From: Stone Cold: Couple of quick things. 1) Venerable doesn't mean what I think you think it means. Venerable means impressive due to old age. I think the word you were looking for was vulnerable.

One of many things I will correct in version 2.0.

2) What class is the Klingon vessel? A B'rel is a Bird of Prey like Martok had in DS9, but in no way does it have as much weaponry as your B'rel had.

Actually there are two classes of the B'rel. One is a bird of prey and one is a larger destroyer, the K'vort class-exact same design. There's a possibly that there are even more variations of this vessel. The one at B5 is the K'vort class destroyer.

Chapter 36 B

Is The Same Anymore"

"Eighteen Hours"

"Captain! We have two Minbari warships entering normal space. Their stealth fields are low power."

"Onscreen," Clark ordered quickly. The Minbari were not the enemy anymore, but she intended to be cautious and not do anything stupid. It was known that the Minbari and Shadows were deadly enemies and here she was flying a Shadowtech-based ship. "What's their status?"

"Weapons ports are closed, no high energy emissions."

"Good," she stated. "Open a channel to both ships." A moment she was treated to a visual of both Minbari Commanders by way of split screen. "Greetings, Minbari vessels. I am Captain Clark of the Earth Alliance vessel Papros. What can I do for you today?"

"Greetings Captain, I am Alyt Aalaan of the Minbari Federation and my counterpart is Alyt Shaka," he said. "We're here investigating the destruction of the local jumpgates. We wish to determine the cause and rectify the situation."

He was rather polite, she noticed. Well she would reciprocate in kind. The last thing she wanted as an 'incident'. "Our colonies in this system have been attacked by a race we suspect to be the Sinhindrea. Most of the colonists were killed before we arrived four days ago. They've been destroying jumpgates all over the sector. And we suspect this colony was targeted because of its communication's array."

"Then why haven't you stopped them," Alyt Shaka said sarcastically. "Surely your vaunted Shadow technology should have been enough to punish these creatures. The destruction of jumpgates is a violation of all the rules of civilized space-faring races."

Charlotte almost said something-impolite. This one was 'not' polite. But she stopped as she saw a glimmer of distaste from Aalaan. He didn't approve of the attitude of his fellow commander. "As you are no doubt aware of, Earth Alliance has had difficulties and as such our military is in somewhat of disarray." That was no secret. Everybody knew what had happened to Earth recently. "The Federation ship Enterprise and two Earth Alliance ships investigated one jumpgate and were attacked by the Sinhindrea. I cannot stress how dangerous this race is and I would recommend that if you were to confront them that you do so aggressively."

"Bah," Shaka growled. "I see we will have to do your job for you, Earther. We will find and we will deal with these Sinhindrea."

"Alyt Shaka, this race is dangerous to the extreme. They've attacked Earth and Centauri Prime at the same time your ships were present, I might add." That was a subtle dig of course since the Minbari ships had been savaged as well. "Our weapons barely affect them."

"No surprise there," Shaka quipped. His disdain for her radiated through the communication waves.

"If you underestimate them, they will destroy you."

Alyt Shaka was essentially ignoring her, but the other Alyt was listening with rapt attention.

"Have you ever engaged this enemy?" he asked.

"Yes," came her answer immediately. "I can send you our recordings and data of the battle, if you wish."

Aalaan nodded. Shaka merely sneered.

Ten minutes later, after reviewing the battle video, the two Minbari commanders were a bit more subdued. Both had been unaware that the Grey Council's ship had also been engaged in the fight at Z'ha'dum. And what both Alyts saw disturbed them greatly. Neither had known details of the battle. Shadow vessels littering space for thousands of kilometers around Z'ha'dum in all directions had sobered them in a way nothing else could have.

But even then, Shaka wasn't fully convinced. "They are a powerful race, but what good was your ship? Your all-powerful Shadow vessel did little to change the outcome of your mission. Your allies presented you with an inferior ship."

Clark was becoming angry now. "First of all, the Shadows are not our allies. We found two derelicts in our own star system and we had no idea what they really were or the importance of what they represented before we started studying them. Granted, that was foolish of us, but we have far more important things to deal with at the moment, Alyt! You should be aware that... And you should also be aware that there's a conference going on right now with-well everybody, discussing this very problem. Even the Shadows and Vorlons are discussing joining forces to stop these aliens."

"You lie," Shaka snapped. His mind refused to wrap around the possibility of the Vorlons and Shadows coming together. But quickly he ordered that the transmission be tuned to Earther news channels. They were always, endless talking about everything. They were worse than the Centauri when it came to conveying useless conversation. This of course didn't prevent the ISN channels being a good source of information just like their B5 counterparts.

