Chapter 31

Challenge - The Armageddon conflict part 7

Three weeks earlier:

USS Voyager:

"Admiral?" It was B'Elanna. "We've got problems here. The QSD doesn't like this space at all. The simulations we've been running have not been promising. The Bedemite crystal configuration as it is now will not allow the quantum energy converter to generate a stable slipstream matrix. We're working on it now. So we're stuck with warp drive until we can deal with this."

"How long will it take?"

"Not long," she answered. "We're close to a solution now, but we will have to travel a lot slower."

"How much slower?" Chakotay asked.

"Only about point one five light years per second. And that's when we've run enough simulations and I'm satisfied we wouldn't blow up.

Barely a crawl. "Do what you can."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Both the Captain and the Admiral returned to the patiently waiting entity.

"Lorien, we have a deal. Will you give us the coordinates to Earth?"

He paused for a second, the moved towards Data. His eyes seemed to look deep into the android. "Fascinating," he whispered. "Here are the coordinates you need."

"All stop," Chakotay ordered.

An hour later Lieutenant Torres and her engineering crew had completed the configuration changes and were now working with the Klingons to get their system aligned.

"I have slipstream drive up to point one eight light years per second," B'Elanna proudly announced. "I recommend we use it sparingly."

"Understood. Good work ,B'Elanna." She turned to commander Data. "How long using slipstream?"

"At this distance, twenty eight minutes, fifty-seven seconds."

"Inform Commander Riker on the Rantoul to follow us in and stay close. Tell

Captain Kagth we're leaving in three minutes."

A half hour after the three ships had transitioned into slipstream, a distortion in space and time occurred. According to the crew of the C-57D, it would be described as a deceleration event caused by a vessel exiting a hyperspace shunt. Two eight hundred meter long Sinhindrea heavy corvette analogs popped into normal space. The Clovien hunters had scented their prey but the signals had stopped here, and abruptly, the telepathic scent all but disappeared. However the scent was just strong enough to point the way. The planet called Earth was located in that general direction. A recon force had been sent to Earth earlier and it was deemed a low-lever threat.

But things had changed. The weapons used by these creatures were unnerving and the discovery of the invisible minefield that refused to be destroyed had been horrific. The Colony wasn't complete and now it was cut off. Less than a thousand military vessels had made the transition. The civilian ships outnumbered them by a ratio of four to one. Those numbers didn't include the survivors of the six week war against the ones called the shadows. That was a great victory but the costs had been high. Those aliens were also almost as aggressive the Vorlons had been, however the loss of their homeworld (and several hundred million of their species) had taken the fight out of them and the Sinhindrea were able to consolidate their forces. Probes of surrounding space and interrogations of captured Shadow warriors had revealed several major powers. The Vorlon territory was largely vacated and now deemed a low threat. The Minbari were the most dangerous powerful species in the immediate region, and their technology, relatively inferior. However, they had the numbers, over four thousand capital ships. Initially, that made them the priority threat. The Narn government was nothing, and the Centauri were weaker than the Minbari. But they also had a large number of ships. The ones called Humans were weaker than the Centauri and in the middle of an unimportant, wasteful conflict. Together they might have been a threat to the small. They were not together and would fall easily. That had also been the evaluation of the captured Shadows.

The captured Shadow had been in error. Its evaluation of the threat potential from those called Humans was greater than the Shadows understood. The Minbari would have to wait. The cleansing was turning into a war of survival.

Now:

Babylon Five:

Alyt Rannaonn stalked into the small, but rapidly filling conference room and nearly froze in his tracks, taken aback at the sight that of seeing a Vorlon in quiet, but intense conversation, with a Human no less! Vorlons were never known to be so animated and being so in front of an audience.

Strange.

But that wasn't why he was here.

With purposeful arrogance, he brushed past Captain Sheridan, pausing for an instant to glare at a perplexed Rachel Garrett. Then his eyes locked onto Delenn and Neroon. He didn't give them the honored and respected greeting. He simply spoke to them as if they were inferiors.

"When our leader Dukhat died, we wept because the best of us was gone. Killed by them," he added just loud enough for Sheridan and Garrett to overhear. "We defended his spirit from the Soul Hunters and we brought those responsible to their knees.

"They," he continued meaning the Humans and everyone knew it, "should have died then, but you Delenn, and the Grey Council, for some reason surrendered on the very eve of our victory. Our people have never understood the reason why we surrendered and we were never told. And now the Council hides at Babylon 5, a Human built station," he growled, "while our people prepare for the battle against the coming darkness."

"Rannaonn," Neroon hissed. "You forget yourself!"

"I forget nothing," he hissed back. Around them, the delegates moved away from them, just in case something drastic should happen. One never knew about the Minbari.

"We need you at home preparing for the defense of our territories and instead you're here conferring with aliens. We prepared for the war with the Shadows and their minions came. We fought back and we prevailed. And now a darkness greater than the Shadows has come; and instead of leading the charge, you cower with the Humans."

