Interlude 3
"That is why in our society we only believe in sex, constant, guilt-free sex"
USAF Prometheus
Four days Post Contact.
The Claxons rang throughout the ship awakening the ship's Commander from a heavy and restless sleep. Years of experience caused Ronson to jump from sleep to awake in an instant allowing his training to guide him quickly into his clothes and to the bridge in an automatic fashion.
Running through the corridors of his ship, he almost collided with General O'Neill as he charged around the corner. Pausing to regain their balance the two officers hit the bridge at full speed.
"Report!" shouted Ronson.
"Sir, the Minbari are coming through."
"What? Warn them off."
"No response Sir, I don't think they believed the Centauri."
"Dammit, get me the 'Choice.'"
"Aye, Sir."
"This Is Freedom's Choice, Go ahead Colonel " replied Daniel Jackson from the Ha'takClass warship, his time was being spent with the Centauri Survivors trying to learn more about their people.
"Dr Jackson, the Minbari vessel is attempting to cross the rift."
"What?"
"They are trying to cross the rift. It looks as if they've had enough of waiting."
"They didn't believe the Centauri then."
"Apparently not. When I order it I want the Choice to fire a low level salvo through the rift."
"Is that wise, Colonel?"
"Possibly not but we need to spook them, try to get them away from the rift before they get themselves killed."
"The ship's Commander agrees, Colonel. The ship's weapons are at lowest levels. We'll try to warn them off."
"Good." He turned to his XO. "Someone get Mollari up here immediately."
"Aye, Sir."
"Prometheus, Choice, We've got a lock but their too close and fire will cripple the ship and possibly kill them," Daniel Jackson's voice came over the Comm Line.
"Try a few shots through just warn them off."
"Firing."
Four single pulses from the Ha'tak's punched through the rift and lit up the hull of the Sharlin as they passed close to the hull. Unperturbed the Sharlin fired back and continued into the rift penetrating the event horizon.
"No effect Sir, the Minbari ship's coming through the rift."
"Put it on the Monitors."
The results were predictable, as the rift caught the Sharlin it pulled the massive ship through the vortex and sent it spinning out the other side. The damage caused to the Angelfish-shaped warship was immense as it came out the other side. The ship was larger and more heavily armed and shielded than the Centauri vessel had been, but even that hadn't saved the ship from crippling damage to its systems.
One of the three drive fins had been shattered with crystalline armour and internals showing as shards floated around the hull, burns and cuts were scattered around the hull where the armour and shielding had failed opening up the main hull to space. The ship's visible weapons batteries had been all but melted into slabs of metal.
The ship began to rotate on two of its three axis as its power systems shut down across the ship as the reactors cut out to stop an overload. Lights flickered and died leaving the ship dark and dead in space.
"What have we got?" asked O'Neill
"They have Life support and some emergency systems running. Their back up power systems are stable she came through better than the Centauri ship but not by much."
"Choice, Prometheus, can you get that ship stable."
"We'll try," said Jackson. "The Choice's Captain says it's much bigger and it may be impossible to stop completely at its current speed and mass."
"We've got life signs, a few hundred still alive, Daniel," Jack said. "Tell the Jaffa to use caution these guys are to be considered extremely hostile."
"We got it Jack, there's little radiation so we should be able to ring over straight from the Ha'taks."
"Daniel, we're sending over Mollari to help you out he might be able to calm them down."
"Thanks Jack. Choice out."
Jack looked to Ronson, "Ever have the feeling that history repeats itself?"
Earth Alliance Special Operations Command
In Orbit around Venus
One week post arrival of USAF Achilles
The Earth Alliance SOC Shipyards was Earthforce command's current equivalent of the 'Skunk Works' that had been part of the Military of every government for over three hundred years.
The shipyards themselves were the backbone of the construction of the newest prototypes the Earth Alliance had designed. One such construction had been the original Nova X Class destroyers of which all but a single one had been destroyed by the Minbari during the early months of the war.