"It's being broadcast on all Earth channels," she countered. "Or aren't you interested in things other than Minbari?"

"Arrogant Earther," he hissed, clearly insulted by her and the fact that she knew a lot more about what was going on. It was his fault that he had chosen to ignore what was shaping up to be the most important conference in history. "We should have wiped your people from existence when we had the chance."

"Alyt Shaka," Aalaan said. His voice was cold. "You show disrespect. Stop, now."

"I will not," Shaka snapped. "They ally themselves with Shadows, an enemy of ours for a thousand years. It is within our rights to blow this ship out of the sky."

Clark did something that neither Alyt expected. She smiled. "Alyt Shaka," the Captain began. "I won't even dispute what you've just said. Because you're right about one thing, this ship should not have been built. Shadow technology is too dangerous for my people to handle. This ship is a poison that needs to be eliminated. Now," she continued, "make no mistake. I love my ship, but the price for this technology is too high. I really don't have a problem with you destroying this ship. It's killing my people. We're preparing to abandon the Papros. But for the record, I will be the one who determines the fate of my ship, not you."

Aalaan was surprised by such an honest, open admission. A quick scan showed that the Shadow skin was penetrating the ship as if it were a living thing. But he also calculated that a number of people would have to be left behind. The EA ships area were insufficient to carry them all. Some would have to be left to fend for themselves on that rock.

Shaka didn't notice and if he had, could have cared less. "Hurry so that I may blow this abomination out of space. Humans have no concepts of dealing with technologies above their comprehension."

"Yes," Clark agreed pleasantly, surprising them both once more. "I think that we Humans need to take our research and development in a new direction. The Federation and Klingons have some technologies and new engineering approaches that may become very useful to us in the future."

Aalann smiled at the retort he considered fitting of the occasion.

Shaka seemed to want to scream. The battle between the Ambassador and 'Blood of Saints' was already the stuff of legend and every Minbari warrior, worker, and religious caste member who saw the televised battle had experienced the fury and unbridled fear of being regulated to second class behind the Human colonials from the unknown regions. Several of the warrior clans continually expressed strong desires to challenge and destroy the Ambassador out of spite. There was also an almost overwhelming need to blot out the perceived shame of one of theirs being defeated. Shaka was one of those.

Others wanted to understand the technology that so easily overwhelmed one of their ships one-on-one. But many of them feared that their own people had become too stagnant, too rigid in their thinking about their place in the universe. And that complacency so prevalent in their culture might well be the reason why these other Federationist races were equal to or surpassing them technically-wise.

"Don't depend of them to lift up what is left of your pitiful people to our status," Shaka announced. "When I encounter the Federation ship I will be the one to challenge the female Garrett and wipe out the stain that has dishonored our people."

"Alyt Rannaonn was defeated in honorable combat," Clark said. "I wish I'd had been there to see it," she added just loud enough for both of the Minbari Alyts to hear.

"I'm sure you would have," Aalaan said dryly. "It isn't often that the Minbari are defeated one-on-one by ships of the younger races," an understatement if there ever was one. The Grey Council was also thinking about the future. The first of twelve squadrons were in the home system, preparing to jump to Babylon Five under the command of Shai Alyt Jaysonn. Twelve Sharlins and twice the number of Tinashis would be strong statement of their support. He had been confused by the orders but now after reviewing the records he understood why. They wanted the other lesser races to see that the Minbari were offering a strong show of support. It also would send a clear message that the Minbari wanted to expand their presence, taking a wider role among the other races.

"Alyt Rannaonn's incompetence allowed us to become the subject of jokes among all of the younger races!" Shaka growled. "The 'Blood of Saints should have easily destroyed that ship!"

"Both ships survived, Alyt Shaka," she replied harshly. She clearly saw he wasn't going to let this go. If his attitude were the rule rather than the exception, then there was going to be trouble between Humans a Minbari once more. She needed to defuse this now. "We don't need to worry about a minor dispute when these aliens are planning to kill us all," she implored. "Instead of trying to kill them, why don't you try talking instead?" she surprised herself saying that considering the fact that her initial response to Garrett was about the same as Shaka's.

"You primitives can't be allowed to possess this technology," Shaka countered. "The Warrior caste will make sure that-"

"Both of you! Enough!" yelled Aalaan. Shaka, acting this way, like a stubborn child trying to reclaim some lost honor in front of this Human was embarrassing to the entire Minbari race. "This juvenile posturing is a waste of everyone's time. Captain, may I ask, what are your plans?"

"My plans are to evacuate the remaining colonists, and then set the self-destruct sequence and destroy this ship. My crew and I will remain on the planet until a rescue ship comes for us."