Neroon couldn't decide whether to be insulted, enraged or both. However, Rannaonn was simply voicing exactly the same thing as he had been thinking. Now that it had been voiced out loud, he hadn't liked what he'd heard. "The Humans are not the enemy here," he said, now truly believing it for the first time. "I have no great love for the Humans. But the ones here have been more than honorable and we will need them in the coming war."

"Exactly what do we need them for?" Rannaonn fired back. "Their technology is embarrassingly inferior." He turned and looked directly at Garrett. "Except for yours," he added coldly. "Yours is tolerable. It may even be useful."

The Federation Captain gave him her most contemptuous stare. "Believe it or not, we were considering this very thing," she said. "We were considering a full disclosure of our technology to you. But your sanctimonious attitude leaves something to be desired."

They were only considering. What was it that had to think about? "You would deny us this technology that could help to save my people?"

"Yes."

Rannaonn bristled at the curt reply and Delenn was just about to issue a blistering tirade against the warrior. However, Neroon silenced both Sheridan and the Satai before either could say anything. He was curious as to where this would go. This was a test he realized and he sensed that this moment would define the relationship between humans and Minbari for the next thousand years.

"I thought you said it was just tolerable?" Garrett had moved closer to the large Minbari Captain, a bold move. "You see, I know what you want," she whispered to him. "If you acquired shield technology, what would you do with it?"

"I would use it in the best interest of the Minbari people."

"If you had it others would want it was well," she reasoned loud enough for all to hear.

"What lesser species desire is not my concern," responded the Minbari just as loudly.

The tension in the room increased as Human and Minbari now directly faced one another.

Unafraid of the huge being glaring at her, Garret unleashed. "Alyt Rannaonn, you're a selfish, conceited individual, trying to convince others how strong you are. You are not worthy of acquiring my technology."

"Speak carefully," he warned surprised at her outburst. "I have killed hundreds of Humans for less cause than what you just have given me. You will surrender your shielding technology to me, or I will take it from your ship's crushed hull."

Her smile was predatory. "So you would attack us because we won't share our toys with you?"

"If necessary," he answered quickly, "if you are foolish enough to test me." This Human female was offering challenge! Amused, he decided to see how far she would be willing to go down this dangerous road. "If I decide to take your ship, you will not live long enough to regret it."

"How typical," she sneered. Turning her back to him, she faced Neroon. "We are in neutral territory. Am I correct?"

"Yes," he answered.

"That will not save you," Rannaonn yelled, now embarrassed by this woman who had the audacity to turn her back to him.

"And this person over there," she said, pointing at an increasingly angry Rannaonn," has issued a challenge to me and my crew. Is that correct?"

He hadn't thought of it like that, but in a way it 'was' a challenge. He would have certainly considered so. "Yes, it is."

"Then I want you to be witnesses and the Grey council as well. I accept this challenge."

"You can't!" Delenn said. The last thing they needed now was another potential war! Didn't Rachel understand that?

"With all due respect Delenn, ever since we've come here, the Minbari warrior caste have been snipping at us, making snide comments and in general worried that we were here to challenge you apparent 'top dog' position you seem to be so fond of." Now she faced the other Minbari. "Neroon, you're been polite up to a point, but we can tell how you really feel. You're not frightened of us as much as you are concerned with the safety of your people-and your status. Up to a point, that is understandable. But, and you know this Neroon, we've not been a threat to you, but despite all of our conversations you have never fully understood that we were serious." She turned to glare at Alyt Rannaonn although she wasn't speaking directly to him. "This person here has simply said what you've been thinking.

"Since we've been here, we've helped to stop EarthForce from killing their own people, they attacked us once; tried to steal our technology. The Centauri attacked us' wanted our technology, couldn't get it and started a war with EarthAlliance. The EA indulged in a smear campaign and we've been threatened and insulted several times by your people, despite our peaceful intentions. Voyager came to Earth's help and Clark tried to kidnap them for our technology. That didn't work and he tried to destroy it regardless of the consequences. Now, 'you're' threatening to start a war unless we turn over in our technology to you in spite of the fact that there's a force out there planning to kill us all. Every single race here has acted like a pack of thieves. So, this ends now. I'm tired of this."

'What did she just say'? "Are you so eager to die, Human?" demanded Rannaonn. Other races stole. The Minbari didn't. The thieves comment had really insulted him.

"Death comes to us all," she said quietly. "It's how you live that is important. If you consider your pride as more important than the safety and lives of your crew, then so be it. Be it known that if I am defeated then we will make our technology available to you, in detail without reservations. However, if I defeat Blood of Saints', your people will sign a non-aggression treaty with us and get off our backs with all of this foolish posturing!" She literally screamed. "And-if you survive-you will be my personal attendant for one standard month. The humility should do you some good, although I doubt it."

"I agree," he yelled back. 'I intend to make sure you die before that ever happens' he screamed in his mind. "Denn'Sha, to the death. It will be a loss to lose one such as you. Your vessel's knowledge would have been a valuable asset in the war to come. But your death will give me great personal satisfaction."

She ignored him yet again, making him even angrier. "Guinan, I invoke the Federation law 106 of honorable challenge."

