"Looks like the Narn are ready to proceed," Kirk commented. "Keep the ship within the allotted distance given Mr. Sulu."
"Aye aye Captain." He replied as the Enterprise slowly entered the yellowish eddy to hyperspace trailing slightly behind their alien escort.
"Not the most forgiving of places, nor any place I'd want to stick around for dinner at," grumbled McCoy.
"True this isn't Risa by any means. G'kar said we have 18 hours till we come up on the beacon for the correct exit point back to normal space," said Kirk. "Spock, I want the crew as well rested as possible we might not be getting much sleep in the course of the events to come."
"Understood Captain."
Higher up relatively speaking on the current pathway through hyperspace watching the Narn cruiser and the newly to this universe Enterprise sat a small squid like vessel. Curiosity mixed with annoyance dominated the thoughts of the being on board, as he tracked the progress of the ultra-secretive peace mission. Had the newcomers the information needed they might have been able to find the Vorlon scout on their sensors, but as of yet the information about this species and its advanced technology eluded them at this time. It watched through each and every hour that passed through the red and black maelstrom as the two ships sped on to meet their destination. It watched as they opened a blue portal back to real space over a small white marbled celestial body circling an unremarkable blue-gold sun. The scout monitored all this and more while watching as a shuttlecraft from the Enterprise left its ship and descended to the dwarf planet below.
Inside G'kar and Franklin, for the first time, and Sheridan, for his second, marveled at the ease on which the shuttle declined from space into the atmosphere with hardly any effect to show that they were not still in space. Methos on the other hand was more than mildly amused at the guests reactions causing more than a few large smirks to blossom on his face.
On the other side of the planet a small yellow tear in space blossomed spewing forth an I-shaped Minbari transport. It aligned itself with the white dwarf planet and made its way to the rendezvous point.
With barely a bump the shuttle came to rest on the snow covered earth. Sheridan, followed by the rest of the group, trekked his way to the small listening outpost that had been abandoned by the Earth Alliance due to the current conflict. He tried the door, but it barely budged forcing him to slam his shoulder into it. Stumbling inside the bunker-like building he tried to compose himself by finding the stations power and avoid the amused grins on the faces of the others.
"I just hope the solar batteries are still working," Sheridan said as he fiddled with a coupling which after a few moments brought the power back online and turned on the lights in the room. "Dr. Franklin check the perimeter see if we can secure this place."
"Alright." he turned and ducked back out the door into the bright white snow covered area.
"You know, Commander," G'kar said as he moved forward closer to Sheridan. "If we are unable to resolve this war of yours there is always a place for someone like you among our people. We could always arrange a safe haven for you and a few others."
"Thanks, but if my world goes I'm going with it."
"A waste of material, most unfortunate," the Narn replied as he spied Franklin entering back into the outpost. "Ah good Doctor, I was just telling your associate…" His voice trailed off as it became apparent that Franklin was returning not under his own will. Behind the Doctor was a humanoid creature with a large grey and purplish bone ridge that covered the sides and back of his head. He was wearing a functional robe and pants outfit and brandishing a slim silver energy pistol. He motioned Dr. Franklin farther inside and closed the door.
"Precaution only," the being said and lowered the gun asking. "You Sheridan?"
"Yes. I didn't know you had been told who was coming?"
"We know more than you think. I also know what you did to the ah… the Drala Fi."
"The Black Star," G'kar interjected translating for the humans.
"We only did what you would have done to us," Sheridan challenged. "We just did it first."
"I know, it was necessary." he sadly replied. "I also know that many of my people will not forget. I speak to you for them. We must find a way to resolve this so that many more humans and Minbari are not killed. We…"
A beep interrupted him and the Narn answered his communicator. "Yes?"
"G'kar a ship is coming through the jump gate."
"Do you have a reading on it?" He never received an answer as his com suddenly changed to a static like white noise.
"Sir we have an event horizon forming up ten thousand meters starboard. The Narn confirm."
"Red Alert, Shields up!" cried Montgomery Scott the chief engineer of the Enterprise. "Put it on the main viewer."
The screen changed from viewing the curve of the dwarf planet to a point in space that seemed unremarkable at first but fast became a focal point to trouble. At first a small blue dot was viewable which in a blink of an eye expanded several thousand meters both in length and width and the middle inside this effect was a ship the size of the Enterprise.
"Sir, I am unable to confirm what race this ship is from. Perhaps the Narn's would have the answer?"
