Shadow War

U.S.S. Enterprise - Gorash VII

"Military log, supplemental. The Starfleet ships, supported by a squadron of White stars, are approaching the Gorash system. During our previous engagements with Shadow vessels, I have not employed telepathic support to reveal the full extent of our capabilities. However, I believe now is the time to see how effective the telepaths are against the Shadows. I have instructed all ships to destroy the Shadow ships as quickly as possible as I don't want to allow them to relay any intelligence back to their fleet. I'm not sure if that will be possible, but we'll try.

I convinced the Narn to allow their ships to be used as a lure to attract the Shadows. They know what to do: jump immediately if a Shadow ship appears. My ships will follow the Narn fleet from three vectors, ensuring we can attack more effectively.

If this attack is successful, I will ask all Alliance members to provide telepaths to help in the war effort. I will place them on Starfleet ships, given our defensive capabilities.

The following two hours will provide us with a great deal of information regarding the chances of success in winning this war. I'm confident in our abilities; however, another weapon in a conflict is never a bad thing to have.

End log."

"Report, Mr. Data," Picard ordered as he walked onto the bridge.

"Message received from the Narn lead ship. Their fleet will be in position in three minutes."

"Acknowledged. Signal Destiny and Phoenix to assume their positions."

"Yes, Sir."

Minutes later, Data turned to Picard and reported, "Admiral, Narn fleet is in position."

"Have them proceed. Where are the Shadows?"

Data put a tactical view on the main viewscreen. "We have detected four ships near the outpost. There may be additional ships outside of sensor range. Our sensors still are not fully calibrated to detect ships in hyperspace."

"Understood. Open a channel to the fleet."

"All ships; stand by. We will vector in on Shadow positions as soon as the Narn ships begin their attack runs. We'll remain cloaked while our telepaths try to disrupt the Shadows."

"All ships have acknowledged, Admiral."

"Bridge to Dr. Crusher. Report"

"Everyone is stable, Sir. I see significantly increased frontal lobe activity in everyone, but there's nothing to be concerned with. I will continue to monitor."

"Thank you, Doctor. Picard out."

"Sir, Shadow ships have just appeared."

"All ships, now!"

The Betazoids on the Enterprise began looking for the Shadow ships. The fleet was located easily; however, they struggled to determine who would be responsible for disrupting a specific ship. After a few attempts, they quickly developed a system they would use today, though they would need to refine it for future engagements.

"Sir, the Shadow ships have stopped their acceleration and are drifting. I am now detecting an additional five ships in hyperspace, also drifting. They are phasing into real space. No signs of attack."

"Tactical, attack vector on all Shadow ships. Drop cloak and fire phasers. I want to test the effectiveness of our modifications."

"Aye, Sir."

"Helm, come to course 111 mark 15, full impulse. Mr. Avarak, fire all phasers," Picard ordered.

"Admiral, the new phaser modulation is having an effect. Each Shadow ship has received significant damage. Phaser energy deflection has been reduced by 35%," Data reported.

"Thank you, Mr. Data. Doctor Crusher, report."

"There is a significant elevation in frontal lobe activity in everyone, Sir. We won't be able to maintain this for long. I suggest you proceed with your plan before I have to wake everyone."

"Acknowledged, Doctor. Picard out. Send to all ships; destroy the Shadow ships now. Photon use is authorized."

The photon torpedoes launched from the Starfleet ships quickly destroyed the already damaged Shadow fleet. The Shadow fleet hadn't fired a shot before being completely overwhelmed and destroyed by Starfleet.

"Inform the Narn that they may return to base and thank them for their assistance."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, the Narn fleet commander wishes to extend his gratitude."

"Acknowledge the signal and extend my gratitude to them for their assistance."

"Aye, Sir."

"Well done, everyone. Signal the fleet. Set course for Babylon 5, warp six. Engage."

Earth - Earthdome – President's Office

-Four hours later-

"Mr. President, my associates are most displeased. You said that you would take care of the human warships. My associates do not appreciate being lied to."

"Mr. Morden, I have assigned my best people to address this situation. I just need a little more time. Once I speak to Picard directly, I'm sure he will see what needs to be done."

"The patience of my associates has its limits, Mr. President. Those ships have destroyed valuable fleet assets, and my associates are not happy about it. We helped put you in your position, Mr. President, and we expect you to repay the favor. Don't make them regret their decision to help you."

Clark did his best to hide his excitement from Morden. Even though he didn't currently possess the ships, the fact that human warships were strong enough to make the Shadows nervous made him proud and confirmed his 'human first' position. No one would dare challenge him once he had Picard on his side.

"Trust me. I have every intention of taking care of those ships. It's my top priority. I'm meeting with my agent in a few minutes, and I expect him to have some vital information. I told him I want immediate results, and he'd better deliver."

"See that he does. My associates won't tolerate any additional failures."

-A few minutes later-

Clark had spent the last few minutes pacing around his office. He had become even more anxious after his call with Morden. He didn't care that more captains were rebelling every day. Unrest was beginning to increase on Earth, and the colonies were all on a knife's edge. He needed something big to distract the population, and soon if he was going to remain in power. With Picard's ships leading the charge, a clear demonstration of human strength would be perfect.

Clark stared at Jeff Smith through the Vid-Com with the most intense stare he could muster. He wanted Smith to know that he meant business and wouldn't accept any excuses. "Mr. President, we have been unsuccessful in establishing direct communications with Admiral Picard. My agents have had limited success in establishing relations with crew members from the ships. In time, I believe we'll be able to build enough trust with one or more of them to gain access to one or more of the ships."

"That's not good enough, Mr. Smith!" Clark said as he smashed his fist against the top of his desk. "I chose you for this mission because I expected you to get results, not to make excuses! The Earth Alliance needs those ships! They just destroyed a Shadow fleet! What will happen if Picard gives that technology to the Minbari? We can't let those ships and that technology fall into alien hands! They're human! He and his people need to join us now!"

Smith was taken aback, clearly unprepared for Clark to have better intelligence than him. "Sir, how did you find out about the battle? The details are still scarce even among my best agents."

"I have several sources of intelligence, some more reliable than others. Do you have anything else for me, or should I replace you with someone more competent?"

Smith did his best not to respond to the insult, knowing that challenging Clark would not be a good idea. "I do have another lead, Sir. The captain of the Pollux has become friends with the captain of the U.S.S Phoenix. We may be able to put pressure on his family on Earth to make him work with us."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Don't we have people watching the families of traitors?" Clark asked as he calmed down slightly.

"Yes, Sir, we do. We can begin more aggressive operations immediately to find actionable intelligence and convince his family to help us."

"See that you do. I won't accept any more failures," Clark said.

"Understood, Sir."

Clark leaned back in his chair and began contemplating his next move. He had to admit that Smith's idea was good and the only obvious next step. He would exercise a little more patience for now.

Babylon 5 – Green Sector

-A few hours later-

"Refa, do you know what you have done?" a very upset Mollari asked. Word of the Shadow's defeat had taken the station by storm. The general sense of despair had been replaced by a slight optimism, which was good. What wasn't good was that it had become common knowledge that the Shadow defeat had taken place while they were defending a Centauri outpost.

"Calm down, Mollari. This loss is a minor inconvenience. We didn't lose any ships in the attack, and our base is undamaged. Their attack was a failure, and we will punish the Narn for daring to attack the Centauri Republic!"

Mollari always hated the arrogant and smug look on Refa's face; right now, he especially hated it.

"That is not what I am talking about! I am saying that everyone knows that we are allied with the Shadows! The Centauri have become outcasts. The League is discussing sanctions against us. Those actions will cripple us!"

"Even more reason for us to crush the Narn as soon as possible. That will prove, to everyone, the price that will be paid when going against Centauri interests."

"We can't fail this attack! If we fail, we will look weak, and others will take advantage of us. Don't let this happen!"

"Don't concern yourself, Mollari. We will conquer Narn, then turn our eyes towards the rest of the galaxy. No one will be able to resist the might of the Centauri Republic with the Shadows supporting us."

"I hope you're right. I would hate to see Centauri Prime burn due to your arrogance."

"I will contact you again once we have achieved our victory. You do your job, and I will do mine!"

The Vid-Com went blank, and Mollari was fuming. Refa was an idiot, and Mollari knew that anything Refa led would doom them to failure, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. The entire Centauri Republic was united behind the emperor, with Refa doing his bidding. He regretted his own 'relationship' with the Shadows, but now he hoped they would prevent the destruction of the republic he so loved.

Earth – San Antonio - Martinez Home

-Next Day-

The briefing from Nightwatch leadership was clear and direct. Doug Jones had one priority: one purpose. He had to find out what Julio Martinez's wife knew about her husband and the new human warships. He had received his orders directly from the president and was told, in no uncertain terms, that failure was not an option.

He got out of his car and walked to the house's front door. He thought about knocking loudly on the door as a sign of intimidation but decided against it—this time.

"Angela Martinez?"

Angela Martinez, the wife of Julio Martinez, was still dealing with the loss of her husband. He was beloved by so many. Everyone had been so supportive, but she was devastated by his death and remained so.

"Yes, may I help you?"

