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Lord-General Marrago gazed out the windows of his bridge. He could see the fleet from his vantage point. Twelve Primuses and twenty-one Vorchans were gathered while countless Sentri fighters flitted about on their patrols. A jumppoint opened and three more Vorchans joined the armada.
Marrago shook his head in wonder. So many. An entire fleet. It was overkill. They had conquered Narn with a much smaller fleet. But then, the Royal Admiralty wanted its mission speedily accomplished. In a way, he regretted the quick end of the War of Retribution. The war against the Narn had ended so quickly that the momentum of the Centauri war machine still had strength to spill over to neighboring star systems. A particularly bright star drew his eyes. The binary star system that Earthers called Zeta Reticuli a little over two light-years away. If the god of navies, Kotan, and the god of soldiers, Gon, were still with him, one of the twin stars would be Centauri. Automatically, he sent up a prayer to the goddess of luck, Ilaros.
At least, his wife, Lady Drusella, and his adopted daughter, Lyndisty, could live without fear of enemies in the sky. As long as Lord Refa didn't push his war plans through the Centaurum, that is. The plans called for more than twenty fronts in the expansion of the Republic.
Militarily speaking, it wasn't logical to bog down the Great Republic in that fashion. Marrago hoped that Grand Fleet Admiral Dromo and Royal Guardsman Elite Tavastani could use their influences at the Royal Court and the Centaurum to prevent that. Marrago glanced at the large bead in his hand. The light made the black oil-like surface of the bead gleam and it felt too much like smooth skin for his comfort. That odd human had given it to him saying that allies, "associates," of the Centauri would come if the lord-general was in desperate need for help. Any new allies Marrago would find would be left alone by these associates. He wouldn't have accepted the bead if not for the fact that Lord Refa vouched for the human. Had these "associates" something to do with the surprising ease of the War of Retribution against the Narn? He'd heard troubling rumors....
"Lord-General?"
Marrago turned to look at the source of the voice. It was Lord Admiral Jarissi. "Lord-General, we are detecting strange energy distortions near the armada."
Marrago frowned. The fleet was supposed to gather in secret before jumping the short distance to the Vree colony of Photikar. Has the Vree discovered them? "Let's see it."
Jarissi nodded at an officer in the bridge. The officer activated the viewer.
All they could see was few of the stars waving about as if they were part of an aurora borealis. Definitely not a jumppoint forming.
Suddenly, they could see tiny pinpricks of...somethings replacing the distortion. The pinpricks expanded until they could see that they were ships. They didn't get bigger or closer, but simply appearing, unsqueezing themselves. Once the unsqueezing was finished, the Centauri armada found itself not the only fleet in the starry neighborhood.
Marrago could see that three of the alien ships were different from each other and from the rest of the alien fleet. Glowing points of light shot out of the three alien ships at the mile-tall alien vessel. Some of the lights were red, while those from the ship with the red beak and green body were golden-orange. Energy beams accompanied the pulsing lights. The barrage of the alien weapons impacted the mile-tall vessel. Marrago was impressed at the power of the barrage as the spine-vessel soon began to fold, crumpling in a way that made the Lord-General think of fire wounding a Centauri's skin. It crumpled until it finally broke in two, its blue and green lights fading in the spine-vessel's death throes.
Marrago gawked as star-like blue-white dust flowed from the energy traces on several of the golden-brown alien ships to hit the other three vessels. An energy bubble appeared to glow around each of the three vessels. Force shields. So the briefs from the Royal Admiralty were true. The Abbai are selling or sharing their shield tech.
Come to think of it, one of the three vessels fits the general description of the vessel reported near Quadrant 27 and in Babylon 5 space. It wouldn't hurt to make a new alliance and get that coveted shield technology.
He gawked again as the three alien vessels attained impossible speed and maneuverability to evade the alien fleet. Only fighters could be that good, and these ships were around the size of Drazi sunhawks. It was time for alliances, indeed.
"Lieutenant, hail the aliens."
"Which one, Lord-General?"
"All of them. The first one to answer will have our pleasure."
Marrago waited for a few seconds before the lieutenant finally signaled that someone answered the hail. He squared his shoulders before facing the vidscreen, wiping nonexistent dust off of his elaborate uniform. "This is Lord-General Marrago on the Centauri Royal Ship Thalis. To whom do I have the honor of speaking?"
The vidscreen cleared to show an alien that appeared to be a cross between insectoid and reptilian. Most of the sixteen Centauri in the bridge crew hissed in disgust at the sight. Most, except for Marrago and Jarissi. The general and the admiral stared back at the alien, shocked with recognition.