The ship in question bore a slight resemblance to a Klingon ship only more rigid and adding a second pair of scimitar fin like wings sticking straight up and down at the back to form a cross shape when combined. Before Scotty could even tell Uhura to hail them the ship fired. Several dual orange bolts pulse fired from the new ship slamming into both the Enterprise and the Narn cruiser. Several small explosions detonated over the Narn cruiser causing it to list no longer under its own power very close to being annihilated in a huge ball of fire. Fortunately the Enterprise took some of the firepower that splashed harmlessly against the shields making visible a small blue bubble of protection surrounding the ship. The Narn ship however was flung violently to the side as the left section of the ship was opened to space leading to an vicious explosive decompression killing most of the crew.
"Shields holding!" was said as the ship shuddered and Scotty stumbled slightly, quickly sitting down in the Captain's chair.
"Lock phasers an fire!" shouted Lieutenant Commander Scott. "Evite da deil an gie him what he has coming!"
A pair of bright neon blue beams lanced out from the Federation ship crashing into the aggressor. They ripped through the weakly shielded ship disrupting the molecular bonds of the thick armor carving though it like wet paper. Minor detonations lit the inky black backdrop all along the front of the Vorchan leading to one of its two plasma accelerators. The ensuing explosion of that weapon broke the back of the proud Centauri star cruiser splitting it in half causing an immense blast in space looking for all intents like a miniature nova.
The Captain answered his communicator as it beeped, "Kirk here."
"Aye Capt'n, we had a wee spot o' trouble here," came the reply though the hand held device. "Seems some cheeky blighter wanted to gatecrash our party. Made a complete eejit outa themselves and got blown up for their efforts."
"Is everything ok up there?" Kirk asked as he continued to watch G'kar unsuccessfully raise his ships crew.
"Our escort took a smart one right up the kisser," Scotty claimed. "We've beamed off all the survivors we could, but we've nary a scratch Capt'n."
"Thanks Scotty, Keep up the good work. Kirk out." He closed the covering to the communicator and turned to G'kar.
"Ambassador G'kar, we've rescued as many of your people as possible but it looks like your ship is out of commission for the time being."
"My eternal gratitude," he replied with a slight bow. "Do you have any way of knowing who caused this unprovoked attack?"
"Not at the moment, we can review the records when we return to the Enterprise. Perhaps you would recognize our assailant."
"I will endeavor to do as much, thank you Captain."
"Lets finish this meeting as quickly as possible, Sheridan, and I don't believe you ever gave us your name sir?" Kirk asked.
"I apologize, I am the Entil'Zha Lenonn. Head of the Anla'shok Na of my people. We live for the One, We die for the One."
"Ah… the one who leads the Rangers I believe would be most accurate," G'kar interjected.
"Yes, that would be most correct," Lenonn said. "However I have no authority to go beyond proving that you Humans are sincere in your peace offering. Instead I must return to the leaders of my people and confirm this. Should they accept your surrender we will meet with you at these coordinates: sector nine eight eight. There is a single gas giant there, we will be there waiting for you. Until we meet again, farewell."
"Gentlemen, I believe we have more pressing matters at hand," said Kirk right after Lenonn had bowed and left the bunker. "We need to get back to the Enterprise and survey how badly damaged our escort is. Spock, if you would get the shuttle ready?"
No one spoke a word as the shuttle ascended into the sky as if an angel of death going forth to view its handiwork. It wasn't until the battleground was viewable was any sound heard as the Narn ambassador gasped in shock at the devastation to his races ship. It would be months in a space dock facility before the cruiser would be operational again, needless to say it was in vastly better shape than its attacker. Minute bits of metallic matter were strewn about in-between both the Narn cruiser and the Enterprise and beyond, some parts still sparkled occasionally with what remaining stores of power left available quickly depleting. In a few weeks time not even these remains would linger as the gravity of the small dwarf planet would be enough to remove all traces upon entry to its atmosphere.
The trip back to Earth was of a somber note, as the crew prepared for a brief ceremony to honor the Narn dead. While the trip to the abandoned listening post only took 18 hours through hyperspace, returning under warp power was a noticeably longer day and a half travel.
The Vorlon scout was content to remain ever diligent and patient. It watched as only a single ship returned from the meeting to Earth when there were two in the beginning. The newcomers seemed to be helping the path needed between their pawns. Order would prevail once more and the Vorlon would be proven once and for all time vindicated in their course of action.
Little did they know how momentous their decision would be and how much it would effect the course of events either in their favor or not.
Bester slowly swam his way though the murky grey fog to consciousness and blinked open his eyes a few times mentally cringing at the harsh white glare of the overhead hospital lights. He was decidedly confused to the course of events which had brought him to this state of affairs and proceeded to perform more than a few mental exercises to try and speed his thought process up while totally ignoring the existence of the man demanding answers next to his bed.