "I suppose we have you to thank for that one, Major"
Sheppard just grinned, and mentally reminded himself to pick his DVD back up later.
