Chapter 9

President Elisabeth Levy surreptitiously—she'd hoped—brushed the tears from the corners of her eyes. They're for real! she shouted in her mind. The presence of the ships from the Alpha Quadrant confirmed in her heart what her head had already known. The Federation and the Klingons weren't a bunch of small timers puffing themselves up with self-righteous importance and bluster. Their ships were powerful and with them here, the Earth Alliance had a chance now. Her people still might lose to the Minbari but at least they'd put up a better fight.

As the graceful spacecraft—starships, they called them—an apt name for vessels meant to visit strange new worlds and to seek out new life—had presented themselves for her review, she had wished Hank had lived to have seen them, too. Her husband had passed away from cancer more than a year ago, presenting a brave front and staying mostly out of the limelight while she tried to govern the Alliance and seek a settlement with the Minbari. Though she no longer could seek comfort from the man who'd shared her life for a quarter century, Elizabeth rose from her chair and panned the vast shuttle bay, hoping to catch a glimpse of the alien who'd promised her that Starfleet would come. For several weeks that promise was all she had to hold onto, the only hope that had been offered to beat back the darkness that had threatened her portion of the human race. Now, that promise had been kept and she owed Sarek of Vulcan her deepest gratitude.

Moments later, she spied him standing alone, near one of the transparent aluminum windows. She smiled and walked briskly toward the man. As she grew nearer, she crept slowly toward him, wondering if he would somehow react to her presence by means of some preternatural sense his people possessed. Instead, though, he continued to stare out the window, his eyes apparently gazing at something far, far away.

"A penny," she said simply to him.

Sarek blinked twice before he tore his gaze away from the window in response to her nonsensical statement. "Excuse me?"

Elizabeth Levy graced him with a wry smile. "It's an old Earth saying, Sarek, 'a penny for your thoughts.'" Then she chuckled. "Although Vulcans probably don't require such gestures, I wanted so badly to thank you for all that you've done to help us. So as I was seeking to do just that, I noticed you standing over here looking like you were a million miles away." She then gave him an earnest look and said, "Now, if I carried any loose change on me, I'd gladly give you that penny. Unfortunately, I never carry cash on me. Would you be willing to take a rain check from me, ambassador?"

His mouth nearly quirked into something close to a smile as he said, "Actually, I am familiar with the saying, Elizabeth. You see, Amanda, she who is my wife, has used that term on occasion. Therefore, since I consider you as a valued…colleague, I would accept a 'rain check' from you."

She smiled wistfully at him. "Thank you, Sarek." Then she sobered a bit and asked, "Were you thinking about her…Amanda… just now?"

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The Vulcan ambassador studied the head of state of the Earth Alliance for several moments while he pondered how to answer the woman's question. Her strength and handsome features reminded him so much of how his Amanda had been years ago. But now, while he was here on this mission, he knew his beloved wife was inexorably slipping away day by day. Amanda had become so weak she couldn't possibly have left their home on Vulcan and accompanied him on the long journey to the Earth Alliance. If she had, it most likely would have been her last trip before she passed beyond the veil.

Now, he nodded almost imperceptibly to Elizabeth Levy. "Yes," he said simply.

Although Sarek was a Vulcan and had mastered his emotions, that did not mean he was emotionless as many races seemed to believe of his people. He experienced joy and grief as acutely as any sentient being. He simply suppressed any impulsive reactions as a result of experiencing an emotion.

However, his feelings toward Amanda were something else entirely. When he dwelt on her and her, from his point of view, untimely demise, it took all of his considerable reserve not to rail at the sheer injustice of it all. He wanted to hold someone accountable, illogical as that sounded, for Amanda's nature and the severance it would force upon him. Containing his feelings toward Amanda was all but impossible, even though his face only displayed the merest of twinges.

"Sarek," Levy whispered as she gently placed her hand on his robe-covered forearm, "Tell me about her…please?"

At her gentle caress, the Vulcan male stared down into the eyes of the human female whose compassion reminded him so much of the light he'd always seen in Amanda's.

He sighed and began to speak lowly. "Sixty-six years ago, I was a mid-level diplomat attached to the Vulcan delegation stationed on Federation Earth. An elementary school class of young children was on a field trip to our compound. The class's teacher was an intriguing Human woman. She possessed a gentle bearing and exhibited a keen intelligence that shone brightly in her eyes. Her name was Amanda Grayson…"

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As Captain Tynen circulated among the Earth Alliance personnel, a steward offered him a flute of champagne.

