Part Eight
"Please I can't eat any more raw coffee…"

EA Nautilus.
Fourteen Hours Post Battle

The Nautilus drifted in space; its station-keeping thrusters holding the close to one mile long warship in place as it observed the evacuation of the DSR Post and it's inhabitants. Already several thousand soldiers and maintenance personnel had been shipped to the remaining warships of the defence flotilla. The last of the remaining personnel and equipment necessary was being shipped to the twin Avenger carriers. Indeed those carriers were now filled with the surviving starfuries and shuttles from the base, the other ships were also now filled to overflowing by fighters and shuttlecraft, the latter holding the rescued personnel from destroyed ships and from the DSR station.

The few floating pieces of Minbari debris left was also picked up by SAR teams as they wrapped up the search. There were no more survivors to be found. Time was drawing to a close when a transmission was received from one of the returning Starfury patrols; the information was transferred directly to the Nautilus Bridge.

"Sir, we got 'em," came a voice from the rear of the bridge.

"Where?"

The young Lt who had taken the third shift command position that day moved through the Zero G atmosphere to the sensor officer position behind him.

"Sensors are fully operational---scanning the Co-ords. There, Sir. The blast pushed them to the far side of the system. We're not getting much else from them. As far as I can tell…" he fiddled with the information screens, "Their main reactors are running low, possibly on secondary power, however we are reading their ECM signature and it looks like there are people still alive on board."

"Divert Flight 325 to those Co-ords, and get the Captain up here immediately."

"Aye, Sir."

With the Achilles found at last a flight of four Starfuries broke off their search pattern to approach the USAF vessel. Sensors active and communications ready attempts were made to contact the United States warship all to no avail.

"This is Flight 325 to Nautilus. We have sighted the Achilles, and she's intact and under power. Severe damage evident, we're going in closer."

Two of the four cross shaped fighters pulled away from the formation and accelerated towards the corvette sized warship, the closer inspection saw the heavy hull damage caused to the Achilles. Where once almost pristine hull plating and weapons were installed blackened metal and melted components were all that remained.

"Flight 325 to Nautilus, we've got movement, spacesuited crew are looking over damage, they're signalling us. Theirs slight debris in the area from the Achilles, she's mostly intact though, attempting communications."

"Flight 325 to Achilles, Come in."

A squeal and hiss came from the speakers as a signal attempted to link the two ships together.

"This is Achilles-good to see you Flight 325."

"You as well Achilles. Sitrep please."

"Long range sensors and sublight engines are functional however our hyperdrive is non operational. We'll need help to leave the system."

"How are you set for defences?"

"Good for now. We're launching remaining fighters for CAP."

"Good to hear it Achilles, We'll contact base and have one of the Tenders with a guard unit make their way here within the hour. We're bugging out of the system to the midrange base at Beta Durani, we'll see you there."

"Thank You Flight 325, good luck to you all. Message from the Major, If the Minbari arrive, you have to leave us behind."

"Got that Achilles, we've got a saying here. We never leave a man behind."

"We've got the same saying Flight, good luck."

"To us all Achilles. 325 out."

"Flight leader to all fighters, let's get back. Four send a message to the Nautilus, we've got them. Achilles need tender and escort immediately."

"Aye Sir," came the response.

USAF Achilles
Fifteen hours Post Battle

The Achilles' main systems were almost online, either through use of back ups or the reactivation of the circuit breakers. The internal damage was not as bad as was first believed. Only the failure of the internal communications and cosmetic damage to the internal sections had been evident allowing the crew to move around the ship once the damage was cleared.

The last remaining weapons were now back online along with some very basic shielding, not enough for combat but enough to plough through the depths of space without taking severe damage from debris and natural phenomena.