"Yes. My name is Doug Jones, and I'm with Nightwatch. May I come in to talk to you for a few minutes?"

Angela had heard stories about Nightwatch, none of them good. "Am I under arrest?"

"Not at all. I need to talk to you about your husband. May I come in, please?"

"Ok. This way."

Angela sat in the chair facing the couch while Jones sat on the sofa. He wanted to maintain an intimidating demeanor to let this woman know he was serious and that her cooperation was not negotiable.

"When was the last time you heard from him?"

"It was just before his ship was destroyed in the Proxima III attack."

"Well, I'm happy to inform you that those reports were incorrect. Captain Julio Martinez is alive."

"Oh my God!" Angela screamed, tears flowing from her eyes. Jones observed her closely to determine if she was acting. Regrettably, she wasn't. "That's the best news I've ever heard. Thank you for coming here to let me know."

"You're welcome. However, that is not the reason I'm here."

"It's not? Then, why are you here?" Angela asked, now very confused.

"Your husband may have information vital to the Earth Alliance's survival. If he contacts you, you must contact me right away. You need to ask him about everything he knows about Captain Ben Maxwell or Admiral Jean-Luc Picard."

"Aren't you able to contact him? Isn't he still a member of Earthforce?" Angela asked, completely confused by his request.

"The reason we can't contact him is classified. However, if he contacts you, we need to know right away. Can you do that?"

"Is he in some kind of trouble?" Angela asked. She was now guarded in her responses to Jones. She realized that Nightwatch's reputation had been well earned.

"I'm sorry, that's classified."

"I'm not going to betray my husband's trust, especially when I don't know what's going on."

"The only thing you need to know is that it is vitally important to the entire alliance that we learn what he knows. I'll be stopping by to check in with you regularly for updates. Good day, madam. I will see myself out."

Angela wasn't quite sure what to think. Julio was alive! But he was in real trouble, and she had no way to contact him. She was worried but elated. He was alive! She focused on the positive and would tell everyone that Julio was alive. She hoped that if Julio was alive, then Alex was as well. She was going to let her mother know the good news.

Babylon 5 – War Room

There were a lot of happy faces in the war room as everyone celebrated their latest victory. Word of the victory at Gorash VII had spread like wildfire, and Sheridan noted that this was just the boost in morale they needed. He'd spent the last few minutes discussing his thoughts with several captains when the Starfleet officers beamed into the room. With Picard's arrival, everyone took their seats.

"Now that we're all here, let's begin. We now have proof that telepathic attacks work against Shadow vessels. However, the disruptions are only temporary as the telepaths are under significant strain when disrupting the ships."

"Even a small disruption is enough to turn the tide in a battle. We'd be able to achieve the first strike if nothing else," Neroon said.

"I agree. Ideally, we should rotate personnel once we find out more information on how long it's safe for the telepaths to disrupt a ship. Alyt Neroon, how many telepaths will the Minbari be able to provide?"

"We have 52 here, Admiral. The Religious Caste will provide an additional 77 within two weeks."

"We may not be able to wait for them, Admiral. Draal has just informed me that he has detected significant Shadow fleet movements headed towards Narn territory," Sheridan reported.

Picard and Maxwell exchanged looks, both concerned. "That's very interesting, Captain, since we detected four Centauri fleets leaving their space and headed towards Narn space not more than 30 minutes ago," Riker added. "We've also detected significant fleet movements across Centauri space. Tactical believes that they are planning a significant attack and soon."

"The Centauri haven't been quiet about their intent to 'punish' the Narn. It's obvious what they are planning to do here. They want to use the Narn as an example. Defy them, and you will be attacked," Maxwell said.

"Admiral, we can't allow Narn to be attacked. They worked with us at Gorash VII," Sheridan said.

Picard sighed. "Yes, I know. Normally I wouldn't intervene in a war between two sovereign powers. However, given the confirmation of Shadow forces en route to Narn, we are justified in assisting. Do we have estimates of enemy fleet sizes?"

"According to the most recent sensor readings, The Centauri will have approximately 200 ships in Narn space within the next 24-30 hours. The Shadows may have up to 85, based on the latest sensor readings," Troi answered while she reviewed the information from her PADD.

"Then we don't have much time. Captain Maxwell, how much time do you need to develop a battle plan?"

"We already have one, Sir. We can utilize our standard planetary defense plan. However, given the size of the enemy fleet, I suggest that we also utilize our combat runabouts to supplement our firepower."

"Agreed. We will need the entire fleet for this mission. Captain Sheridan, this will leave Babylon 5 unprotected. What are your thoughts?" Picard asked as he noticed the concerned look on Sheridan's face.

"I don't like it, Admiral, but I don't see I have a choice. We'll need every ship to defend Narn. The station's Thunderbolts and static defenses will have to be enough."

Picard remained quiet for a few moments, then shared his thoughts. "There may be something we can do. I'll ask Commander LaForge to deploy defensive satellites to supplement its defenses."

Sheridan exhaled a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "That would be very helpful, Admiral. Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. We have a tough battle ahead of us. Inform your squadrons. We'll get underway in 16 hours. Dismissed."

Narn Flag Ship - Narn Home World

-Next day-

The Narn had recalled their entire fleet to help defend their home, though everyone knew it wouldn't be close enough. The fleet was only 35 ships strong, crewed by the best Narn had to offer. Unfortunately, none of that would matter if their information regarding Centauri fleet strength was even close to accurate. They would lose badly unless the allied fleet arrived in time to help them. The Narn commander wasn't even sure that their help would be enough to defeat the combined strength of both the Centauri and the Shadows.

Aboard the G'Quan, Warleader G'Sten sat in his command seat and stared nervously at the viewscreen. He tried to project an air of confidence, but he knew everyone was terrified because he could see it on their faces.

"Has the Allied fleet arrived yet?" G'Sten asked his XO, Ta'Lon.

"No, Sir. We're expecting them any moment."

"All right. Remain vigilant. "G'Sten told his crew.

Everyone's attention was hyper-focused on their assigned tasks. They couldn't afford to be delinquent in their duties now if they hoped to survive.

G'Sten worse fears were realized when several dozen jump points opened in front of the Narn fleet a little over an hour later. More than 200 Centauri warships exited the jump points and arranged themselves into a battle formation one million km ahead of G'Sten's ship.

"Warleader, the Centauri are contacting us."

'This is it,' G'Sten thought. With no allied fleet here to support him, it was up to his small fleet to defend Narn. "Put it on."

"Narn fleet. I am Lord Refa of the Centauri Republic. I demand all Narn ships' immediate, unconditional surrender, or we will destroy you. We are here to again place Narn under the Centauri Republic's control. Resistance will not be tolerated."

Everyone turned to look at the Warleader before Ta'Lon asked the obvious question. "What do we do, Sir?"

Before G'Sten could reply to Lord Refa, "Sir, more jump points opening, it's the allied fleet! We are receiving a transmission. "I am Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, commander of the allied fleet. Narn is under my protection. All Centauri ships are directed to withdraw or be destroyed. You have one minute to comply."

"How many ships do the allies have? "G'Sten asked Ta'Lon.

"145. We're still outnumbered," Ta'Lon answered.

"We are still outnumbered," G'Sten acknowledged, then continued. "Picard saved us last time. We should trust him to help us now." G'Sten told everyone. He hoped that his faith in Picard wasn't misplaced.

"We don't have a choice. We are fighting for our planet. If Picard helps us, I'm all for it." Ta'Lon added his confidence building.

U.S.S. Destiny - Narn Home System

The ship's lights were low to signify that the ship was running under cloak. Cloaked Starfleet ships were something that everyone was still getting used to, and the dim lights helped reinforce the change. Garrett noticed how much her ship now resembled the Enterprise, with the primary sources of light provided by the consoles and the red alert lighting. It disturbed her to see this change, but she quickly dismissed her feelings. She had a job to do and wouldn't allow herself to become distracted.

Garrett analyzed the information on the tactical display; her attention focused on the Centauri fleet formation. She had developed a plan for the attack but wanted Sisko's opinion. "Commander, what are your thoughts? What would you do here?" Garrett asked, trying to understand their tactical situation better.

Sisko turned to look at Garrett; his stern look signified that he was in full combat mode. "Given the strength of our photon torpedoes, I would launch an alpha strike at the heart of the Centauri formation before engaging the Shadows, the real threat."

Garrett nodded her head as she contemplated what he said. She hadn't thought of that approach. Before she could ask a follow-up question, Lt. Yar at tactical interrupted her.

"Commander, update from Enterprise. On their next signal, we are to decloak and perform an alpha strike at the center of the Centauri fleet before engaging the Shadows."

Garrett looked over at Sisko, who now had a small, thin smile on his lips. "Acknowledged, Lt. Helm, set course 176 mark 75. Engage on my mark."

Refa was furious. How dare the allied forces insert themselves into the affairs of the Centauri! Then a thought came to him, and he smiled. The entire galaxy would be witness to the Centauri conquest of Narn. With the loss of the allied fleet, everyone would know the futility of resisting the Centauri Republic. Given the small size of the allied fleet, he wasn't sure he even needed the Shadows. Refa was confident that he would be victorious today, and his detractors would be silenced, especially Mollari.