Tynen took a sip of his drink and had intended to return to the side of his soul mate when he suddenly noticed that Senator Quantrell appeared to be paying an inordinate amount of attention to V'Lar. Knowing his wife would not realize that the senator was inappropriately intruding into her personal space, Tynen started toward the pair, in the hopes he could put a stop to Quantrell's madness before he did something to embarrass himself and his government. That's when Athena Palamas cut him off at the pass.

"Captain," the preternaturally lovely demi-goddess breathed. "Commander V'Lar, Major Gemma, and you performed magnificently in front of ISN!"

The captain smiled blankly at Lt. Palamas while he continued to glare surreptitiously at the Quantrell. "Why, thank you, Lieutenant," he offered with a halfway, genuine smile. Athena had definitely inherited her mother's otherworldly beauty if the images from Carolyn Palamas' service record were accurate. Like her mother, his Lieutenant Palamas had the most gorgeous blonde hair he'd ever seen in his life, an incredible figure he'd had the good fortune to see in her tight-fitting swimsuit during her daily laps in the ship's swimming pool, and haunting azure eyes the color of the Regulus system's blue star. "May I get you a drink?"

"Thank you, sir! I'll have some champagne."

He guided the young lieutenant to the bar where one of the stewards poured two flutes of the bubbly beverage for them. Tynen then handed one of the goblets to her while he kept the other. Moments later, he noticed his wife's graceful approach with the senator clinging close to V'Lar's side.

When his wife had reached them, she nodded to Athena. "Lieutenant," she said. Then she turned to him and breathed, "Captain."

Tynen's heart skipped a beat at the sound of his Vulcan's voice. Although most humans couldn't detect the subtle inflections in a Vulcan's voice, over time, he'd learned to be able to tell when she was serene, when she was annoyed, and when, like now, she wanted to drag him off to their bedroom to have her wicked way with him.

"Hello, Commander V'Lar!" Athena gushed.

"Lieutenant Palamas, allow me to introduce you to Senator Quantrell. The senator is the vice chairman of the Earth Alliance's Ways and Means Senate Committee."

Athena turned to the man and flashed him a beautiful smile. "Senator, it's so nice to meet you! Please call me Athena."

The senator nodded congenially to her. "Why, like the very goddess herself! Believe you me, Athena, the pleasure is all mine!" he gushed, allowing a hint of his Virginian drawl to sneak out. "I must say, Athena, it's quite a rare opportunity for me to enjoy the company of such visions of loveliness like Commander V'Lar and yourself."

Although V'Lar cocked her eyebrow at the legislator, she maintained her diplomatic demeanor. "Why, thank you, Senator Quantrell. That was very gallant of you to say," she observed dryly as she raised two of her fingers toward her husband.

Tynen smiled at her and reciprocated by pressing his two fingers against hers.

"That's quite a touching scene, captain."

Tynen turned toward Cynthia Torqueman. "Oh, Cynthia, that was quite a pun," he noted with a smirk.

"What is the purpose of the gesture?"

He looked to his wife to provide the reporter an answer. "My people do not normally engage in demonstrative acts of affection in public. However, this gesture, as you call it, is acceptable in Vulcan society for married couples to touch in this manner in public."

As Cynthia tried to digest V'Lar's explanation, Tynen asked the reporter, "Are you having a good time?"

The newswoman smiled then nodded politely to his wife, Athena, and the senator. "Why, yes, I am, captain. I just finished chatting with Major Gemma. She's quite fascinating. Were you aware she had been taken prisoner by a Federation starship several years ago?"

"Is that so, Cynthia? It was my understanding that she and her surviving crew had been our guests after they'd been removed from a crippled starship that had become a radiation hazard. The radiation would have soon killed the survivors if Captain Kirk hadn't been there."

"Well, I'm certain her story will be fascinating to uncover after I've had the opportunity to interview you and your wife, sir."

"Excuse me, Ms. Torqueman," V'Lar asked, "did you say that you desire to conduct an interview with Captain Tynen and me?"

The other woman nodded. "Yes, Commander V'Lar. I thought Mr. Hastings had told you about it."

V'Lar's expression gave nothing away as she sternly regarded the reporter. "I was not informed about your request by Mr. Hastings. May I ask what you propose to cover with us during your interview?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you both why you chose to become involved with a person from a different species and how you came to be married. I also wanted your comments regarding the statements made by Dr. Khali in regards to your relationship from both a personal and a Federation perspective on the subject."