The faceted ruby eyes glittered in the green light. "The Kam'Jahtae remember you." The link was quickly cut off.
Eyes widening, Jarissi and Marrago looked at each other. A commander leaned over a console towards the two Centauri officers. "What was that? You seem to recognize the alien."
Marrago nodded numbly. Finally. After all these centuries, they've found them. "Yes, Commander Altan. This is something we have been looking for, and afraid of. We all know them, but only the highest officers and officials in the Republic know their appearance."
Commander Altan frowned, puzzled. "We know them? This is the first time we've seen their ships or face."
Lord Admiral Jarissi leaned forward, putting his nose very close to that of Altan. "Think, my man. When the First Emperor founded the Republic, what did he subdue?"
Altan widened his eyes in realization. "The Xon and..."
Jarissi nodded grimly. "...and the Shoggren." Over a thousand and seven hundred years ago in Earth's 6th century, the First Emperor was rebuilding the world, bringing it out of the ashes of the Xon Wars, founding Imperial City with the help of three technomages, Centauri Prime knew war with another alien race again. The Shoggren invaded the homeworld with only very few ships, but Marrago knew from the sealed records that without the help of those technomages, the advanced Shoggren would have conquered Centauri Prime. The invaders left. Then in Earth's fourteenth century, the Centauri discovered Shoggren wreckage in the mountains of Xonos. Within a century, the Centauri went from an industrial society to a civilization capable of founding its first out-system colony at Immolan V in the Earth year 1438.
Ever since, xenophobic Centauri ships searched for any sign of the feared Shoggren, but all they found were primitive worlds and isolated empires, most of which were conquerable. Indeed, one of the motivations for the first Centauri imperial expansion was to prepare a base of power against the Shoggren. Never again would aliens hold dominion over the Centauri just as the Xon did and the Shoggren tried to do. Out of traditional habit and inertia, the Royal Admiralty instructed its highest officers to be on the lookout for the Shoggren.
And they finally found them!
Marrago ran to punch a button in the communications console. "This is General Marrago. All ships, engage the Shoggren fleet! Repeat, engage the Shoggren fleet! Demola, Saiha, attack them in the center! Arcati, Yaria, lead the Vorchans in a flanking attack! Ferono Des, launch the Jaki Squadron to engage the smaller Shoggren ships! Lieutenant, keep sending the friendship hails to the non-Shoggren ships."
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Most of the Centauri warships maneuvered themselves to face the Hur'q. Missiles were already making their ways from the Vorchans and Primuses to the bioships, closing the gap between the two fleets. Closely following were Sentri fighters. The Vorchans were now dividing themselves into two groups, each group accelerating into a flanking maneuver away from the Primus group. The slower Primuses arranged themselves into an arrow, preparing to stab into the Hur'q fleet, and waited for the missiles to make their impacts. The large Octurion-class CRS Thalis held back to form the base of the Primus arrowhead.
The gap between the fleets was still closing when the first of the Centauri missiles impacted on the bioships. The first missiles detonated against the Hur'q shields, weakening them enough for other missiles to break through and explode against the bioships themselves.
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"Where did they come from?!" Lieutenant Angelo Tiffe shouted, thoroughly frightened but controlled enough to keep manipulating data in the navigation console. "And where's the starbase?!"
Captain Hikaru Sulu peered at the purple-gold warships approaching from the distance. The glow of the fires of missiles made pinpricks in the main viewscreen. The missiles were still too far away to spot. They were definitely not Romulan. "I don't know, Lieutenant. That fleet seems to have waited for us. Focus on the bioships for now, Mr. Tiffe."
Lieutenant Akaar spared a second to glance over his shoulder at the main viewscreen before returning to the tactical console. They still had a battle to fight. "Captain, the unknowns are engaging the Hur'q. Sir, the unknowns are aiming some type of tachyon beams at us."
"Oh no," groaned Lieutenant Commander Kruton Lojur as the starship shook from a weapon impact on the shields. The Alpha-Centaurian didn't expect to die in such an impossible situation. Sweat was popping on his forehead as he manipulated the helms, keeping the starship evading other ships and weapons. "Not more hostiles!"
Ensign Tuvok calmly called out, "The tachyon beams are not weapons. Sensors are detecting repeating codes within the beams. It could be their version of communication technology." Turning to face Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand across the bridge, he continued. "Ms. Rand, I am transferring the sensor readings to your station." Janice nodded and threw herself into the task of figuring out the tachyon communication technology.
Akaar shouted, "Sir! The Romulans!"