The next few moments were tense. Both the allied and Centauri fleets were facing each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. The Shadows had yet to appear, but everyone knew they were hiding in hyperspace. Finally, Picard was tired of waiting.

"All ships. This is Admiral Picard. Attack."

Centauri Flag Ship – Narn Home System

"What was that!" Lord Refa, who moments before stood on his bridge, confident that victory was his. They were the mighty Centauri Republic! Plus, he had superior numbers and the support of the Shadows. Unfortunately, his confidence was shaken by what he had just witnessed on the view screen.

"Sir, we just lost 52 ships! The new human warships launched multiple anti-matter missiles at our fleet before attacking the Shadows."

"Where did they come from? There was only one ship there?"

"Unknown, Sir. However, three capital and 12 small ships are now attacking the Shadows. The Shadows aren't moving!"

"Damn," was all Refa could say before he ordered the attack on the allied fleet.

"Sir, shouldn't we attack the human warships instead?"

"No. The Shadows can take care of themselves. We must win this battle! Attack!" Refa's demeanor never changed. He continued to radiate the arrogance that he was so known for. However, he felt very different. He was worried, almost afraid. The humans had evened the fleet numbers in one shot while disabling the Shadows. Nothing was going according to plan. Refa began to question if victory would be his after all.

E.A.S. Pollux – Narn Home System

"Did you see that, Captain?" O'Dell said after they witnessed the alpha strike from Starfleet.

"Ah, yeah," Martinez said as he tried to overcome his shock. "Tactical, how many enemy ships were destroyed?"

"Sensors are clearing now, Sir. Stand by. 52, Sir."

"52?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Orders from Admiral Picard, Sir. Proceed with attack, sector b," the Communication officer reported.

"Acknowledged. Helm, set course, and engage at 50,000 kph. Tactical, fire when in range," Martinez ordered.

"Aye, Sir."

Whitestar 1 – Narn Home System

"Damn! Remind me never to piss off Picard," Sheridan said to himself as he watched the Starfleet ships engage the Shadows. "Commander Ivanova, move to flank position, sector c. We'll cover sector d. We'll attack in 1 minute."

"Aye, Sir. Engaging," Ivanova responded.

"All right. Let's go!" Sheridan ordered.

U.S.S. Enterprise - Narn Home System

"We are in range, Admiral," Data reported as he turned to Picard.

"All ships, fire at will."

Multiple torpedoes were launched from every Starfleet ship and runabout. The results were impressive, if not overwhelming, as had been achieved against the Centauri. Shadow ships were still being destroyed at a slower pace than the Centauri. After 20 seconds, 75% of the Shadow fleet had been destroyed.

"Report."

"10 seconds left before we have to discontinue telepathic disruption, Sir," Data reported from Ops.

"Acknowledged. All ships. Destroy the remaining Shadow ships now! Open fire, all weapons," Picard ordered as he stood up.

All Starfleet ships and runabouts opened fire on the remaining Shadow ships, vaporizing them.

"All targets destroyed, Sir," Data reported.

"Well done, everyone. All ships, attack pattern lambda. Engage."

Battle – Narn Home System

Picard had informed the allied fleet of what would happen, yet, the captains were still surprised. The explosions caused by the photon torpedoes were orders of magnitude higher than anything anyone had previously witnessed. As a result, the allies were delayed by a few seconds in executing the attack order, though they responded significantly faster than the Centauri.

The torpedo attack was launched right into the heart of the Centauri formation. The loss of 25% of their combat fleet was significant enough; however, the situation was made even worse by the resultant interference to their sensors and the lack of ships to execute the battle plan. The only hope for a Centauri victory lay with the Shadows, though Refa would never admit it to himself.

White Star Squadrons One and Two blasted the Centauri fleet from behind while the remaining allied ships attacked from the front. The small Narn fleet attacked from the Starboard side. Starfleet would begin its attack from the port side. The allies destroyed another two dozen Centauri ships before they began their attack runs.

Centauri Flag Ship – Narn Home System

"My Lord, the allied fleet has us surrounded. What are your orders?" the ship captain asked Refa.

Refa studied the tactical display, quickly abandoned his attack plans, and devised a new strategy. "All ships, focus your fire on the weakest ships. All ahead full."

The two fleets exchanged fire. The Centauri ships were more capable than several allied ships, which became apparent after the initial exchange.

"My Lord, several enemy vessels have been damaged. Two were destroyed," the Tactical officer reported.

"My Lord, we've lost the 3rd squadron. I've ordered the 2nd and 4th squadrons to redeploy to compensate," the captain reported from Tactical.

Refa had become concerned because the expected Shadow support had yet to materialize, which forced the Centauri to attack and defend simultaneously, an impossible situation to win a battle.

E.A.S. Pollux – Narn Home System

"Status," Martinez asked his XO.

"Forward guns are running at 90% efficiency. We have light damage to the port side hull. No casualties," O'Dell reported from his position next to Tactical.

"Helm, bring us around for another pass," Martinez ordered as he studied the tactical display.

"Aye, Sir."

"Captain, we may not have enough time. Starfleet is moving to engage the Centauri," O'Dell said to Martinez, who also noticed the ships moving on the tactical display. O'Dell didn't have to say another word as Martinez knew this battle was over.

"Understood, XO. Helm, let's see if we can get back to pick off the stragglers. All ahead full."

"Aye, Sir."

Centauri Flag Ship – Narn Home System

The bridge was in chaos. Refa realized there would be no victory today. He'd initially discounted the small allied fleet as nothing more than an inconvenience and witness to Centauri's greatness. Instead, that fleet defeated the combined might of the Centauri Republic and the Shadows. He silently cursed Picard and his ships for ruining this battle. Refa watched the viewscreen as multiple torpedo explosions destroyed the last Shadow Battle Crab. His fleet was on its own now with no hope of reinforcements. He hadn't bothered to bring any because Morden had guaranteed him victory. He had told him that the Centauri fleet, with Shadow support, would be more than enough.

Morden was wrong! There would be no victory on this day. Refa also knew that he couldn't return to Centauri Prime in disgrace. His life would be over, and his family name ruined. He and his remaining ships would have to fight harder. He needed to do as much as possible to salvage anything from this disaster.

"All ships, focus on the Narn ships. We will make them suffer and prove Centauri superiority!"

It would be the last order given by Lord Refa. His ship was destroyed less than five seconds later. The rest of the Centauri fleet was either destroyed before entering the weapons range of the Narn fleet or retreated.

U.S.S. Destiny - Narn Home System

Garrett studied the images on the main viewer; they were gruesome. The number of lives lost almost made her sick. The Centauri lost an entire fleet, resulting in the loss of thousands of lives. She knew, however, that paled in comparison to the millions of lives that may have been lost had the Centauri and Shadow fleets attacked Narn. She wished that she could have made the Centauri stand down.

In her opinion, this battle had been such a waste. The Shadows had manipulated the Centauri. That much was evident. The allies had no choice but to defend Narn, and Garrett understood that, but that didn't mean she liked it. Garrett promised herself that she would work harder to implement diplomatic solutions to solve the many problems she'd observed as long as they remained in this universe. The situation was far too volatile, and a full-blown galactic war was a genuine possibility.

"Admiral Picard has ordered all Starfleet ships to patrol the system while the other ships affect repairs," Castillo informed Garrett and Sisko.

"Very well." Sisko stood up from the captain's chair. "Captain?" Sisko asked Garrett. When she heard his voice, she stood up, walked over, and sat down. "Thank you, Commander." She then opened a ship-wide channel. "This is the captain. I want you all to know that I am proud of everyone on this ship. We saved many lives today and made a difference. I know that we have endured extreme challenges during the past several months. I want you to know that your sacrifices are acknowledged and appreciated. Garrett out.

Helm, standard patrol pattern. Course 210 mark 112, half impulse. Engage."

U.S.S. Enterprise – Narn Home System

"Military log, supplemental. The battle was won. The effect the telepaths had on the Shadow vessels was extraordinary. Our losses would have been more substantial if the Shadows were in play on the battlefield. The loss of ten ships and crews is still significant, and I mourn their loss.

We will return to Babylon 5 within the hour. I have asked the Narn for access to their shipyards to effect repairs on damaged ships. I've ordered all repaired ships to remain in the system to supplement the Narn garrison. I am confident that the Narn fleet will serve as an adequate garrison, with allied support, given the losses suffered by the Centauri. Fleet Intelligence believes it's unlikely that the Shadows will attempt another attack on Narn as the attack would achieve nothing and risk further losses.

I believe the time has come to go on the offensive in this war. The fleet has now been battle-tested, morale is high, and we have the support of the leadership from the League governments. I plan to ask for additional fleet assets to begin the offensive push. We currently don't have nearly enough ships to press an attack on the Shadow homeworld. However, we cannot allow them time to recover from their losses or develop a counter to our telepaths. Time is not on our side.

End log."