V'Lar said nothing in response and narrowed her eyes at Torqueman. Tynen, though, sensed his wife's annoyance and decided to intervene. "Cynthia, as my wife told you, Mr. Hastings hasn't had the chance to inform her about the interview. Since this is the first she's heard about it, we'd appreciate the opportunity to discuss your request between us before we can give you an answer on whether we are willing to take you up on your gracious invitation."

Apparently, the woman knew when not to push. "Of course, captain. Please take as much time as you both shall need."

V'Lar then graciously bowed to the reporter. "Thank you, Ms. Torqueman. My husband and I greatly appreciate your consideration in this matter and promise to be diligent in our deliberations concerning your request."

Suddenly, before Cynthia could respond, the sound of the transporter effect caused everyone to glimpse at the far corner of the room. Moments later, three forms solidified inside the beams. Two were Starfleet officers, one an African American, the other Asian and the third was a middle-aged Klingon officer.

At that moment, Athena snapped to attention and barked, "Admiral on deck!"

The African American officer nodded his affirmation and snapped, "As you were."

Tynen then smiled and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have just been joined by Admiral Tapin, Captain Sulu, and Brigadier Kerla. Gentlemen," he called out to the three men, "please join us for some refreshments!"

Admiral Tapin returned Tynen's smile and said, "Don't mind if we do, Jason!"

#

"I wish I had been there to see that," she whispered.

Minutes after their arrival, Tapin, Kerla, Tynen, Sarek, and V'Lar were standing at Elizabeth Levy's side along with several EarthForce officers discussing Alcaltha's defeat of the Minbari attack force sent to Jericho.

"Excuse me, Madame President, I didn't quite catch that."

Levy blushed slightly. Thinking out loud was a habit she'd developed recently and needed to squash. "I'm sorry, Admiral. I merely said I wish that I could have been at Jericho to watch Alcaltha make the Minbari suffer for a change," she said. "There have been so many deaths on both sides. I don't understand them. Why would they do such a thing because of the death of their leader? I would never want my people to perform such acts of barbarity to avenge my death."

"When beings allow their emotions to guide their actions instead of logic, barbarity is usually the result," Ambassador Sarek observed. "We are in this predicament precisely because of the Minbaris' proclivity toward overly emotional responses. I have spoken to several of the Minbari prisoners we captured in the Alpha Quadrant. After several conversations, I saw a troubling pattern; their emotions effectively crippled their ability to reason and caused them to engage in illogical behavior that led them to annihilate a Federation colony."

"Even though all you've said is true, Ambassador Sarek," Tapin said, "I intend to defend this system from the Minbari war machine. Our jumpspace detection network will be fully deployed in several days. Once the Minbari arrive in system, my force will make certain they'll get an up close and personal introduction to several thousand photon torpedoes."

At the merest mention of the torpedoes, Hague's, Bainbridge's, and Lochley's ears perked up causing the president to fake a cough to hide her laugh. It seemed that whenever the Feds chatted about their weapons, her military personnel almost appeared as if they'd grown a second pair of ears to make certain they wouldn't miss anything.

"Proximity strikes," Sulu continued, "will tear them apart whether we achieve an accurate lock or not. The Minbari ships produce wakes whenever they move and we will use that to our advantage when targeting them."

"We've tried that," Bainbridge said. "We still couldn't find a way to hit our targets."

"That is why we are outfitting your most capable ships' sensors with a short-ranged, subspace scanner," V'Lar noted. "You will be able to accurately target the Minbari vessels whether or not they are in stealth mode. For those ships that are not so equipped, we shall have two dedicated communications vessels able to transmit you targeting data as required. You shall have instant access via linked hookup. That will help your fighter craft when they are engaged against the Minbari Nials."

"If the Minbari are spoiling for a fight," Tapin said, "I intend to make them understand that war is hell, particularly if they mess with the Klingons and Starfleet. It's a shame we can't adjust your weapons to compensate for their scattering fields however there isn't enough time. However, we'll try to do what we can in the time allotted. General Bainbridge, I understand that your cruiser, the Inchon, needs an upgrade!"

Bainbridge smiled at Tapin. "That's right, admiral."

"Good! Let's see—I believe that we'll replace all of your beam weapons, except for your interceptors, with phase cannons and exchange your missiles for spatial torpedoes. We'll also outfit your ship with third generation impulse drives, a warp core from one of our defense satellites, polarized hull plating and shields. We'll give you an engineering team to help you maintain the upgrades and a weapons crew for the phase cannons and spatial torpedoes."

Bainbridge smiled at Tapin and shook his head. "I don't know what even half of that stuff means but it all sounds pretty good to me!" the man drawled. "Thank you for doing this, admiral."