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"Fvadt!" Commander R'Tahl Jurod cursed once more as the Khiem'Ra shook under weapons fire. It wasn't a metaweapon after all. Instead, it pulled all of them into another space. Now they had another entire fleet to watch out for. Fortunately, the huge alien armada was attacking the alien biofleet. The Romulans could now afford to watch the two fleets pummel each other. And Jurod needed time to decide what to do about their situation.
He angrily looked at the sub-commander. "Veron! When we are able, cloak!"
The R'derex-class warbird rose up, spiraling on its axis and accelerated. Tiny blue-white Hur'q stars rained upon its shields, causing it to glow faintly as it evaded its way past the swirling bioships. Once out of the thick of battle, the Khiem'Ra shimmered and merged itself with the night as it fled the battle.
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General Moghar roared in anger. "Romulan cowards! The pieces of baktag really have no honor!" In blind fury, he kicked at the body of Commander Narg. The general was surprised to hear a grunt from Narg. He wasn't dead after all! More gently, Moghar kicked at Narg until the commander was fully awake.
Narg stood up groggily, wiping the blood from his face. He looked suitably feral with the blood smears and trails on his face in the reddened darkness of the bridge.
Moghar grinned. Clasping the commander's shoulder tightly, he said, "Narg! You've stayed to complete your duties before going to Sto-vo-kor!" The general laughed. "Attend to them!"
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The cloud of missiles spent itself on the bioships, lighting up the night with small explosions. The Sentri fighters, spearheaded by the famed Jaki Squadron which consisted of the newer Rutarian-class strike fighters, soon penetrated the Hur'q fleet, strafing the smaller bioships. Particle energy bolts were absorbed by the bioships' weak shields and strong layered bioarmors, serving only to distract the bioships with painful stings. For the bioships and their pilot-commanders, the feeling was akin to traveling very fast unprotected during a light rainfall.
Soon, the Centauri warships got within the range of their weapons. The light rainfall became a thunderstorm.
Powerful lasers, particle beams and ion bolts worked with disruptors, phasers and torpedoes against the Hur'q, the Centauri finding unspoken allies in the Klingons and Federationers. The dance of allies became a dance with Death as lives were snuffed out on all sides of the battle. Though more Centauri died than Hur'q, Klingons and Federationers, the numerically superior Centauri advance was beginning to break into the Hur'q lines. Severely outnumbered, the Hur'q reached a consensus with each other. A sacrifice was needed to placate the cosmic justice of the universe. Now they only had to wait to see if the universe would accept the sacrifice.
The small bioships sped toward each other and formed a tight sphere around the four larger triple-tailed bioships called Leviathans by the Hur'q. Their speed, faster than the Excelsior could go without going to warp, shocked the Centauri once more. A bigger shock was yet to come. The jagged energy traces in the layered bioarmor of each bioship glowed a brilliant white until the sphere of bioships glowed like a tiny sun whose light would not reach the Vree planets of Zeta Reticuli for two years, causing sensor and scanning systems on non-Hur'q ships to go off the charts.
The bioships began to spin as it formed a pulsing halo of blue-white energy. Spinning, the bioships disappeared in their own blinding light and the halo of energy was thrown off. The spherical shockwave quickly expands as if a star went nova within the Hur'q fleet and passed over the nearer ships of the Centauri armada, many of which, especially the fighters, instantly became millions of shards of metal and dust. The shockwave was too powerful for the destroyed ships to even have time to create fiery explosions.
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Lord-General Marrago stared in mounting horror at the onrushing transparent blue-white wall of the Shoggren shockwave weapon. It wasn't supposed to happen like this! They were supposed to be destroying Vree saucers, boarding Vree orbital stations and sending landers down to the planet Photikar by now. He glanced down at the large oil-like bead in his hand. Marrago closed his fist tightly over the bead, squeezing shut his eyes in terrified concentration, fully expecting to die, and thinking of his adopted daughter Lyndisty. Help!
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Space around the roiling mass of ships and fighters shimmered and three oily black masses blocked the stars. Shrieks sounded in the minds of everyone on the ships, including the bioships. The psychic screams startled the small bioships enough to stop spinning and feeding power to the shockwave weapon which immediately weakened.
As soon as the shimmering stopped, streaks of white light glowed on the oily black skin of the three Shadows. These Shadows were on the opposite sides of the roiling battle from each other. The white striations quickly gave birth to balls of pulsing white light. The balls of white light pulsed asymmetrically and awkwardly as they flew into the wall of the expanding transparent sphere of the Hur'q shockwave weapon. The pulsing weapons spread themselves over the sphere, merging with the shockwave. The energy sphere slowed, wavered and faded until it was only capable of tumbling ships and blasting fragile fighters to bits. Shrieks once more stabbed into minds, announcing the verdict of the universe's cosmic justice.