E.A.S. Pollux – Babylon 5 Space - XO's Quarters

-Next day-

Commander Alex O'Dell was tired. After successfully defeating a combined Centauri and Shadow fleet, they had just returned from the Narn homeworld. He was initially very concerned when he saw the size of the Centauri fleet. One alpha strike from Starfleet quickly evened the numbers, and the rest of the fleet attacked. That was the largest fleet battle of his career, and he still didn't know what to make of it. There were two things that he did know. One was that he and his ship survived to fight another day. Two that he was tired. However, Martinez told him that Starfleet had deployed new communications relays that could override Earthforce jamming. Before he could retire for the evening, he had to make a call to the most important woman in his life.

"Alex! I've been worried sick about you and Julio! Nightwatch told us that your ship survived. Why haven't you called me?

"I'm sorry, Mom. Earthforce has been jamming us; this is the first opportunity I've had to call you. Julio and I are fine. I was in rough shape when we were attacked at Proxima III, but I pulled through."

"Oh my God! Are you OK? You look well."

"Yeah, Mom. I'm fine. I had the best doctors in the galaxy working on me. I'm in better health now than when I stepped foot on this ship. Wait a minute! Did you say Nightwatch?"

"Yes, Nightwatch. They've been visiting your sister for the past few days. They're the ones who told us that you were still alive. The news reports said that your ship had gone missing in action, but Earthforce wouldn't give me any more information."

O'Dell sighed. "I know. I'm so sorry. Clark and ISN are doing everything to make everyone believe their lies. You can't believe anything you hear from them. Why is Nightwatch harassing Angela?"

"They want to know about some new ships. They want Angela to ask Julio about anything he knows about them. They have been relentless, visiting her several times a day! The stress is starting to get to her."

"There's nothing to tell. How would Angela know anything?"

"That doesn't matter. Clark is desperate for information and won't stop until she tells them what they want to hear. I'm not sure how much longer she can handle it."

"I'll let Julio know, but I don't know what we can do about it right now. We can't exactly come to Earth, or we'll be arrested."

"Why? What did you do?"

"We refused to attack the colony. When we did that, the other ships fired on us. We were lucky to escape. We're at Babylon 5, but we're now fighting a different war."

"I can't believe this. This madness has got to stop!"

"I know, Mom. We're trying to do our part to stop it."

"You two will figure something out. You always do."

"Got to run, mom. Since we can override Earthforce jamming, I'll contact you more often when we're not on a mission. I'll talk to you soon. I promise."

"You'd better. I'm not sure we could endure the thought of you or Julio being dead. I didn't have a funeral last time despite almost everyone asking. I never lost hope."

"Thanks, mom. See you, Maria, and everyone else is what kept me going. Julio wanted me to tell you hello."

"Stay safe. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. See you soon."

O'Dell closed the channel, sat back in the chair, and reflected on what his mother had shared with him. His mother looked stressed and tired, not the ordinarily energetic woman that raised him. He was also concerned about his sister Angela. He knew enough about Nightwatch to see that they were bad news. He suspected that Clark was involved with it, making the situation even worse.

Unfortunately, there wasn't anything that he or Julio could do to help. He felt the beginnings of a headache building and decided that he might close his eyes for a nap. However, before he could get comfortable, he heard the door chime.

"Come in," O'Dell yelled at the door.

Martinez walked into the room and looked over at O'Dell. "You look comfortable," Martinez said to O'Dell, who still had his eyes closed.

"Yeah, being in the fight of my life has a way of taking it out of me," O'Dell said sarcastically.

"About that, what did you think about your first large battle?"

"Hey, let's not act like you're some big combat veteran. I don't consider surviving the Earth-Minbari War as significant combat experience," O'Dell said while he glanced over at Martinez.

"All right, I'll concede that point. But that battle was something that we've always talked about. To be side by side on the bridge of a battleship fighting and defeating the enemies of the Earth Alliance," Martinez answered as he walked over and sat down on the bed.

"You're right. I can't believe I didn't remember that. I was too focused on surviving, considering I didn't fare so well in our last battle."

Martinez looked down as he still felt some guilt for having O'Dell and the others endure so much pain from the Proxima III battle. "I won't lie. When I saw how outnumbered we were, I thought we were in real trouble. Seeing that alpha strike from Starfleet changed my mind in a hurry."

"That was the most incredible thing I've ever seen, Julio. They destroyed over 50 ships without even trying, then promptly kicked Shadow ass by themselves. I wondered why they even bothered to bring us along."

"I had the same thought, but I understand why. We're all in this together, and there's strength in numbers. Ben and the others could have been overwhelmed without our presence, though I seriously doubt it."

"I guess so. Let me ask you something. How do you think Earthforce ships would fare against those Starfleet warships?"

Martinez remembered how he felt when touring the Phoenix. "Centauri ships are better than ours, so our losses would be even worse. Why? Oh, I see what you're thinking," Martinez said as he folded his arms.

"Exactly! Starfleet can easily overrun Earth's defenses and free the planet. I just spoke to Mom, and she's not doing well. None of our family is. Did Angela tell you that Nightwatch was harassing her?"

"I know, and it pisses me off! Seeing the love of my life being treated like that breaks my heart. What kind of husband am I if I can't protect the woman I love?" Martinez asked, more to himself than to O'Dell. "I want to help our families so badly, but there isn't a damn thing I can do."

"Ben can. Earthforce couldn't stop them. Hell, Ben can even make his ship invisible! Clark and Earthforce wouldn't know what hit them!"

"I know, Alex. I know. The problem right now is the Shadows. We have to defeat them first. I don't even think Sheridan would shift his focus from the Shadows to Earth right now. We need to see this war through. However, as soon as it's over, we need to do everything we can to get Ben and Starfleet to help us. Agreed?"

"Agreed."

Babylon 5 – Sheridan's Office

John Sheridan sat at his desk and tried to massage away a headache that had just developed. It was a painful reminder that he still had a station to run and a war to win. The station wouldn't just magically run itself because its commander was away fighting against the Shadows. He made a point not to complain as he had asked Ivanova to do the same thing. Being the XO of a station was a full-time job, and so was being the squadron commander of a White Star fleet. They were making it work because they had no choice, but it didn't mean they weren't feeling the effects.

He looked up when he saw a column of light begin to form in front of his desk. It was his next appointment, arriving on time, as usual.

"Hi, Admiral. Please have a seat. Anything I can get you?"

"No, Captain. I'm fine. I was hoping to discuss fleet matters with you."

"I wanted to tell you how happy everyone is about the results from the Narn battle. No one is upset by the loss of some of our ships."

Picard gave Sheridan a blank stare.

"Understand me, Admiral. The ambassadors will look for any reason to cause a disruption. As you know, the entire Minbari Warrior Caste hates humans, particularly me. The fact that there were no arguments or challenges to your leadership speaks volumes about their confidence in you."

"Our leadership, Captain. You are the glue that brought this alliance together and continue to hold it together. You'll be instrumental in maintaining the peace once we've won this war. Don't forget that."

"I understand, Sir. It's something that Delenn reminds me of all the time. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. The reason I'm here is that I believe that it's time to go on the offensive. In my experience, a defensive war is a lost war. Moreover, we need to capitalize on our successes. Unfortunately, we don't have enough forces to attack Z'ha'dum directly. Tactical believes the Shadows have more than 3,000 ships protecting the planet. We aren't entirely certain of the enemy fleet size due to the current limitations of our sensors. However, Commanders Data, LaForge, and the Minbari are working on a solution. Therefore, I want to have as many ships as possible to ensure that we have adequate forces if we encounter more Shadow forces than expected."

"I'll see what I can do. I agree with you, Sir. We may not get a better opportunity to press the attack. I have a meeting with the League later today. I'll ask them for more ships."

"Very well. I'll be on the Enterprise if you need me."

"Yes, Sir. I'll be in touch."

Babylon 5 – Green Sector – Mollari's Quarters

Londo Mollari paced back and forth in an attempt to eliminate his nervous energy. His calls to Lord Refa hadn't been returned; no one from Centauri Prime had returned his calls. The silence from the homeworld concerned him greatly, and he wasn't sure what to do. He had fought off the increasing pressure from the League members to impose economic sanctions on the Centauri Republic, though he knew it was only a matter of time before his luck ran out. Mollari had called in every favor owed to him to give him and the Republic more time. He realized that the only hope the Centauri Republic had was for Refa to be successful at Narn.

The silence was most troubling. Fortunately, the door chime distracted Mollari from his thoughts.

"Vir! Come in, come in. What is the news from the homeworld? I haven't been able to reach Refa."

Vir always lacked confidence and disliked being yelled at, prepared for the worse. "Londo! Lord Refa is dead! He died with the fleet at Narn."

This was a disaster! At least that fool Refa was dead. Maybe he could step in and fix things.

"How many ships did we lose?" Mollari asked, his face ashen.

"Almost the entire fleet. A couple of ships were able to retreat, but most of our fleet was decimated!" Vir said, his voice heavy with emotion.

"Refa promised victory with the Shadows supporting us! That fool!" No, this wasn't good at all, Londo thought. The loss of Refa was insignificant compared with the loss of several Centauri battle fleets.

"The Shadows lost dozens of ships as well, maybe more. My source didn't have the final count."

Londo sat down in the nearest chair and poured himself a drink. "How many Narn ships are left?"