While powerful and long-ranged, the Nova X class was just unable to see the enemy units on the scanners leading to their loss before they could do any worthy damage to the Minbari ships of the line. The sole surviving unit that was unfinished at the time the others had gone into battle, was now stored at the Omega Bays at the SOC shipyards. The Nova X yards were in use at Beta Durani, the base now had several partially built ships on the slipways, but due to material problems and the need for more ships on the line the Nova X ships had languished unfinished for the last three months.
Work on the ships had slowed on the orders of Earthdome once it was realized that some of the newest technology obtained from the Narn and Non-Aligned worlds could be included on the newest ships. Work had totally stopped several weeks ago with the arrival of an unknown vessel in Alliance space.
Technology was traded for by this new ship for supplies and a homeport for repairs. The technology specification used technology that was so far out of date it was surprising that the ship was even capable of spaceflight. Systems that ran the entire length of the ship could be reduced to the size of a small room with the current level of technology the Alliance had.
With the technology being worked on by other areas of the Alliance, it was easy to acquire copies of every system they might need to outfit their newest vessel. SOC had been building their own ships with some additional capabilities at the same time as the information had come through.
The work on some of the ships had been close to completion when the new systems had been purchased by the Alliance from a newcomer to the area. The biggest ships were too large and were almost completed and could not be effectively modified.
While the larger ships still languished, unfinished and awaiting orders for completion, it had come to the attention of the SW's commander that a smaller vessel might be of more use as a test bed than any of the larger ships that were under construction. However it was also a problem.
The Skunk works had no small vessels under construction at their main shipyards. It was generally accepted that the smaller and less powerful units of the fleet were all but useless to their fleet with the Minbari so close to the Alliance Inner colonies. The Hyperions, as the smallest, were still much too large to use for a prototype test bed and were too close to completion with the Narn assisted weapons designs.
In response to this oversight, the shipyard's command staff had acquired a smaller ship from one of the other shipyards for a stripped down and refit. The refit took no time at all, now that ship was ready for its first shakedown cruise.
EAS ZEUS
Olympus Class Corvette Refit
"Captain orders from Earthdome. We're to move out immediately for shakedown. We've been ordered to stay away from any Minbari ships we come across. If we are unable to get away, shoot to kill."
"Respond 'orders received and understood'. Zeus Class One is breaking dock. "
With their orders received and the ship in ready condition, the small warship left its construction dock and broke out into the darkness of space. Below it the muted orange and yellow orb of the dark side of Venus spun, keeping the SOC yards hidden from the majority of those in the Alliance military. The Zeus headed into space away from the base and set a course for the border. A quick test of its impressive highly sensitive scanners and a test of its weapons sublight engines would be first on the agenda for the crew. A ship close by the refit warship opened a jump point allowing the warship to leave the system heading for the border stations near Beta Durani, the ships' stores would only last so long on patrol, the stores would all but exhausted by their voyage to the outer systems.
The ship had been improved in every way possible since the first copies of the specs had been sent to the R&D department of all Sol System shipyards. And in those weeks the EA's own miniaturised versions had been attached to the ship as they were produced; however by the launch many were not ready for installation. The Zeus, on the other hand, was armed with Railguns, improved scanners and a very early form of the Tau'ri human's ECM suite. Artificial Gravity and sublight engine systems were still months from readiness although the engines they did have were much more powerful thanks to some help increasing their engine efficiency using the Achilles' own engines as a template.
She was still as agile as her original class but the speed was close to that of a Centauri Capital ship allowing them to run if necessary. The Narn weapons had also been included and now for the first time it was possible that a single human ship could put up a good fight against a Minbari warship. If this ship was successful the remaining Nova X class warships would be totally stripped down and refitted using the newly acquired technology from the newcomer's ship and anything else they could recover from the Minbari warships now in their hands.