However, the rest of the news was grave. Much of the ship's original weapons and hull armour was now little more than scrap metal, unusable for repairs or salvage. The Achilles had only been equipped as a short range cruiser going through its initial shakedown cruises-meaning that while it was fully loaded out with the maximum capability of weapons and supplies there was very little in the way of spares or extraneous computing power needed to keep the Achilles at full power. The fact that the loss of weapons and ordinance during the damage taken by the ship due to the immense enhanced Matter/Antimatter explosion, meant that the Achilles was limping at minimum speed with a third of it's provisions left intact and almost a third of the crew dead or lost to the hull breaches taken in the four days since they were sent into the future.

One of the few places still relatively intact, the bridge currently held the remaining few heads of department in the rear where the plotting tables usually stood. Only a half dozen of the twenty ship's heads had survived the combat with three currently in sickbay, leaving only a few to converse with Major Davis.

"Major there's little we can do without a dry-dock or preferably an orbital yard. There's no way this ship will survive any kind of re-entry. With the breaches, we're just not atmosphere capable. What's more it seems trinium doesn't exist around here at all so we've no choice but to use steel and titanium to seal up which will limiting our handling capabilities." The Chief engineer looked dead on his feet.

"So we're a no go for operations."

"Yes Sir. Weapons are available but we're down to half ammunition and with the damage to most of the hard points we've got gaps in weapons coverage."

"Thank you chief. Gentlemen, get some rest we'll need your help tomorrow."

The three men left their position on the bridge and headed down to the next deck to get the lift to the habitation area of the ship.

"Sir, we've got an incoming ship."

"Identify."

"Computer reports Olympus Class corvette sir, right on time. Artimis Carrier and Hyperion cruiser are taking positions on the flanks sir, Starfuries are launching into escort units."

"Corvette St Margaret's Bay to Achilles, come in."

"This is Achilles- good to see you gentlemen."

"Nice to hear there somebody over there, hang tight Achilles. Once we're in position we'll lock on tow lines and get us all out of here."

"Got it Corvette, we'll be ready."

"St Margaret's Bay out.

"Sound an alert, prepare for turbulence."

"Aye, Sir."

The Larger Corvette came around close to the other ship and move in front of the Achilles manoeuvring itself so it's rear towlines could be reeled out and grappled to the Achilles' main hull. The six long thick lines were taken in hand and clamped to the smaller ship as Starfuries led the lines out and suited USAF personnel locked them down.

Setting a slow pace to bring the Achilles up to a faster speed, the corvette pulled away and was joined by the other ships of the escort and the twin fighter squadrons of the small carrier. The slow speed allowing the 302 class Interceptors to dock home, the small force joined the rest of the evacuation convoy and jumped into hyperspace allowing the USAF warship its first glimpse of another realm of hyperspace.

Drala Fi.
Enroute to DSR4
Sixteen Hours Post Battle

Coplann strode into the main command centre. "Shai Alyt, time to reversion to Realspace?"

"Satai, we are eight hours from reversion at current speed." The Drala Fi's commander replied

The Combined Task force of twenty four vessels were cruising through hyperspace at maximum thrust for the warships, the faster, lighter Tinashis were scouting ahead by a factor of three minutes while the ten Sharlin warcruisers trailed behind. The frigates had had to cut back their own engines to stay in step with the heavier warships. This speed above that of the Blood Of Dukhat task force had meant their transition from their original patrol points to the DSR station was only half that of the first group of ships.

However it had gotten around that the entire task force sent earlier had been destroyed in the attack against the Earther base. The humans had not had the ability to so completely destroy a Minbari fleet like this before. At least they couldn't have without an impressive amount of ships at their behest.

The anger of the Warrior caste was a palpable entity while the anger of the other Minbari castes was not as strong.. However Minbari blood had been spilt again and this time the losses to the Minbari people was considered to be an affront to the ancient and powerful race.

"All ships are to revert to realspace immediately upon entering range, I don't care what ships are in system destroy everything, the barbarians that assisted the Earthers are to die."

"Yes Alyt."