"Unknown. But I know that at least a few did survive."

"Vir. See if you can reach anyone on the homeworld. I can't get anyone to return my calls. With this disaster, I'll need to contact the emperor directly. The Republic is extremely vulnerable right now. The Narn will want revenge, and we may no longer have the fleet assets to protect the entire Republic from them and other opportunists."

Mollari could see the look of fear on Vir's face. "Do you think that Picard and the others will attack us as well?"

"We're no better than the Shadows in their eyes. Of course, they will attack us. This is terrible! Vir, please go quickly. I fear that we don't have much time."

Vir left Mollari, who poured himself yet another drink. Mollari had to contact the emperor, knowing that would be a difficult conversation. He hoped that he could convince the emperor of the severity of their situation and that drastic actions would be needed to preserve the Republic. He was going to need another drink before making that call.

Mollari walked over to the Vid-Com and reluctantly placed the call to the emperor. He was surprised by who answered the call.

"Regent Virginia, I am trying to contact the emperor. It is most urgent."

"Ambassador, I'm afraid that you are too late. The emperor is dead. An investigation is underway to figure out what happened, but that doesn't change the fact that he's dead."

Mollari was shocked. First, the defeat at Narn, now the emperor's dead! "Who's in charge? I fear the Narn and allied fleet will attack Centauri Prime after our devastating defeat at Narn."

"I have recalled all remaining ships to the homeworld. We will do everything possible to defend Centauri Prime," Virginia tried to sound more confident than he felt.

"I fear that won't be enough. We've lost many of our most capable ships. I don't believe we have the remaining resources to protect the homeworld while protecting the entire Republic."

"We will defend ourselves. We must. We cannot allow Centauri Prime to fall."

"That's where you are wrong, Regent. There are always alternatives. Put me in contact with whoever is in charge. I will save Centauri Prime, no matter how much it hurts."

Babylon 5 – Zócalo

-Next Day-

Delenn and Garrett sat at their favorite table at the Eclipse Café, and each enjoyed their favorite beverages. Garrett learned from bitter experience that she shouldn't order coffee or tea on the station. Since the station couldn't receive shipments from Earth, the quality of said beverages was not very good. Garrett always stopped by 10 Forward when on the Enterprise, where Guinan always put her unique spin on each drink.

"Delenn, how have your conversations gone regarding the potential evolution of your federation?"

Delenn looked down into her drink before looking up to answer Garrett. "Not well, I'm afraid. Several council members are receptive; however, the more conservative members are resistant. Unfortunately, it's not just the council. Several members of the Religious Caste I've contacted have also expressed reservations."

"I'm sorry to hear that. We have a saying on Earth about the carrot and the stick."

Delenn's confused look told her that Delenn had no idea what she was talking about. "The general meaning is that the carrot represents some sort of incentive or reward for adopting a new idea or way of doing things. The stick..." Before Garrett could complete her sentence, someone approached them.

Jeff Smith had observed Captain Garrett and the Minbari for over ten minutes. The station was very crowded now, given the influx of refugees, which allowed him to watch, discretely, both females without bringing attention to himself. One of his agents had spotted Garrett, and she informed Smith immediately. Smith rushed down and began his surveillance. He wanted to perfect his approach before he walked over to their table. If Smith could observe Garrett's body language, he might identify something he could exploit. He waited another five minutes, then walked over to the table.

"Excuse me. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time. My name is Jeff Smith, and I represent the Earth Alliance. I'm here as the personal attaché to President Morgan Clark."

Jeff Smith knew that he was on borrowed time with Clark, which meant he needed fast results. His usual, systematic methods to develop intelligence would no longer be valued, at least in the short term. Therefore, he needed to get personally involved and, hopefully, make something happen.

"Hi, Mr. Smith. I'm Captain Rachel Garrett from The United Federation of Planets, and this is Ambassador Delenn from the Minbari Federation," Garrett answered as she looked over at Delenn.

"I promise not to take up too much of your time, Captain. President Clark would like the honor to meet with you and Admiral Picard to establish formal diplomatic relations and invite you to Earth. President Clark has been promoting a Humanity First policy, and he would welcome the opportunity to discuss this and his other policies with you and the admiral." Smith tried hard to remain on the script and didn't want to appear overeager. If he returned to Earth empty-handed, he knew what would happen.

"I'm afraid that traveling to Earth at the moment is out of the question due to the ongoing war. Once the war is over, I'm sure the admiral will consider your request. In the meantime, I will inform him, and he'll make the final decision. How do I contact you once he's reached his decision?"

Smith tried his best to hide his disappointment; however, since she hadn't immediately dismissed him, he felt there was still hope. "You can find me in the station directory using any Vid-Com terminal. Please feel free to contact me anytime. The president is most interested in meeting with you or the admiral as soon as possible."

"I understand. I'll contact you as soon as I know something."

"Thank you. Good day and, again, my apologies for the intrusion," Smith said as he tried to look and sound sincere.

"It's OK. You're hardly the first to interrupt us here. It goes with the territory." Garrett stood up from her seat and took a final sip of her drink. "I must be on my way anyway. I have a staff meeting in ten minutes. Delenn, same time tomorrow?" Garrett asked Delenn while she ignored Smith.

"Of course, Rachel."

Garrett tapped her Com badge and spoke, "Garrett to Enterprise. One to beam over."

"Acknowledged. Energizing."

Smith jumped when he witnessed the transporter beam appear right next to him. He stood still until the beam disappeared and then turned to Delenn. "What was that?"

"They call it a transporter beam. It's how Starfleet people travel, most of the time. It's a very effective mode of travel."

"I bet," was all Smith could say before Delenn walked away. Smith left right behind her. He had an urgent report to give to the president, and, for once, he had good news.

U.S.S. Enterprise – Ready Room

Picard had to admit that he looked forward to daily meetings with his ship captains. They had developed a strong rapport during the past several months, and he had come to rely on them. They each had their strengths, which was a tremendous asset when fighting an enemy you know little about. Picard had often considered what fighting this war would be like if he were here alone with just the Enterprise. Fortunately, he didn't have to, and he could focus on the task at hand.

Picard was seated behind his desk. Garrett sat in front of him while Maxwell sat on the sofa. He had allowed this meeting to become less formal, improving their working relationships and overall morale.

"Rachel, how is the alliance holding? I admit I haven't been paying as much attention as I should," Picard asked Garrett.

"It's understandable, Sir. After all, you do have a war to win. The alliance is holding, though I have received numerous military technology requests since our battle at Narn."

"I assumed as much after the A.A.R. However; I thought we were clear that we wouldn't discuss the exchange of any military technology at this time."

"Yes, Sir, we were. However, that was before they witnessed the effectiveness of our military capabilities. All of the members lost at least one ship, some several. The losses would have been much worse without the telepaths," Garrett told them.

"Yes, I'm well aware of that. I don't consider our situation so desperate that we must reconsider our decision to withhold military technology. It would make an already tenuous situation much worse."

"I agree. Plus, the science behind our technology is completely unknown to the governments here. Hopefully, the war will be over before they could even develop a prototype phaser," Maxwell added in support of Picard.

"Agreed. Rachel, tell them that right now, our military technology is unavailable. However, if conditions change for the worse, I may reconsider," Picard said definitively.

"Yes, Sir. That should appease most of them, though not all."

"As our chief diplomat, I have full confidence in you, Rachel," Maxwell said with a smile.

"I could always use help, Ben."

"No, thank you! I know what my strengths are. I'll stay on the bridge of my ship, thank you very much."

"Changing topics for a moment," Garrett interjected, "one of Clark's people from Earth approached me today."

"Indeed?" Picard asked. "What did they have to say?"

"It was a fairly brief conversation. Mr. Smith said President Clark wanted to meet us and discuss his Humanity First policies. He also extended an invitation for us to visit Earth," Garrett answered, then continued. "I didn't make any commitments. I told him that I needed to speak to you first before I could give him an answer. I told him, however, that we were busy with the war and did not expect us to be available to meet with President Clark anytime soon."

"That is a relief. That is one situation I don't want to deal with right now," Picard said.

"I agree, Admiral," Maxwell offered. "Given what we already know about Clark and the situation on Earth, nothing good could come from meeting with him."

"My thoughts exactly, Ben," Garrett said as she nodded. "You both know that I believe there is almost always a diplomatic solution to any problem. I've been proven wrong with the Shadows, and I also believe there is most likely not a diplomatic solution to the Clark situation. I believe that Captain Sheridan will try to pull us into the Earth civil war when the Shadow war is over."

"Captain Martinez has already been trying to make his case to me for us to intervene, though he hasn't asked directly. He knows where our current priorities lie," Maxwell said as he looked over from Garrett to Picard.

Their conversation was interrupted before Picard could answer.

"Bridge to Admiral Picard."

"Picard here."

"Admiral, sensors have detected a significant Shadow fleet on course for Betazed. Draal has confirmed."

Picard looked over to Maxwell, who suddenly had a concerned look.

"E.T.A.?"

"Eight hours, Sir."

"Acknowledged. Picard out."

"Admiral, the other ships aren't fast enough to get there in time," Maxwell said to Picard.