Tapin grinned at the other man. "Don't mention it, general. Just bring your ship to your Earth's L1 point. That's where the USS Auckland, my base of operations in system will be. The Auckland is a Pearl Class Mobile Repair Facility with four hundred engineers and technicians just itching to soup up your ride!"

A stunned look crossed Lochley's exquisite face just then. "Your repair docks are capable of faster-than-light travel independently?"

All the Starfleet people and the Klingons nearby looked at her like she had two heads. "Well, of course, Human," Major Gemma snapped. "How else could either of our fleets support and repair our warships rapidly to turn the tide of battle and to control entire areas of space?"

As Lochley stared at the stern-looking engineer, Kerla added, "We brought one of ours here with us as well."

Hague then asked, "Isn't it risky to bring facilities like those into a war zone?"

Kerla shrugged. "War is a risky business, general. It is not for those who are timid. However, neither of us are fools. Both mobile units are armed. Moreover, they're escorted either by corvettes, if the unit belongs to the Federation, or gunboats, if the unit is one of ours."

"Just before the battle begins, the mobile repair facilities, the cargo vessels, and the medical cruisers will warp out past the Oort Cloud and orbit the system at Warp 1, effectively invisible to the Minbaris' sensors. In the meantime, until the rest of the fleet gets here to relieve us, we will need to fight hard and to fight smart," Tapin announced. "Speed is our biggest weapon. The Minbari are masters at using jump space as a weapon. If our ships maintain the same trajectory and speeds, those bastards will tear us apart with their transition distortions. Therefore, I am ordering all ships to engage in random, evasive maneuvers during all combat situations. At space normal speeds, they will be able to track us and every ship we lose will lessen our firepower. Our weapons are superior but they have superior numbers. We can't afford to underestimate them."

"Agreed," said Kerla. "Then afterwards we must take the battle to them. So, the Minbari desire to exterminate humanity? Show them the folly of their error and beat them into submission." Smirking, he studied the Earth Alliance officers. "I've talked to the prisoners we captured in the Alpha Quadrant. Would you like to know what they think?"

"Tell us," President Levy simply said.

Kerla sighed and said, "Very well. Madame, these people want you dead, not simply defeated. I understand how they feel because, up until now, I felt the same about the humans on our side of the galaxy. We are of a kind, the Minbari and mine. My advice: you must be prepared to kill them all because if you don't they'll stop at nothing to do the same to all of you."

"Short of genocide, we will do whatever is necessary to end this-conflict," Tapin said.

"That is all that the Klingon people ask," Kerla answered slyly.

#

"Jason."

Captain Tynen turned to find Admiral Tapin right by his side.

"Admiral?"

"Let's take a walk."

Tynen blinked once then excused himself from his discussions with General Hague, Commander Lochley, and V'Lar. Then both of the African American men strolled across the deck and exited into one of the Valkyrie's corridors.

As they sauntered down the corridor, Tapin said, "Jason, you did a hell of a job when you arrived in system. The Klingons are working well with us, the Earth Alliance people are ready to cooperate, and the media appears to be on our side for a change."

"Thank you, sir. But you didn't bring me out here," his hand swept the corridor, "to tell me that, did you?"

"No, I didn't," Tapin replied with a tiny smile on his face. "I just got word from Admiral Mendez. Captain Gaila's promotion has come through. At my recommendation, Operations is giving her command of the Dancer, the Avenger-class destroyer leader. Interesting that Mendez would put an Orion female captain with an Orion female first officer. I believe Commander Mares was your wife's Academy roommate."

A fleeting fantasy of himself sandwiched between his wife and her old roommate flashed through Tynen's mind just then. "That's good news, Admiral."

"Yes, it is, Jason. She was one of the best adjutants I've ever had, extremely disciplined and had an innate ability to grasp the big picture."

"It sounds like you'll have a hard time finding someone to take her place."

"Not really. You see, I already have. You."

Tynen's eyes opened wide at that. "Me, sir?

"You came highly recommended to me by Jose. He has always been impressed by you; he even told me how you kept the peace in the Regulus system between the Klingons and us. Plus, you've got that experience as a spook in your background…" At Tynen's hard look, Tapin waved him down. "Yes, I know about your work with Section 31. I know you people think outside of the box. Well, we're probably going to face at least five hundred to six hundred frontline warships backed by only fifty-five starships and a lot of outclassed Earth Alliance boats. If we're going to survive, we need some outside-the-box thinking and I think you're the man to do it. Besides, as a fellow brother, I think we'll both do a great job watching each other's back."