"Ookaay," Guinan said slowly. "Rule 106 of the Federation code applies-in this case. You are aware of the consequences of your actions and the responsibility on your shoulders that this carries?"

"Of course," Garrett relied in all seriousness. "Kosh, do you agree and will you serve as a witness?"

"The circle expands and contracts and forms anew."

Guinan rolled her eyes. "He means yes," she answered as Kosh's visor narrowed. "Just like my father," she whispered.

Sheridan and Delenn could feel the waves of exasperation emanating from the Vorlon.

"Neroon?"

xxx

Insanity!

"We will not interfere," he said. This is not what he wanted. This shouldn't be occurring. But he couldn't stop it. If the Ambassador lost-and he suspected that it would-then large number of unnecessary deaths would occur and the alliance that he'd worked at would be severely damaged, possibly irreparability!

If Ambassador were to defeat Blood of Saints', then the Minbari would be forced to re-evaluate their entire existence and purpose in the universe. Their status as the most advanced of the younger races would then cease to exist. This entire situation was intolerable and he had no idea as to how to stop it. Either win would be a disaster. The universe's sense of humor is truly evil!

"We will meet outside the system at these coordinates" Captain Garrett told the hostile Alyt, "in one hour. Be there on time," she said.

Rannaonn stared daggers at her and snatched the padd from her hand. "Human, may you die in honor and much pain."

This was no time for these foolish histrionics. "There is no honor in this," Rannaonn," Neroon hissed. "Stop it now!"

"For the Honor of the Wind Swords," was his only reply.

"One to beam up," The Federation captain said as returned the defiant stare. "Get yourself together, Rannaonn. Make sure your ship is in top shape because you're going to need every advantage you can get. Energize." The Human disappeared in front of everyone. This was the first time all of the representatives had seen matter transportation firsthand. It came as a shock to quite a few.

Neroon stood there, not knowing what, in Valen's name, he was going to do.

xxx

The Paphros and two other Earth Alliance vessels exited hyperspace three A.U.s distance from the colony much to Adams' relief. His ship's scanner had detected and was tracking a large signal for the second time headed in the general direction of Earth's territory. The Clystron hyperspace scanner (the CHS) had detected something like this once before. With the improvements completed, the small ship was more valuable than ever. And since the species in this universe acted like a pack of sharks if they even smelled new technology, Adams knew that he had to be as strong as possible if he and his crew were to survive. The people at Babylon Five were okay, but he didn't trust EarthForce and he wasn't fully comfortable with the Federation clan either.

The Humans of this galaxy were understandable. It was a natural progression given their history. Regardless of their activities of late, they were fairly open and got along with other species reasonably well. But the Federation had taken that same level of cooperation and pushed it to a ridiculous level. Aliens mixed with humans to the degree that would one day was certain to be a recipe for destruction. Granted, they apparently had had more contact with different species and those species were much more humanoid than anything in his or this universe had but still…

Captain Sisko was a dangerous man, no doubt about it, but he didn't seem as aggressive as Adams had first believed. Nonetheless, he was still a bit uncomfortable with a man like Captain Sisko in command of a warship, but he was getting used to it. It was still amazing how different the same world could be in different dimensions. In his universe the Confederacy had won the Civil War; the Union had won in this universe; and the Feds had the Eugenics wars-everything was so different.

Adams had always considered himself an open-minded man. He'd deal with these people as necessary. And they needed all of the help they could get. Robby was picking two huge signals in the hyperspace region near Earth. One had stopped some two light-years away. But the other had been steadily heading for the Sol system for the last few days. The unusual signal had been initially small but had gathered in strength in the last nine hours.

"Do you think it's the Drakh?" Captain Clark asked as soon as he had informed the small squadron. The Captain was still amazed that his ship could see and track other vessels in hyperspace.

"No. Their signal is different as you can see." His image was replaced with the scanner image as he continued to speak. "These signals over to your left are the Drakh. Their signal has faded rapidly, an indication that they are exiting hyperspace between the B5 station and Earth. This other signal is heading directly for Earth. That signal we've seen before."

"Who are they?" the woman asked. By the look in her eyes, she already knew.

He felt a chill pass through his body. "I believe they are Sinhindrea," he confirmed. "That's not all. We have a small signal about two light-years distant, on an intercept course towards the larger signal. We're going to investigate."

"No," objected a very concerned Clark. "If they are Sinhindrea, they'll take you apart. If they are capital ships you will not have a chance."

"We're the fastest around Captain Clark and that means that we can get out of trouble faster than we can get into it. That makes us the perfect choice for the mission. Someone has to confirm."

She nodded once. "Then play it safe. If it's them do not engage. Run and let B5 and Earth Alliance know."

"Will do, Commodore," he answered. He was rewarded with a slight frown before the communication was terminated. "Robby track and overtake the signal."

"Aye, Aye, Skipper."

"Farman, rig for combat stations. Power up all weapons energize ship's defensive perimeter."

"Aye, Skipper."

"Okay everybody. We're going on a little scouting mission. It might get rough, so everyone keep on your toes."

The small flying saucer jumped into hyperspace and began to pursue their targets.