"Yes, I know. We're on our own. I don't want to burn our people out, but we may not have a chance without them."

"There isn't a single Betazoid in this fleet that wouldn't do everything to save Betazed," Garrett answered, surprisingly, while Maxwell nodded in agreement.

"Very well. Signal me when you've arrived on your ships. We'll get underway immediately and develop the battle plan en route. Dismissed."

Picard stood up from his desk and walked onto the bridge.

"Hail Babylon 5."

Moments later, the image of Captain Sheridan appeared on the main viewer.

"Admiral Picard. What can I do for you?"

"A large Shadow fleet is on course to attack Betazed. The Starfleet ships will be leaving immediately to engage."

Sheridan looked surprised by the news. "You're not taking the fleet with you?"

"No. The other ships are too slow. They'll never arrive in time."

"Admiral, this is a huge risk. You know why the Shadows are doing this," Sheridan said with more force than he intended. He was very concerned and felt that the alliance had no chance of victory without Picard.

"I know exactly why. They're hoping to eliminate two problems at the same time with overwhelming force. I'm expecting a difficult battle. However, we must protect that planet. It's not, officially, a Federation world. However, it is the closest thing to home for several of my crew members and, therefore, must be protected. I would like you to assume command of the fleet in my absence. We'll return as soon as possible."

"Understood, Sir. I wouldn't say I like it, but I understand. Good luck, Admiral."

"Thank you, Captain. Picard out."

Babylon 5 – Green Sector

Jeff Smith walked into his quarters and immediately went over to the Vid-Com. However, before he pressed the Connect button, he reconsidered. He needed time to rehearse what he would say to the president. Clark was highly volatile even under the best of circumstances and became explosive when there was nothing of note to report concerning Picard and the others.

Smith spent two hours reviewing his entire report, though he spent most of that time trying to think of every possible question Clark would ask. He'd written a robust series of notes almost resembling a script. Satisfied that he had sufficiently prepared, he pressed the Connect button on the Vid-Com.

"President Clark. I spoke with Captain Garrett today and wanted to give you my full report."

Clark was careful never to show any emotions besides indifference, annoyance, or outright anger. However, he let a tiny smile slip this time, which he promptly corrected. "Finally! First, tell me what happened at Narn."

Smith spent the next few minutes giving Clark a full debrief on the battle details, supplemented by reports from his operatives, based on what was generally known on the station. Clark no longer bothered to hide his excitement upon hearing this news. He suspected that the battle had not gone well for the Shadows due to the complete silence from Morden. However, the scale of the Shadow's defeat was even more significant than he thought possible. His excitement was heightened by the Starfleet ships' role in the victory, where they displayed unmatched firepower and tactical acumen. Clark knew that he should've been very concerned by this latest Shadow defeat, but he became even more determined to convince Picard to join him no matter the cost. No one, not even the Shadows, would dare challenge him. His hold on power would be absolute with Picard's support.

Smith didn't know what to think as he watched Clark's demeanor change as he continued to relay the information. He was a bit disoriented but continued to hold his composure. This meeting had gone well up to this point, and he didn't want to ruin it.

"I hope you understand why it's so important that we have Picard and his people join us. Whomever Picard supports has the real power in the galaxy. Earth cannot be truly safe until he and his people join us. Now, tell me about Garrett," Clark ordered.

Smith relayed the conversation to Clark. Clark appeared indifferent, but to Smith, that could mean anything. "That's disappointing but understandable. I'd be furious if we were dismissed out of hand. However, I'm not happy about Garrett working so closely with a Minbari. We must be ready to move as soon as the Shadow War is over. Whatever resources you currently have deployed, double them. Also, pull back your agents from the traitor's homes. We don't want to do anything that might anger Picard. As much as it displeases me, we must show humility to appeal to his sense of humanity. Any attempts at coercion, or threats, will fail against him. We must avoid a direct, antagonistic confrontation at all costs. If Picard even suspects we're a threat to him, everything we've built would be at risk." Clark didn't want to mention what could happen to his power base if Earthforce ships were destroyed by Picard's ships. He wouldn't show weakness in front of Smith. "If necessary, we'll adjust our tactics. I'm counting on you to make this happen, Jeff. Don't let me, or Earth, down," Clark said.

Smith was quite surprised by how rational Clark had been during the entire conversation. He had never seen him like this. There was more going on here than what was being said, but Smith let it go. It wasn't worth Clark's wrath. "Yes, Sir. You can count on me. I will report back as soon as possible."

"You do that. Clark, out."

U.S.S. Enterprise – Betazed System

"Military log, supplemental. I hadn't expected to return to Betazed so soon. However, current circumstances have dictated our return. The Shadows have figured out, or remembered, how effective telepaths are against them. The logical choice is to attack the one place known to have a significant population of telepaths: Betazed.

The Vorlons have claimed Betazed to be their protectorate and have committed themselves to protect the planet. I cannot and will not trust the planet's defense to a 3rd party with unknown intentions. I understand this isn't our Betazed; however, this is the closest our Betazoid crew members will most likely ever have. I owe it to them to make our best effort to defend the planet.

We go into this battle knowing we will be heavily outmanned and outgunned. We will leverage lessons learned from our previous engagements to help turn the tide. Unfortunately, I expect to suffer causalities in the upcoming battle. I hope to inflict enough damage to force a cease-fire, allowing us to regroup or for the White Stars to arrive to provide backup.

We have 35 telepaths on the Enterprise, with an additional 30 Minbari telepaths on the Phoenix. That will help, leaving several enemy ships fully combat effective. We will win this battle because we must.

End log."

All three Starfleet ships remained cloaked while they approached Betazed. The Shadows had not revealed themselves; however, sensors already revealed the location of the ships in hyperspace. Sensor readings also showed that the Shadows had learned new tactics from previous battles. The ships were no longer in a single formation. Instead, there were organized into three combat groups.

'This was going to make things more difficult,' Picard thought.

"Report, Mr. Data"

"Scans are negative in normal space, Admiral. All three Shadow battle groups remain in hyperspace."

"The Vorlons?" Picard asked.

"They seem to be gone, or we cannot detect them, Sir."

Picard studied the tactical display. His ships had almost reached position. Despite the odds, he needed to make his move."

"Commander Riker, signal the other ships. Launch all runabouts, under cloak."

"Yes, Sir. Sir, it looks like the first group has revealed themselves. It looks like they don't know we're here."

"It doesn't seem to matter to them, Commander. The planet is as much a target as we are."

"Orders, Admiral?"

"Enterprise and Phoenix will intercept the first group. Destiny and the runabouts will be kept in reserve until the second group reveals itself; then, Phoenix will engage it along with Destiny and the runabouts. Enterprise will break off and attack once the 3rd group reveals itself. Inform Phoenix not to engage their telepaths until we encounter the first group.

"Yes, Sir."

"Plot an intercept course and engage at full impulse."

"Aye, Sir."

"We'll attack group alpha. We'll attack using the same attack pattern they're using. All ships will launch full torpedo spreads from fore and aft launchers as soon as we decloak. I expect them to attempt to flank us, and I want to be prepared."

"We're ready, Sir."

"Belay my last. Have all runabouts focus their fire on the disabled ships while the rest of us destroy the active ships."

"Orders dispatched, Admiral," Riker informed Picard.

"Attack pattern echo on my mark."

Picard studied the tactical display for a few moments before he issued a single command. "Engage."

Battle – Betazed System

-U.S.S. Enterprise-

"Report," Picard ordered.

"All targets in Group Alpha destroyed, Sir. Groups Bravo and Charlie are now visible. Charlie is attempting to flank us," Avarak reported from Tactical.

"Sickbay, status of telepaths?"

"You have 20 seconds remaining," Dr. Crusher's voice announced over the intercom.

"Acknowledged. All ships focus forward torpedo launchers on Group Bravo, rear launchers on Group Charlie, maximum yield. Fire at will."

The effects of the torpedo file were immediate. Multiple enemy ships were destroyed outright or were severely damaged. However, several Shadow ships remained and were fully battle-ready.

"Damage report."

"Port shields are down five percent and recharging. Destiny's shields are holding at 75%," Riker said from his position near Tactical.

"Come to course 111, mark 215, half impulse. Open fire, all weapons. Status of runabouts."

"Both squadrons have assumed flanking positions on the targets. Effectiveness of their torpedoes is at 90% percent," Riker answered.

When the telepathic disruption stopped, the Shadows were down to ten ships. The now active ships reacted with the much-feared 'screams' before beginning their attack runs. To Starfleet's surprise, the Shadow ships adjusted their attack strategy.

Onboard the Enterprise, Picard's eyes were glued to the tactical display. One by one, the Shadows phased into hyperspace. Now without targets, Picard plotted the fleet's next move.

"Admiral, all enemy ships are now in hyperspace. Sensors are now detecting a new wave of Shadows."

"How many?"

"105, Sir."

"Should we engage our cloaks, Sir?" Riker asked as he assessed their tactical situation.

"Negative, Commander. I don't want to give them more information on how to detect cloaked ships. While we can't attack them while they are in hyperspace, they can undoubtedly attack ours while cloaked if they know where to look.