"Well, you do have a point there, sir. However, I want to make certain I'm not having my command of my ship taken from me, am I, sir?"

"Of course not, Jason. I would be crazy to take one of our most experienced combat commanders out of the saddle at a time like this. When the Minbari show up, you'll be on your bridge come hell or high water."

"Very good, sir."

"However," Tapin noted with a sly smile on his face, "I've been asked to carry out a favor on behalf of Jose that he owed to your wife. It seems that Admiral Mendez had promised you both that he would make it 'worth her while' if she cooperated with that reporter Hastings. Well, since she came through for us, Jose decided the time is right for him to come through for you two."

A confused Tynen narrowed his eyes at the admiral. "Sir, I don't understand what you're driving at."

"Well, let me make it clear for you, son. Your ship has been assigned one of the new shuttle fighter squadron, the 6903rd, Hell's Angels. They're the new F-14 Tomcat combat shuttlecrafts. They're being off-loaded onto your ship as we speak. Since your ship is now a carrier, she's been designated as CVL 90 and, as a carrier, it is appropriate for the Executive Officer to also have the rank of 'captain.'

"Sir," a flustered Tynen simply couldn't believe his ears. "Do you really mean it?"

Tapin smiled brightly at the captain. "I'm as serious as a heart attack, Fleet Captain Tynen."

Tynen blinked twice before the words 'Fleet Captain' registered in his brain. Tapin then continued to talk as if he were discussing the weather. "Since I'm the only flag officer with this strike force, I need two senior captains to handle two of the attack wings. Beta wing will be under Captain Sulu's command. Gamma wing will be under your command. Since you'll have other captains subordinate to you both, I decided to take the honorary rank of Fleet Captain out of mothballs and apply it to this situation. Of course, Fleet Captain, your flag ship will be the Valkyrie while Fleet Captain Sulu will plant his flag on the Excelsior. However, during our preparations for the Minbari attack on this system, Captain V'lar will command the Valkyrie. She's up to it, isn't she?"

Tynen nodded fervently at the man. "Oh, absolutely, sir! V'Lar is the best!" he gushed. Still, he almost pinched himself to make sure he wasn't in the midst of a dream. The title of Fleet Captain had been used very rarely in Starfleet, possibly because of the unfortunate connotation the title had in connection with the two previous recipients of the title.

The first was Fleet Captain Christopher Pike, the man who'd commanded the Enterprise prior to Captain Kirk. As a fleet captain, Pike was engaged in a training exercise aboard an antiquated Class J starship. Unfortunately, the vessel's baffle plate ruptured and many of the cadets were killed. However, Pike managed to save a number of them—at the cost him being rendered a "complete invalid". Despite his catastrophic injuries, Pike remained on the active duty roster as a command-grade officer.

The other was Fleet Captain Garth of Izar. The hero of the Battle of Axanar, the bane of the Klingons, Garth was a tactical genius, perhaps more so than James T. Kirk. However, Garth suffered some injuries during a mission to Antos IV where the natives helped him regain his health by teaching him their ability of metamorphic biochemistry control. Unfortunately, the strain of the process drove Garth dangerously insane. While suffering from his insanity, Garth killed several people. When given a new drug that helped cure his psychosis, Garth was released from custody. However, his guilt over the deaths that he'd caused led him to leave Starfleet to become an advocate to find more cures for those afflicted with mental instability.

In this case, though, how much trouble could the title bring down on his head? They were committed to stay in an almost perfect copy of their own solar system to defend the inhabitants from utter annihilation by a powerful alien race whose people wanted nothing more than the death of every human being in existence.

Now, he determined that the best response to give Tapin was a confident, stiff-upper lipped one. "Thank you, Admiral. I promise you we won't let you down."

"I know you won't, Jay," Tapin said then handed a PADD to Tynen. "Look over these tactical reports based on Starfleet Intelligence's analysis of our own solar system. I want your thoughts on how we can use the materials of the solar system, every planet, every moon, every asteroid to confuse, trick, and destroy the Minbari during their attack. We'll meet at my office on the Auckland at oh seven hundred. Oh, and Jay? Bring your wife so I can pin on both of your new insignias, but don't tell her a thing! I want it to be a surprise."

At that, Tynen shot an askew glance at the man. "A surprise? Sir, may I remind you that my wife is a Vulcan?"

Tapin snickered at that. "I know, Jay, but one can hope! If I can pull something like this off on a Vulcan, I can die happy! Now, I'm thirsty! How about another drink?"

"Yes, sir," Tynen said as he shook the admiral's hand. Then they started toward the shuttlecraft bay to rejoin the festivities.

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