Chapter 28: Invisible Death
Reviewers: Dark Retribution: Most people are now simply calling it the Imperium or the Imperial Alliance.
BGTom: That or a computer virus that'll make all their ships self-destruct, like the Borg.
Sean: The Battle of the Line does sound good, but I'm starting to lean towards the time during the Shadow war and Earth's civil war so the Narns will join the Imperium. No matter what the Mimbari and the Vorlons are going down! What "insight" are you talking about?
Treymane: Hey there! Are you new to this story? Your ideas are great. So which do you think would be better? The Imperium showing up at the Battle of the Line, during the Shadow war, or the Earth civil war? And why would the Drazi not resist? The Imperium would probably take the Vorlon Empire's knowledge and making some telepaths inquisitors. Psi Corps would probably try to become part of the Inquisition. That way they'd have power AND the backing of the Imperium.
Silvanas: I think they should be tryin to make the Imperium split from the Federation or something. Remember they're to save the Federation humans, not kill them all.
Oblivionknight7: You're welcome. She wouldn't be on the base. She's coordinating the defense of the Romulan Empire.
Liljimmyurine: Thanks. SPECIALGUY seems ok to me. He makes some good points in my story, I think. Oh and name received. Look for yourself soon.
Malaki slipped into the base by donning a space suit and latching himself onto the hull of a passing shuttle. Once it entered a docking bay, he detached and activated his stealth suit. He found himself in a service bay. Several shuttles were receiving upgrades. With Imperial technology he noted. He snuck out of the bay and walked along several corridors. He was searching for an isolated spot to jack into their main computer. He heard voices from behind him and ducked into a niche in the wall. Two Section 31 operatives walked past him.
"So, I hear the Imperium's in a pretty good uproar," one of them said.
"They should be. We just killed one of their highest officers," the other responded. They moved on. Malaki followed them. They led him to a briefing room. He stayed in the back row, listening to conversations. Everyone here seemed to know something big was about to happen. Then the main door opened and a man walked in, a commander judging by his uniform.
"All right everyone, settle down," he ordered. The room fell silent as everyone took a seat. "Now as all of you probably already know, yesterday, one of our ships infiltrated an Alliance war fleet and assassinated the fleet commander, Lord Admiral Madthayn. However it did not achieve the desired effect. The Alliance is still intact, and the Inquisition is currently heading up an investigation." Murmurs flared up. These people definitely knew what the Inquisition could do. He wondered what they would think if they knew there was an Inquisitor in this very room. He had located a computer terminal and uploaded his virus. Since Section 31 had very heavy computer security, it would take time for the virus to infiltrate the system.
"What's our next move going to be?" One man asked.
"We will lend the technical information we've obtained on Imperial technology to the Cardassians and Romulans. They will use it to launch a major offensive against the Alliance. While they are keeping the alliance occupied, we will use the cloning chamber we obtained from the Dominion to grow clones of the Alliance council and use them to force the Imperium to leave this galaxy."
"What if the clones are discovered?" An operative asked.
That will not happen. Thanks to our agents within Starfleet, we have been able to gather all the information we'll need to make the clones exactly like the originals."
This was serious. Section 31 actually managed to look like a competent organization. However they were no match for an actual Inquisitor of the Ordo Hereticus. He had been trained to take down cults and organizations exactly like this. Then his micro computer vibrated, signaling the virus had successfully infiltrated the computer systems.
In another room, a senior agent was busy in the computer core. He'd known about the virus, but was unable to stop it. He, however, believed he could handle it alone and so didn't inform anyone else about it.
Malaki made his way back to the shuttle bay. He had accomplished his mission. Now all he had to do was get back to his ship and activate the virus. He entered the docking bay when all the doors suddenly slammed shut.
"I know you're here," a voice said. "You're here to sabotage this facility. I will not let you do that. Now reveal yourself," the voice ordered.
"I don't think so," Malaki replied. "You have no idea the power you are up against." He activated the virus and used it to transport him to his ship.
Back at his console, agent Bront hung his head in defeat. His supervisor came up to him.
"Is something wrong?" He asked.
"Someone from the alliance has infiltrated our base," he replied.
"Alert security!"
"It's too late. He just transported back to his ship. I'm attempting to trace the signal now."
Suddenly the lights flickered and on every ship in the Section 31 fleet, the same message played.
"Self-destruct sequence activated." Captains frantically tried to halt the sequence, but the virus had locked them out. The base also found it has been set to blow. Just as one hundred fifty one explosions filled the Badlands, a message was sent: Fortress one has fallen.
The Cardassian Central Command has received news of the Romulan defeat at the border of the Neutral zone.
"When the Romulans are defeated, the Alliance will come after us next," one council member declared.
"The Romulans are a powerful empire. They will not fall easily," another spoke.
"With the aid of this Imperium they might indeed. Their military capabilities seem to be limitless. What little information we have been able to obtain indicates that they are from another galaxy where they rule over a million worlds. The forces they have here are nothing more than a holding force."
"Where did this information come from?" A member of the Obsidian Order asked. No one knew why he was here, only that his power was far greater than theirs.
"Several of our spy ships managed to extract a memory core from the wreckage of an Imperial vessel at Kitomer."
The main screen activated and showed the footage of one of the largest battles against the Dominion. They watched as the Imperial armada swatted the Jem Hadar ships like flies. Then they watched the Renewed Valor punched straight through a Jem Hadar dreadnaught. The council was silent for a moment.
"What chance can we possibly stand against such power?"
"We recently received word that Section 31's primary staging and research base has been destroyed. They were going to give us technological enhancements to help us resist the Alliance. Without them, we still have one plan."
"Well, out with it!"
"As you know, many races do not support the alliance. Including the Tholians. We could establish an alliance of our own to resist the Imperial Alliance."
"We should also attempt to aid the Romulans. The longer they are able to hold out, the more time we will have to prepare."
"Then we are in agreement. This council is adjourned."
The Romulan struggle was not going well. Twelve more systems had been conquered, and thousands of ships had been destroyed. The Imperial Alliance, which was the new name the Imperium had adopted in this galaxy, was mere weeks away from invading Romulus itself. However, unknown to them, the Cardassians, Tholians, Breen, Gorn and Shakurian mercenaries were preparing to attack the main Alliance staging base. The Imperial Alliance would soon feel the power of the Great Alliance of Worlds.
How was that for a chapter? The Inquisition destroyed one part of a shadow group. What will the next group be? The Imperial Alliance is about to be tested. Who will come out the victor? Is Lord Admiral Madthayn alive? Also, when I go to the B5 universe, should the Imperium arrive during the Battle of the Line, during the Shadow War, or during the Earth Civil War? Thanks for the support and don't forget to review. See ya all soon!
ENTILZA