Chapter 23

The Next Phase


Royal Palace

Queentown, Iscandar

Time Unknown

"We all know the enemy we face, the Ragendora, but what we don't know is who their allies are. Wars are won or lost before they are fought. The preparation, attitude, strategy, and the selection of proper allies. So far, we have done much of this, but we do not know how much the Ragendora have done. So that is what we must find out next: who are the Ragendoran allies," said Delenn.

Genon said, "In the past, they have not looked for allies, but neither have we. Unlike the Shadows and the Vorlons, we have always went right after one another, never taking our war to others. However, I have sensed that they have been changing their strategy. Thus, this is why you all are here."

"How do you know," asked Captain Hudson.

"Our race is telepathic, but only to one another. I cannot read any of your minds. We communicate via telepathy, and can do so at great distances. We also can hear when one of us is in trouble, and be there to aid them even if they are unable to send a conventional signal.

Genon walked around the room, looking at all assembled at the large conference table. "To a degree, we can do this with the Ragendora, but they have been apart from us for so long that the ability has waned with each passing war. So we have been watching them as closely as we can without them noticing, and we have noticed some disturbing things." He pointed to a screen and it came to life.

Each of you has had great enemies in the past. For you, Sheridan, it was the Shadows and the Drakh, as well as members of your own government who were in league with them. To you, Ashcroft, it was the Borg and the Jem'Hadar. And Wildstar, to you, it was the Comet Empire and the Dark Nebulans. We know that the Ragendorans have been transversing universes, trying to find the proper allies to aid them in their quest. We think that they have begun courting these old enemies of yours and are trying to win them over to their side.

Genon looked at Sheridan, "You have had experience with them before, have you not?"

At first, Sheridan looked confused, but then it came to him in an instant, "Thirdspace! So that's who those aliens were?"

Ivanova spoke up, "If that's true, then we're in for a lot of trouble, because all they sent through was a scouting party, and it took everything we had to beat them back enough to allow us to blow up the device with a nuke. Unless these new weapons systems of yours will do some good?"

Genon nodded and smiled, "The weapons we give you are nothing new, however, they make maximum use of the energy in your ships. The particle cannons are vastly superior to anything you have, and we've been able to adapt them to each of your ships. But what is of extreme importance are the shields, because even the ones on Federation and Klingon ships won't be enough against the Ragendora. With ours, you'll be able to stay in the fight much longer, which will be necessary because they also have similar shields."

Chancellor Martog smiled and said, "The Klingon Empire has been involved in many a war, and have gone on to many a glorious victory, but this is unlike anything I have ever seen or heard of before, Genon. I know it disturbs some of you about our warrior traditions and the passion for it that lies in each Klingon's heart, but know this: when the time comes, we will be ready to fight alongside you. What many of you don't know is that most of us tire of war, and want to put it past us and move on to something new. Why is it that we signed the peace accords with the new Romulan government last year? My Federation friends know how bad the Romulans had been depleted from their civil war, and that, had we wanted to, we could have wiped them out for good. Believe me, there were many who wanted vengeance on them, but my allies on the council prevailed, because we knew that our people tired of war. However, we will never let ourselves be caught off guard when war chooses to come to our doorstep, which it seems to have done so here.

My friends, the Klingon Empire stands with you!"

On board USS Freedom

Time Unknown

Hudson knew that the crew suspected what was going on with her and the president, but, if anything, the coupling had vastly improved morale instead of harming it. Hollifield was a veteran of the Battle of the Line, and his military reputation, along with that which he earned during the Shadow War and the civil war as well, was beyond reproach. Hudson had lost her husband during the climatic battle to free Earth from the fascist Clark regime, but she missed the loss little. He had chosen his side and she hers, and their marriage was a casualty of the civil war.

Brandon Hudson had gone to Earthforce Academy at the same time as Twanissa Marlow, and they met in their freshman year there. In time, they fell in love and married shortly before their graduation. Their parents disapproved, but they came to accept the mating in time.
Twanissa's parents were friends of President Santiago, and they had hopes for their daughter to go into politics and eventually become president of the Earth Alliance. She never had the stomach for it, so she chose her own passion, the military, as her profession.