Mr. Data, what's the E.T.A. for the next wave?"

"Four minutes, Sir."

Thirty seconds later, the remaining ten Shadows reappeared. Five focused their attacks on Destiny while the other five attacked the Phoenix. Starfleet promptly destroyed the ships within a minute.

"Damage report on Destiny and Phoenix, Mr. Data."

"No damage to Phoenix. Shields are holding at 65% and increasing. Destiny suffered a hull breach on Deck 17. Shields are holding at 15%. Several injuries have been reported, but no deaths."

"Change our formation. Stacked formation. Enterprise, Destiny, and Phoenix 300,000 KM distant. Have the runabouts flank our port and starboard," Picard ordered.

"Yes, Sir."

"Admiral Destiny reports that they have fewer than 100 torpedoes remaining. They will reduce the number used for their spreads to conserve ammunition," Riker reported from his tactical position.

"Acknowledged, Commander."

Picard pressed the button on his chair to open a channel to all ships in the fleet, then stood up. "Attention, all hands. Your performance has been outstanding so far in this battle. However, we are about to encounter enemy reinforcements that will most likely result in causalities. I wish to tell each of you that it has been an honor serving with you. Picard out."

"Time to weapons range, Mr. Data."

"30 seconds, Sir."

"Attack pattern charlie, on my mark."

"Admiral, another fleet has been detected, closing fast."

For the first time in this universe, Picard experienced an emotion that was familiar to him in their home universe, despair. They were already outmanned and outgunned. Now, they were hopelessly outmatched. They had no chance of victory now. As much as he wanted to defend the planet, he didn't have the forces, and their sacrifice wouldn't prevent the planet's destruction; however, before he could issue the order to retreat.

"Admiral, the new contacts are Vorlon. 147 ships in total. They are moving between the Shadows and us," Data announced.

The Vorlon ships began to appear in front of the Starfleet vessels. Ships of all sizes, including multi-kilometer-long behemoths, were among the fleet.

"They sure make them big in this universe," Riker said to no one in particular. Picard nodded to himself as he had thought the same.

"Admiral, the Shadows are withdrawing. The Vorlons are hailing us," Data said as he turned to Picard.

"On screen."

"You protected the children. You are worthy. Go now. We will stay."

The viewer went blank.

"Not very talkative, are they?" Riker said as he looked over at Picard.

"No; however, they were here when we needed them. It would appear that the Vorlons are serious about protecting the planet."

"I'm thankful for that."

"So am I. I also think it's time we end this. Have all runabouts return to their ships and plot a course to Babylon 5. I need to meet with a certain Vorlon ambassador," Picard said while still staring at the viewscreen.

A few minutes later, "all runabouts have docked, Sir."

"Acknowledged. All ships engage."

U.S.S. Enterprise – Ready Room - Babylon 5

- 12 Hours Later -

The three command officers were again meeting in Picard's Ready Room. Each was mentally tired from the previous battle, though Garrett was the worst off. 'How do these people fight so many battles and keep their wits about them?' Garrett thought.

"Rachel, how's your ship?" Picard asked.

"We took a beating during our final exchange. The Shadows realized that my ship was the weakest and focused their firepower. We wouldn't have survived another volley."

"This is what I've been concerned with since we joined the war. It was only a matter of time until they discovered that your ship didn't have the same defensive capabilities as our other ships. That is also why I didn't want to use our cloaking devices more during the battle. We still don't know the full extent of their sensor capabilities. If they could develop a counter and detect our ships while cloaked, we wouldn't stand a chance," Picard said.

"I agree, Admiral," Maxwell said. "There is still a lot that we don't know. I doubt that the Vorlons will share what they know, and I certainly don't want to share any information with them on how our cloaking devices work."

"Agreed. When I meet with him later, I intend to ask the Vorlon ambassador for any intelligence on Shadow ships."

"My ship should be fully repaired within eight hours. However, I have another proposal. Commander LaForge told me that if we used the engineering teams from all three ships, we could install a new Mark III warp core, which would provide double the energy output and allow more shield emitters to be installed."

"How long would he need?" Picard asked.

"Two weeks, Sir. That time includes the construction of a modified dry dock."

"Ordinarily, I would be uncomfortable with your ship being unavailable for such a long period. However, I've received word from Captain Sheridan that the Minbari have agreed to provide an additional 600 ships to the allied fleet to be used for the final assault on the Shadow homeworld. The other races are contributing significant fleet assets as well. I think now will be the best opportunity we're going to have to upgrade your ship. I'll inform Mr. LaForge that he is authorized to use all available personnel to install as many upgrades as possible within the time allotted. We won't have time to do a proper shakedown, meaning that the upgrades will have to be more modest," Picard said as he looked up from his PADD.

"Even if the combat effectiveness of my ship is improved by only 5%, then I believe it's worth it."

"Very well. We'll temporarily relocate all personnel to the Enterprise and Phoenix while the refit is underway."

"Thank you, Sir. I'll inform my crew."

"Ben, I want you to contact Captain Sheridan as soon as possible. He has the list of new ships provided by the other governments, and I want you to begin developing battle plans for the final assault. We'll also have to create several task forces to manage a fleet of this size. I want you to command one of the task forces, and I am considering Neroon for command of the other. You're my most experienced officer with fleet command experience. Plus, it allows me to acknowledge the Minbari's significant contribution to the fleet. I'm considering Sheridan and Sisko for squadron commander posts. Though both are relatively inexperienced, the next two weeks should give us enough time to train them on the basics."

"Yes, Sir. I will get on that right away. I'll also work with Sheridan and Neroon to develop an initial task force makeup and give you a draft report as soon as possible."

"Very well. The next two weeks will be critical to our ability to win this war. Please ensure that our crew morale is maintained. Everyone no doubt understands the importance they have in winning this war. However, a little reinforcement may be necessary."

"Yes, Sir. Sir, If I might make a suggestion?" Maxwell asked Picard.

"Certainly, Captain. Proceed."

"We should consider establishing a rapid response force in case the Shadows try to attack one of the alliance members. Since we will be without Destiny for the next two weeks, we could assign a White Star to each of our remaining ships and tractor it into a combat zone. We will still have our runabouts for additional support as necessary."

"Make it so, Captain. Unless there is anything else, dismissed."

Babylon 5 – Green Sector – Kosh

Troi had a sense of déjà vu as she met with the Vorlon Kosh for the second time. This time, however, Picard had joined them. The stakes were so much higher than the last time they met. The fate of the known galaxy was now at stake, not just her homeworld. She and the other Betazoids were happy that a Vorlon fleet protected Betazed. However, they all believed that the sooner the Shadows, and Vorlons, were dealt with, the better.

The one-sided conversation had been going on for a couple of minutes. Delenn had insisted that she lead the discussion, given how notoriously difficult Vorlons were. Picard reluctantly agreed, but his patience was being tested.

"Ambassador, I understand your reluctance to engage the Shadows directly; however, the situation has now changed. They directly threatened one of your protectorates and would have destroyed the planet had my ships not been there. I'm convinced they would have attacked your ships had you brought a smaller fleet," Picard said, trying his best to remain civil.

"You don't understand. The younger races don't understand."

"Perhaps not. However, there is one thing that I do know. The Shadows need to be defeated now, and I don't have the forces to attack their homeworld directly. With your support, I will, and together, we can end this threat once and for all!" Picard was done playing softball with Kosh and intended to make his point strongly.

Delenn decided to enter the conversation to decrease the tension of the situation. "You are a first one. We would not ask if you weren't needed. Help us now as you did 1,000 years ago. We wouldn't ask if we could do this alone."

"Refuse to assist us now, and you risk the destruction of your other protectorates. Are you willing to stand by and watch that happen?" Picard asked, ignoring Delenn.

Kosh was quiet for what seemed like minutes. He stood perfectly still. Picard's attention never wavered. He wanted an answer, and he wanted it now. "Very well. When the pebbles move, we will assist."

"It looks like we have our answer. We need time to repair our ships and for our telepaths to recover. We'll get underway in two standard weeks. Will your forces be ready?" Picard asked Kosh.

"Yes," was all Kosh had to say.

"Very well. You'll be informed when it's time," Picard said.

With that, Kosh turned around and walked down the hallway.

Sheridan turned to Picard and said, "I think we have a real chance now. The Shadows will think twice if they see our fleet supported by the Vorlons."

"Agreed, Captain. It's unfortunate that we have to wait two weeks to execute the attack. I would rather not give the Shadows time to regroup. However, the delay does give us the best chance for success."

Picard then turned to Delenn. "Ambassador, I'm considering assigning Neroon as a task force commander for the new Minbari forces. Do you have any thoughts?"

"I think that he would appreciate that, Admiral. It would also help strengthen the support of the alliance among my people."

"Very well. I appreciate your honesty, Ambassador."

"Let's get out of here," Sheridan said as he turned around to leave. The others joined him, ready to tackle the next challenge.