The Olympus Corvette headed towards the station at Beta Durani at full burn. They had little problem with fuel as they would have no problem refuelling once they made their way there. The orders currently in their database would give them access to all and any resources in the Alliance without any questions asked.
IO Station
R&D Labs
That Day
The explosion that ripped through the R&D labs was immense, the fireball that emitted from the blown out sections as over a mile in length and several decks high. Thousands of men and women were killed instantly with hundreds more thrown out into space to die in the agony of explosive decompression. Secondary explosions caused by the exposure of the internal sections of the station caused even more death and damage to people and equipment combined. An entire section slewed off and collided with one of the smaller patrol ships close to the station. More fire blew out the sides of the already damaged areas of the station finally severing the entire block from the main station itself sending it spinning away from the station and thankfully away from the traffic lanes around the transfer point. The resulting damage was horrendous in the few seconds before the station's bulkheads and vacuum doors slammed shut cutting off the oxygen feed and halting the concussive damage from going further into the station. Less than twenty seconds had passed since the first explosion had hit the R&D department but the damage was incalculable to the survivors.
"What the hell was that?" shouted the Station's Watch Commander.
"We've got explosions in the primary and secondary atmospheric systems to the Hanger Bays."
"How bad?"
"We've lost the entire arm of the station, no reports from any areas that were adjacent to the lost sections. Sir we've lost a full mile of the station."
"That's impossible." He brought up a section of the station on the screen, his surprise redoubled and he saw the true damage to the station, closing his eyes he turned away from the display. "Any chance it's a scanner problem."
"No, Sir. External cameras confirm it. We've lost an entire section of the station. Sir there were over three thousand people in that section and surrounding areas." The officer looked at her commander.
"Anything else?" His eyes still closed, his demeanour slumped his command had been attacked and now thousands were dead on his watch, "What about the surrounding sections and the nearest vessels."
"The Sylvester was damaged by a piece of debris, she's being evacuated into the main sections. Without those Atmospheric systems the hangers will lose life support with the next six hours."
"How many ships in there?"
"Four Sir, the Atherton, the Sentry, the Darkstar and the Achilles."
Two Hyperions, a Nova and the Newcomer ship plus the shipyard personnel were all trapped in there.
"Have all personnel evacuate immediately. Contact each ship and have them pull their people in and lock down until we can get the systems back online."
"Aye, Sir. Sir the causeways to the hanger complex are locked down and depressurised. It was put in as part of the alert systems last year.
"Anyone left is to get board one of the other ships. Ask the Achilles to take any they can on. They should still be attached to the umbilicals."
The entire station had gone onto the highest alert when the first explosions had happened causing the personnel to scramble for their positions. In the hanger bays the personnel had been put into shuttles or whatever else was on hand and sent to the other side of the complex, those who couldn't get across the causeways made their way to the Achilles and the EA ships tethered to the dry-docks. Within an hour the entire complex had been cleared and secured by space suited Marines from the Io barracks. The docks were opened and the trapped ships manoeuvred out from their positions inside.
"Sir, the station's clear. Command and control are all that's left."
"Okay. Evac the last of the Command staff and shut down everything."
"Aye Sir. The last of the shuttles is taking on the remaining crew members." The crewman looked at his screens. "Sir there's a message from Earthdome, we're to keep anyone from landing or docking to any of the damaged sections until the Internal Affairs geeks get here."
"Right. What's the status on the ships?"
"The Nova has been transferred to the Earth orbital complexes while the Hyperions are still in orbit about Io."
"And the Achilles?"
"The Achilles has been requested to make their way to Earth and to dock at Earth Station One immediately."
"Dispatch the message to the Achilles. It's up to them where they go."
"Aye, Sir."
"Time to go Ladies and Gentlemen."
The command staff of the station vacated their terminals shutting down the equipment as they went. Only a minute or two elapsed before the Commander and Exec were the only people left board the R&D station.
"Commence systems shut down," the command told his subordinate.
"Systems shut down commencing, weapons down, defences offline, sections shutting down, one through twenty two, twenty six through fifty, fifty one through seventy five. All remaining sections are already shut down, Sir."