When Santiago was assassinated, she was on board the Alexander, serving as gunnery officer to Major Edward Ryan. Her husband served on the Achilles in the same position. One of their last meetings came before the martial law declaration that set off the civil war.

"I tell you, Twa, that Clark has hit it on the head about the aliens! I don't trust them! They're conspiring against us, and want to see us as a beaten people."

"Brandon, that's ridiculous! Look at the good work Sheridan's doing on Babylon 5! Granted, it didn't prevent the Narn-Centauri war, but we knew something like that was only a matter of time!"

"You're naive, hunny! Those damned Minbari are out to get us! And I wouldn't be surprised if Sheridan is in league with them!"

It went on and on, and her dreams of a romantic getaway at the New Vegas resort on Mars never got off the ground. He went off with some friends to the resort, while she visited her parents on Earth with her leave. It would be the last time they saw each other again.

When the civil war broke out, she was happy to be on board a ship that was on Sheridan's side. She eventually became Ryan's executive officer when Lieutenant Commander Bill Trainor was killed in the line of duty. Her husband, from what she had heard, had become commanding officer on board one of the new advanced destroyers in Clark's fleet.

Before she boarded the Freedom to head off to her assigned duties, she had a chance to talk to the person who was responsible for killing her husband, Major Susan Ivanova.

"Yes, I remember the Ares being in the battle. Why," asked Ivanova.

"Because my husband was commanding officer on board.," replied Hudson, evenly.

Ivanova's face fell, and she put her hand on her arm as she said, "Captain, I'm so sorry to hear that! I know that you may feel..."

Hudson shook her head, "No, I'm not angry with you, Ivanova. You had a job to do and you did it. He chose his side and I chose mine. I just wanted to say, if you had any guilt about any of that, that I forgive you. I just needed to get that off that chest, because I've been wanting to tell you that for a long time."

"You and him must not have gotten along, huh?"

"Not at the end, sad to say. Like I said, he chose his side and I chose mine."

Ivanova then stunned her, "And now you're choosing the president's side?"

Hudson suspected she knew what was going on, "Yes, I figured you knew."

"Just do me a favor, will ya? Don't break his heart. He's like a brother to me, and I could never forgive you if you did that to him."

Hudson put her hands on Ivanova's shoulders, "On my life, I won't break his heart. I love him too much to do that." They hugged, but soon had to become professional again as others came around the corner.

Now, she was in bed with the president, and they were slowly heading towards slumber together. He was just about to go to sleep when she whispered to him, "I love you!" I love you too, Twa, he said in his psychic voice into her mind, and she smiled, kissed him on the chest, and went to sleep herself.

Z'ha'dum

Time Unknown

Just as the Legendora had pulled Iscandar into a side universe to serve as its base of operations, so too had the Ragendora with the homeworld of the Shadows, Z'ha'dum. The Shadows had left this place, and the Ragendora had found the right time to grab it: just before the telepath Lyta Alexander set off its self-destruct system with her Vorlon-enhanced telepathic abilities.

They had also found the perfect person to control the planet in Anna Sheridan, John Sheridan's second wife, thought lost on the planet. She had been taken by the Shadows and made to serve them. Now, she was fully committed to serving them as the being that controlled the Eye, located at the heart of the machine.

The Ragendoran liaison, Barak, walked into the conference room with the others. Elizar, Razeel, Morden, and Justin had come with him on his ship, and he noted his new allies as he sat in among them.

Gul Dukat smiled as he saw Barak come into the room, "So you are the one who wants to help us attain our vengeance? I hear that you come highly regarded!"

Emperor Zordar and his daughter, Princess Invidia, nodded, with Zordar saying, "They have also been gathering their own allies, have they not?"

Barak smiled an evil grin, and said, "We have been gaining allies as well. May I introduce our newest one?" With a wave, he brought in the latest member of their alliance.

"Shiv'kala," said Morden, smiling his deceptively warm grin.

"Barak has told me what you want to achieve. I am glad to tell you that the Drakh Entire is pleased to tell you that they have agreed to join forces with you."

Barak looked at him and said, "You do this, even after the Shadows betrayed you?"

Shiv'kala smiled and said, "To hell with the Shadows!"