In the hours since their jump the Minbari ships had gone through drill after drill readying for the battle to come.

Mid Range Military Station
Beta Durani System
Twenty Four hours post battle

The Mid-range base at Beta Durani was one of the largest and most comprehensive stations in known space. Large and comprising both orbital and planetary based habitats, the station was the most heavily defended of the Alliance's outer bases. The Mid-range base was the Alliance's only forward base left heading towards the Minbari lines.

Twin O'Neill habitats spun in the orbit of one of the System's two Earth type planets holding much of the Alliance's forces in the system. Situated between the stations stood the system's massive shipyard complex. Construction and repairs proceeding at an accelerated pace. Hyperions and Novas took up most of the drydocks while smaller spaces churned out squadrons of Starfuries and shuttles for the heavier warships.

All approaches to the Station had had their defences heavily upgraded since the beginning of the war, now much of the outer system was covered in minefields and small Orbital Satellites surrounding the closer areas as well as the orbits of the inner planets.

The Durani System was all but impassable to non Earth Alliance warships since the war's start, the last layer of the system's defences consisted of close to fifty warships of all types, monitors, cruisers, dreadnaughts and fighters patrolled constantly around every approach into and out of the system.

On the outer reaches of the system a half dozen jump points opened up close to the outermost listening posts of the system, the entire system went on red alert as the six points bloomed open and ships began pouring out. Seconds later the closest stations caught the IFF transponders of the incoming Earthforce ships fresh from the Battle of DSR 4.

"Beta Durani Command this is Delta Sierra Evac Fleet One. Come in."

"This Is Durani Base Control. Good to here from you Evac one."

"Roger Control. Request docking facilities for all incoming ships."

"We've got the places Evac One, just bring them in."

"Control we require a singular covered and pressurised dry-dock for incoming classified vessel."

"Say again Evac One?"

"Require Pressurised Dry Dock for Incoming Classified, Code One Delta Niner."

The on duty crew of the defence station looked at each other with shock, the One Delta Niner signal was second only to the One Delta One Signal. Both were classifications that meant that they were bringing in new and possibly alien technologies from unknown sources. The Niner Signal meant advanced but non-First one technology.

The signals were encoded only that year when the information about the first ones came to light thanks to information from the Narn in the exchange information and supplies offered since the war's beginning. This code was relayed immediately to Earthforce command at Earthdome coming to the attention of the Chiefs of staff, the R&D department and the Psi Corps.

"Affirmative Evac one. Bay Omega Zero six is available for docking all surrounding vessels are being pulled out and sensors surround the entry Corridor are being diverted, all incoming warships are to take positions in planetary orbit all Evac ships are to head for Habitat Two immediately for immediate removal to planetside Base."

"Roger that Control. Corvette St Margaret's Bay and One Delta Niner are heading for Omega six, Nautilus Alpha One and DSR Alpha One are trailing the incoming. Request the immediate assistance from Commander Durani Post and Commander Defense fleet."

"We'll see what we can do, we have you on scanners, ETA nineteen Minutes, defence flotilla six is on their way to escort Evac ships to Durani Habitat two."

"Roger Durani Control. Nautilus Out."

The dozen remaining warships of the DSR defence fleet turned towards the inner planets, their corridors through the minefields opened up by signals from the command post in system. The smaller container ships and massed shuttlecraft took a different route in order to make their way to the dual spinning habitats. However two small ships both around the same time made their way through the minefields much more quickly than the larger warships towards the massive shipyards of the system.

As the EF corvette and the smaller USAF Battlecruiser approached the outermost parts of the station the huge constructs came into view, dozens of docks, factories, construction yards and storerooms filled the view. Half built cruisers and creadnaughts stood, their skeletons still visible in parts where the armoured covering hadn't yet been attached. Squadrons of starfuries stood ready for use by either the ships under construction or any units incoming.