U.S.S. Destiny – In Route – Z'ha'dum

-Two weeks later-

"Captain's log. Stardate January 15, 2261. We've been in this universe for seven months, and everything still feels unfamiliar. We're currently two hours away from participating in the largest battle of my career, the first war of my career. There will be thousands of ships in the system on both sides if the Vorlons arrive as promised. I never wanted to participate in this war, a point I've made repeatedly since our initial contact with Babylon 5. I acknowledged that I was wrong, and the others were right. As long as the Shadow threat exists, nowhere is safe. I've spoken to survivors from previous Shadow attacks, and the stories were absolutely horrifying. No civilized race does the things the Shadows have done. They're not trying to conquer but to destroy. I can't believe I'm saying this, but they need to be defeated, and we must ensure they can never threaten the galaxy again.

As we approach the system, I'm becoming increasingly nervous. The coffee is helping a little, but I know I'm out of my element. Over the past two weeks, we hastily upgraded my ship to make it a more capable warship. In another time, I would have flatly refused. However, this time, I welcomed the commander's recommendations. Whether I like it or not, we are in a war for our survival. I've become close to many of the ambassadors from the various governments, and I've seen the mistrust and petty disagreements begin to subside ever so slightly in recent days. I've been there to help them navigate what is truly uncharted territory for them. We must succeed in this battle, and this war, to see what this galaxy can become. I will continue to do whatever I can to help Delenn and the others realize their dreams of a better tomorrow: to see my crew live to have a better tomorrow.

End log."

U.S.S. Phoenix – In Route – Z'ha'dum

"Personal log. Twenty years of fighting is coming down to this final battle, and it's not even against the Klingons. Everyone knows that it's either them or us, and I intend to be on the winning side. If the Vorlons show, we'll have the numbers, firepower, and will to wipe out the Shadow fleet. Surrender or total destruction are the only options, in my opinion. I've learned a lot about Picard since we've been here, and I know how he thinks. You never show an enemy as dangerous as the Shadows mercy, as they will attack when you least expect it.

The largest battle of my career should, hopefully, be the last. I'm tired of fighting. When I went through that anomaly, I committed that I would win the battle or die trying. Let's just say that I have no intention of dying today.

End log."

U.S.S. Enterprise – In Route – Z'ha'dum

"Military log, supplemental. The fleet is less than an hour away from entering the Z'ha'dum system. This fleet is like nothing I have ever seen. We have warships from more than two dozen governments included in the fleet. Coordination and logistics have been challenging, but we persevered, and now the time has come. I lead the largest fleet in Starfleet history into battle, with just over 1,000 ships. I've had to form six task forces to manage our fleet better. The Minbari have been instrumental in filling the command void by providing experienced warriors to lead several task forces. I have complete confidence in Commander Sisko's capabilities; however, I didn't feel that he was quite ready to lead a task force. I've assigned him as a squadron commander, which will help give him the necessary experience to command fleets in the future. I do not doubt that he has spent the required time in the holodeck preparing for this battle.

Captain Maxwell has continued to be an outstanding officer. His experience and leadership have been invaluable since I accepted this position. I was unsure of his motives when he volunteered to join us to fight the Romulans. However, those doubts have long since been resolved. No one questioned his assignment as one of the task force commanders. The respect he's earned from among the other commanders, including the Minbari, is impressive and 100% deserved. Our time here would have been much more difficult without him and the Phoenix.

Once more into the breach, the fleet is ready. I have a strong crew and ship. The time has come to an end this war once and for all. This battle will be the defining moment of the war. When I accepted this position, I promised to do everything I could to win this war. I intend to see that realized today.

End log."

Final Battle - Z'ha'dum

Hundreds of jump points appeared in the system, signifying the arrival of the allied fleet. The Starfleet ships hadn't bothered to cloak themselves in a sign of solidarity with the fleet. However, Picard was a realist. He planned to use every tool at his disposal to ensure victory and everyone in the fleet knew it.

Waiting for the allied fleet was a fleet of just over 3,300 Shadow warships, ready to defend their homeworld and prove their point in the great argument.

"Shadow vessels. I am Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, commanding the allied fleet. The ships before you have been provided by the governments you have attacked or threatened. Such actions will no longer be tolerated. I am giving you two choices: surrender or be destroyed. The choice is yours."

Picard was surprised to see a humanoid appear on the screen, representing the Shadows. "Admiral Picard. You may call me Mr. Morden. My associates have waited 1,000 years to assume their rightful place in the galaxy. We won't submit simply because you demand it. We have more than enough forces to defeat you."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Picard pressed a button on his chair, his eyes never leaving the viewscreen. Moments later, thousands of jump points opened all over the system, representing the Vorlon fleet's arrival, 4,800 strong.

Picard waited until the last Vorlon ship appeared, then continued speaking. "You may wish to reconsider your position. My fleet has you severely outmanned and outgunned. You have one minute to decide before I give the order to attack."

Picard closed the channel. Just behind him, Riker informed him. "All ships are ready, Sir. We've launched all runabouts, and they have joined the White Star fleet."

A few seconds later, Morden appeared on the screen, flanked by several Shadows. 'Ah. They finally decided to make their presence known,' Picard thought. "After careful consideration, my associates have decided to withdraw," Morden said. Before he could continue, one of the Shadows spoke. "Our debate is a long one and is beyond the young one's ability to understand. We have won the debate: chaos is strength. We created chaos among the young ones for you to become stronger. You've united to fight who you thought was the enemy. We are not your enemy. You are now stronger because of our actions. The Vorlons are wrong. They are always wrong.

There is nothing here for us any longer. We will leave for the rim. We have no further use of the young ones."

"Admiral, ships are phasing into hyperspace all over the system," Data reported from his position at Ops. "Ships are leaving the planet and are entering hyperspace as soon as they reach orbit."

"Inform the fleet. Hold fire. Do not engage."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, sensors have lost contact with several Shadow vessels. They are no longer in range."

"Very, well, Mr. Data. Continue to monitor. Open a channel to the Vorlons."

"Sir, we are being hailed."

"On screen."

"Order has defeated chaos. Our purpose here has ended. We will leave now."

Like the Shadows minutes before, the Vorlon ships began to enter hyperspace and disappear from sensors.

"Admiral, there's more going on here between the Shadows and Vorlons than we know about," Riker said as the main viewer returned to the tactical view.

"I agree, Commander. However, I suspect we will never learn the full truth, especially with them leaving. Inform the fleet to stand down to Yellow alert and begin a standard patrol pattern. Once the planet has been fully evacuated, the Enterprise will enter orbit and deploy away teams to collect intelligence. Inform Captain Sheridan that I would like him to assist."

"Aye, Sir."

U.S.S. Enterprise - Z'ha'dum

-Three Hours Later-

"Admiral, the last Shadow ship has departed. Draal has confirmed that the ships are headed towards an area called the rim outside of this galaxy. The Vorlons are following them. It would appear that the Shadows kept their word, Sir."

"Indeed. Thank you, Mr. Data. Hail White Star 1."

"Captain Sheridan. We've confirmed that the Shadows are traveling to the rim, followed by the Vorlons. I think it's safe to assume that we've won this war, and I think that your voice should be the first to congratulate the fleet and Babylon 5."

"You know what? That's a great idea. I suspect that you would also like to deliver a message as well. I can meet you in orbit once we've delivered our respective messages."

"Agreed. We'll relay your message to Babylon 5 via subspace since it's faster."

"Thank you, Admiral, for everything. I'm ready to begin broadcasting."

"Mr. Data, begin transmission."

White Star 1 - Z'ha'dum

Sheridan sat in his chair on the bridge of White Star 1 and considered what to say to the entire galaxy. He considered writing an elaborate speech, but that wasn't him. This speech needed to sound authentic. Sheridan knew what he wanted to talk about and whom he wanted to recognize. He ultimately decided he would not use a script or written speech. He would speak openly and honestly.

"If I may have your attention. I am Captain John Sheridan, commander of Babylon 5. Eight months ago, I became aware of our galaxy's gravest threat. At that time, all we had were legends and rumors. I attempted to form an alliance to combat the danger without success.

Six months ago, I sent one of my officers to collect the evidence I needed to prove that the threat was real and that all of the races needed to unite to defeat an enemy none of us were strong enough to defeat alone. That mission was successful. We confirmed that the threat was real and who our true enemy was: the Shadows.

Today, I am happy and relieved to inform everyone that the Shadow War is over. We won! The Shadows have left our galaxy and will never return. The Vorlons have also left, following the Shadows. For the first time in history, the younger races will no longer be subjected to the influence of the First Ones.

This victory wouldn't have been possible without everyone joining together for the first time in 1,000 years. More than two dozen races contributed ships to the allied fleet, each playing a critical role in our victory. We all share in this victory together.

However, I feel it's essential to recognize the man who led us to this victory. In my opinion, without his leadership and dedication, I wouldn't be standing here today giving this speech. His name is Admiral Jean-Luc Picard from a previously unknown government called The United Federation of Planets. He galvanized us and gave us hope that it was possible to defeat an enemy that was considered unbeatable. He led us to victory after victory, culminating with today's final victory.

I stand before you in the former home system of the Shadows. Our victory is complete. Now comes the difficult task of rebuilding. However, given the strength shown by every race during the worse crisis of the last 1,000 years, I have faith that we will succeed.

Thank you to everyone for making this victory possible.

Sheridan, out."