"Do what you think is best with your ship, Captain," Aalaan relied. "However, I offer to take your crew to Babylon Five. Perhaps during our transit we can discuss our responsibilities like civilized beings?"

"What?" Shaka gasped. "They're followers of the Shadows! Peace or not, they are contaminated beings and you would pollute your ship with their presence? Have you gone mad?"

"I am simply trying to learn, my friend. Knowledge is power and I intend to acquire it as fast as I can."

"But our mission is to find the culprits who are destroying the gates," he protested.

"As much as I wish it were not so, what we've seen and what we're hearing on the Earther channels cannot be denied. Our two vessels cannot stop these aliens by ourselves. Our mission has been accomplished, Alyt Shaka. We have found the culprits. It has been confirmed that it is the Sinhindrea."

"Alyt Aalaan, we haven't encountered-"

"It is done," Aalaan said firmly effectively ending the argument before it began. "Now, our people need to devise a course of action. Our fleet is mobilized but if what we've seen is true, it may not be enough. If the Vorlons and the Shadows are indeed collaborating, then I need to talk to Alyt Neroon and the others personally."

00-00

Z'ha'dum:

On the surface of a world so old, that the name Z'ha'dum was only the latest of several, the supreme Clovien Lord screamed its rage along with the others of its kind at the frustration the sHp'kU vessels had visited upon them. The dimensional gate was still active in all of its wondrous glory, but its function was still closed to them, blocked by the invisible, self-replicating mines that so far repulsed every effort by its people to remove them. Sinhindrea on both sides were stymied by these defiantly ingenious weapons. This intolerable situation threatened the colony. Many of the initial warships that had transverse the veil were damaged or destroyed by the battle with the Shadows. Those 'old ones' had fought with the same strength and desperation as had the Vorlonstain (sVop'kU) so many generations past. But they had been unorganized and were defeated and the survivors along with their servants devoured. The defeated ones ran but 'the people' were in no shape to pursue until the other reinforcements could arrive. Bioships were sent to test the powers of the alien powers within the region. All were found to be inferior and serviceable for food. The Vorlons has suffered a major war and were weak in ways there weren't when they were last encountered. There were mature, powerful races detected but they were weak in numbers and not considered extreme threats. Nothing they had seen would be able to resist the swarming when the time came. Transition and colonization through the gate proceeded smoothly, so smoothly in fact that its people had gotten careless. Hundreds of colony ships had passed through the dimensional veil into the new universe, having priority over the large numbers of the waiting warships.

But something broke through. Several vessels from an unknown species boldly fought their way through the gate and killed several colony and warships before even knew they were being attacked. Their weapons mimicked the race being fought in the home-verse. The Imperixe parasites used such weapons as did the ones called the Borg. But this race was neither of them. They were something new, possessed with an arrogance that belied their station. In the home-verse they would be encountered and destroyed soon. But when the sHp'kU came here, they interfered and now the people were isolated in this alien universe without the full support of their military. All efforts to regain control of the gate had been so far rebuffed. The colony was isolated and was now almost completely on its own; therefore, it needed a threat assessment concerning its new territory.

Standard telepathic interrogation of the Shadow creatures gave them valuable intelligence about this area of space. It knew that the creatures of this universe would rise against 'the people' to destroy them, so they had to prepare. The sHp'kU vessels had been tracked by the Clovien mind-hunters who could rip the needed information out of their prey's minds. Then with that data they could defeat the mines guarding the Vorlon gate. However the hunter-ships were destroyed when they went up against the small sHp'kU warships. Twice they had attacked and twice the Humanstain vessels survived. Wary, 'The People' sent probes to find their place of origin within this new universe. They found the Centauri, sHp'kU-like aliens who were weak and could be overrun easily. Dedicated mind-probers discovered other sHp'kU and followed them to their homeworld. And another vessel not unlike the one that controlled the mines was targeted by two superior vessels. They were destroyed despite their shields and superior firepower. Other Clovien hunters discovered the sHp'kU world called Earth and tried to eliminate it the potential treat. They failed once more, underestimating the small powerful ships and their relatives. But the threat had been confirmed.

Apprehensive now of the threat of these seemingly primitive but very dangerous Humanstain, its people turned inward to prepare. They reproduced and grew their protect-ships in abundance. And they planned. If they were to be trapped without a way to the home-verse then they would subjugate this galaxy and for that they needed numbers. They were a superior species destined to rule. There was nothing beyond their grasps. They weren't pretentious, believing themselves to be gods. But they were the most worthy. They were Sinhindrea and they would prevail as they had done so for so long.

Therefore they prepared. The sHp'kU were dangerous however, they were but small. There were others in space that needed to be culled and neutralized so that the primary target would remain isolated and vulnerable until their time was ripe for destruction.