However directly in front of them sat six massive bays bigger by about half than the Nova dreadnaught bays that made up almost a third of the surrounding drydocks, in these docks were four massive but only partially constructed vessels, with a fifth just starting construction. The sixth dock was covered completely with hull plating enclosing it like a cocoon. The Olympus class ship pulled into the bay, it's tow lines guiding the Achilles into the deserted dockyard. The massive doors slamming shut and the slow work of pressuring the giant bay started.

Outside the bay the docks went back to work as the construction furies and suited crewmen retook their position, while three warships and multiple squadrons of starfuries took up guard positions around the Omega Docks.

Earth Force Command
Earthdome
Geneva
Earth
Same Day

The Fleet control rooms of the Earth Force Command Centre was the biggest and most comprehensive defense station in the Earth Alliance sphere of influence, the massively powerful computer systems currently held the position of every ship in the EA's star systems and often beyond.

Currently the entire base was at full alert as it had been since the declaration of war those months ago, hundreds of officers and command crew members were at their positions up and down the enclosed room, the massive computer screens were alive with Earth force ship positions and fleet designations. Every warship, fleet monitor and fighter in and around Earth alliance space was tagged and identified by the fleet computers as of the latest communications from that fleet.

However the newest information had thrown much of the command station into a Frenzy as one of the Deep Space Rendezvous posts had been taken out and the ships based there routed to the closest fleet base at Beta Durani.

The Minbari had penetrated Earth Alliance space.

The Best estimates of the Earth Alliance had believe the Minbari were still months from finding any of the bases or outposts and now the first had fallen to a fleet of enemy warships. The biggest shock had come when the reports had been transmitted from the Nautilus Battlegroup a short time ago when they had been informed that an unknown vessel had destroyed at least six Minbari warships in two separate encounters over the past few days.

That ship was now safely in the classified and highly experimental refit-Nova class docks at Beta Durani, the secondary base for the ship latest designs coming off of the docks, still close to two years from completion as opposed to the close to complete new class destroyers at the Io Complex. The fact that the ship was classified under a One Delta designation was even more of a surprise, topped with the fact that the people aboard were completely and totally human meant that some of the scientists ands top brass were having coronaries about all this.

"Officer on the Deck." A voice shouted

"General Lefcourt Good to see you." Another General came from his office to greet the Fleet Commander."

"General Tobias, your report please."

"Approximately three hours ago confidential records were transmitted on Gold Channel to Earthforce command from the Nautilus dreadnaught group and the Beta Durani Omega Drydocks. Almost thirty hours ago Deep Space Rendezvous Point Four was attacked by a five ship Minbari task force, two Sharlins and three Tinashi Escorts attacked the Base and its defence fleet.

On the Main screen above the plotting tables a view of the battle consisting of a cut together montage of gun cameras and long-range scanners of the Earth ships, shock rippled throughout the room as the first Tinashi frigate was intercepted by the unknown vessel which basically crippled the much larger vessel.

The scans shifted again from the basic bloodbath of any EA/Minbari battle to the combat between the second and third Minbari ships and the 'Achilles' as she was known. The destruction of the second ship involving no damage to the Achilles thrilled the entire group watching. Then the climax, the detonation of a massive explosion magnified many times by the Achilles' weapons filled the screen frying the cameras and scanners of the ships watching.

Grainy Images came up from secondary scanners and partially functioning sensors from ships only lightly damaged from the explosion, the entire field of combat was cleared. All five Minbari warships and their few remaining fighters were gone, vaporised by the blast wave. The Achilles herself was also gone ,however it was known that the new arrival was still active and more or less intact much to the surprise of the Earth Force Personnel both there and at Beta Durani.

"The Entire Enemy task force was destroyed in that last conflagration, the rest of the personnel and surviving ships made it out before the Minbari got to the DSR post, however automated systems kept the post operational after the Evac fleet had left. This was the result only four hours ago it came through with the records from the Midrange base."