The commander nodded. "Okay Environmentals at minimum; reactors spooling down to minimum as well. All airlocks are locked down and umbilical systems are offline."
"That's it, Sir. The station's offline."
"Good, get to the shuttle."
"Aye, Sir."
The Major turned from his position and typed a half dozen commands into the station, the last command shutting down the command centre itself. The busy and powerful station was silent and dark for the first time in many years. The Commander walked out and to his shuttle, not looking back.
USAF Achilles
Near Earth Orbit
The small Prometheus class ship was enclosed in a small formation of EarthForce warships heading towards Earth itself. The smaller ship seemed little more than a corvette or even a cargo ship to the Kilometre long Nova class dreadnaughts that made up the bulk of its escort ships. The Blue and Green planet grew in front of the Air force vessel as the Achilles approached the massive structure in orbit of Earth.
"Someone's been watching too much TV," whispered one the Non-coms on the bridge to another."
The station was close to the size of the station at Beta Durani and was designed much like that of the spinning habitat from the film 2001. The O'Neill class station spun in amongst yet another series of smaller units surrounding the immediate area. Dozens of spaceships were in various stages of construction, from the smallest Orestes Class ship to the largest Nova refits.
The biggest surprise for the crews of the Achilles and her consorts was the trio of Narn Heavy Cruisers docked aboard the closest of the smaller docking platforms. Their beautiful lines and fearsome looks made them look much more dangerous than the blocky Hyperions surrounding them.
"G'Quan Class Cruisers Sir, three of them," Major Davis said.
"Can we get any readings on them?"
"Aye, Sir. Their ECM is worse off than the Alliance's. We've got everything we need to know."
"Attach it to everything else we've found so far, also ready a transmission copy of it. Maybe the Alliance would like a copy."
"Aye, Sir."
"Sir, we're receiving instructions. We're to dock at the main station instead of the outer defensive stations."
"Acknowledge orders and bring us around."
"Aye, Sir," Davis responded
The Achilles pulled away from her escorts. Running lights flashing from both groups in acknowledgement and farewell to each other before the Alliance ships pulled away and headed out system and back to the outer defence fleet.
The Achilles was tagged and targeted by dozens of smaller satellites and defensive fortifications in the immediate area around Earth's principle space station. The small ship's ECM stopped most of the scans from seeing them let alone actually targeting them, but the power had been reduced to minimal to allow them to see the ship itself in an attempt to allow the STC to properly guide them.
"Sir, primary ring is up ahead. We're being guided in."
"Follow their instruction helm. Try to keep us from hitting anything."
"The breaks are a little sticky, but the steering's fine, Sir" the Helmsmen quipped back.
"Good."
Davis sat next to his Commanding Officer as the ship moved closer to the Alliance space station. While the O'Neill class habitats were useful, the SGC's technical ability meant that any station that may be built by them would not use spinning sections to simulate gravity not with the gravity technology salvaged from the Goa'uld.
"What were those Narn here for?" Davis wondered.
"Paul?"
"Those Narn are here for a reason and the only reason I can think of is that the Narn know about our treaty with the Alliance."
"What do you think?"
"I think they are going to try to get technology from us or the Alliance for their own reasons, be it already shared tech or some of our own stuff. From what I've read on them from the Alliance database downloaded to the main system these Narns are opportunistic, mercenary and are little better than scavengers and thieves."
"Sounds like a nasty bunch."
"This is just one side of the story, Sir and we've already noticed a serious amount of Xenophobia in and around the Earth Alliance. I don't recommend that we let this information colour our meetings with any of the other races in this area of space. God knows we've got enough of a problem with the Minbari."
"Agreed. Keep all ship's sensors going. Keep an eye on the Narn ships as well. We don't know them and I'm not risking this ship and crew to an unknown race."
"Once bitten, twice shy, Colonel?"
"Damn straight, Major."