Once again a montage of scenes from the DRS point's scanners and satellites came into view, almost in sync almost a dozen jump points opened up in system fighters and capital ships streaming out headed by the biggest and most powerful Minbari ship they had ever seen bigger than the usual ships of the fleet it bristled with weapons and thicker armour.

"What the hell is that?"

"Dammit, she's an unknown we've some Intel reports about a bigger Command ship for their fleets but nothing like this."

"Well we've got it now, anything?"

"Negative, they're running with jammers down but their main ECM systems are online. We've got size and that's it nothing more than we did have."

On the screen the dozens of ships all but disappeared just slight blurs showing where the fleet used to be, this giving evidence that the Minbari jammers were now operational on the enemy ships. Why they had all had jammers offline nobody knew but now the Minbari were hunting in the system. Fortunately they would find nothing.

The picture broke to static as it's was sensor array was destroyed by Neutron cannon fire from the closest sharlin to the station, no more sensor information appeared afterwards meaning that the station was totally destroyed.

"That's it General, that's everything we've got."

"Why did their jammers fail when they jumped into the system."

"No idea, We'll look through the scanner logs but I doubt we'll find much."

"Good, now onto the more important part of this exercise, what is this new ship?"

"That's where things get interesting."

The screen brought up a picture of the damaged Achilles, the scars and burns of combat were evident while the missing hull sections gave testament to the fact they had taken damage saving the Earthforce ships from total annihilation.

"The ship seems to be human built, English markings claiming the vessel is a Battlecruiser of the United States Air Force."

"The USAF hasn't existed in almost two hundred years, and even when they did they had nothing like this."

"Apparently this ship is more advanced than anything we've seen before."

"How so?"

"Well apart from the weapons we've seen, the Achilles boasts ECM on a par with the Minbari, scanners capable of reading Minbari ship locations and locking on to them, fighter carrying capability, artificial gravity and hyperspace jump point capability."

"No ship that small could have all that, she's smaller than an Olympus for Christ's sake."

"Sir she also has some form of energy shield. Its that shield that allowed the Achilles to survive combat with all those Minbari ships."

The General was all but struck dumb at the fact that a possibly human ship FROM THE 21st CENTURY, was capable of destroying Minbari forces where entire ship squadrons of Earthforce's best dreadnaughts had failed. More so, the fact that they did so using projectiles and Nuclear missiles was the last straw. That one ship could be just what they were looking for.

If they could persuade that ship and its crew to join them then the war could change within weeks, but again they may not and things may go badly for both sides if that happened.

"Copy these records onto data crystals, the president will want to see this."

Drala Fi
Station close to the former position of DSR 4
Thirty three hours post battle.

A little over six hours had passed since the Minbari had jumped into the system, their overconfidence had led them to believe that they would catch the humans flatfooted, that the earthers would not expect another attack so quickly. When the ships of the battle fleet jumped in they were ready for action.

Or would have been had anyone been there.

Scans rippled through the entire system; there was nothing at all, no fighters no ships and no sign of any of the ships of the Dukhat task force. The only scans that came up with anything was the debris from a dozen Earther ships, a few small probes and the intact but empty spinning habitat used by the Earthers as the command post for the area.

The ship's systems had seemed to fail and then come back online as they began to transverse out of the jump points and out into the system proper, seconds later the ship's stealth systems had returned and they were again cloaked against the Earther sensor probes. The technicians were trying to find the cause of the failure on board the Drala Fi and indeed on the rest of the ships of the fleet.

"No Signs of the Earthers anywhere in the system Satai."

"Very well, have the fleet reassemble and head back towards their patrol lines, We'll get to the bottom of this."

"Yes Satai."

The ships of the Minbari fleet dispersed back into their component task forces and left the system by different routes returning to their patrols awaiting their chance to strike against the Earthers that had perpetrated this dishonour against the Minbari people.