Immediately after, a purple beam lanced out from one of the Shadows, asymmetrical blue hazes shimmering around the purple beam. It burned through milling Centauri fighters, vaporizing them, and passed between the small bioships until it contacted one of the Leviathans. The Leviathan crumpled, dying. As the purple beam began to move sideways to slice the large bioship, non-Hur'q objects and Hur'q bodies spilled out. The other three Leviathans panicked and turned away, splitting their triple-tails. They were just cargo ships for objects that the Hur'q plundered on their raids. Stardust filled the clean lines on their bioarmor and subspace energy crackled, caressing where the large bioships submerged into subspace, leaving their smaller, but better armed, brethren to the battle. Only the bioship Gomtuu joined the Leviathans in their flight into subspace as armed escort for the cargo ships.
Another Shadow ship lashed out with its purple slicer, catching one of the fleeing Leviathans, severing its tapering tails. The subspace portal immediately closed at the loss of power, leaving the rear half of the large ship floating in space, objects and bodies spilling out of the open end. The front half was gone, lost in subspace itself.
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Shock reigned in the bridges of all ships in the battle at the callousness and the firepower of these new arrivals. Marrago, frightened at the kind of allies that the Centauri actually had, sent up prayers to the navy god Kotan and to the Great Maker. Captain Sulu urged the science stations to get as complete a reading and recording as possible, gaping wide-eyed at the frighteningly high power and reach of the weapons, and the size of those black organic vessels. And those beam weapons were as thick as a shuttlecraft! General Moghar admired the ferocious efficiency of these dark aliens, but even the Klingons were nervous about them. Other minds watched and schemed from outside the battlefield. All ordered their ships to avoid these purple weapons and their sources. Soon, the Centauri, Klingons and Federationers held back to watch, firing only potshots at passing Hur'q.
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A Shadow slowly moved forward, firing at a Hur'q bioship, quickly killing it. The Hur'q's weak shield technology wasn't even a consideration for the power of the Shadow weapon. Another Shadow caught a bioship before it could get too close and killed it. One Hur'q bioship, however, managed to get close enough to fire tiny stars at the black ship that murdered its sibling. The stars were absorbed and dissipated by the black oily bioarmor. The Shadow ship, hurt by the counter fire, lashed out, gutting the offending bioship. It fired again, grazing another bioship and accidentally hitting a Centauri Vorchan. The Vorchan was mercifully not destroyed and was burning, listing sideways. The Excelsior rushed to the rescue of the wounded Vorchan. To the Centauri, it seemed the bright alien ship was doing nothing, being careful to avoid the Shadows and protect the wounded warship. Also, it seemed to them that lifesigns were quickly disappearing from inside the damaged parts of the listing Vorchan.
The second Shadow lazily moved as two more bioships rushed towards it. The Shadow fired three times, killing three more bioships. One of the two onrushing bioships sent tiny stars slamming into the second Shadow in a strafing run and maneuvered through the spines jutting from the body of the Shadow ship. It was soon destroyed by the first Shadow, however. That one maneuvered arrogantly to the left and downward, firing twice more, wounding more bioships, but not killing them. The three Shadow ships sedately gathered together as a group and waited for the rest of the Hur'q fleet to swarm them.
The maddened and confused Hur'q went back to their baser insectoid-reptilian instincts and swarmed the Shadows for their kill. The five surviving bioships rushed the three Shadows, their jagged energy traces glowing blinding white. Then a fourth Shadow shimmered into existence behind them, blocking their possible retreat. Purple beams lanced and crisscrossed in the slaughter. Soon, all of the bioships were either totally destroyed or floating dead in the cold mercy of space. The four Shadows moved off and shimmered out, leaving the Centauri, Klingons and Federationers stunned.
It was over. And the Shadows took only one minute, Earth time.
Babylon 5
"Must not let Centauri have ship!" The Drazi Ambassador Vizhak fumed. "Drazi at war with Centauri. Drazi not tolerate Centauri ships with shields!"
The Abbai ambassador stood up. "The Abbai Matriarchate agrees!" Kalika glared at Ambassador Mollari as the Pak'ma'Ra ambassador gestured agreement.
The Brakiri ambassador stood up as well. "The Enterprise has been most generous to us. They have provided something we have been looking for so long and hard."
Sheridan raised his eyebrows in surprise. Have they already sold their shield technology? "Ambassador Lethke, I'm curious. What did they give you?"
Lethke smiled and blushed. "When television and radio signals reached Brakir from Earth, they became popular and important for my people's society. Most shows are watched and studied on Brakir, in particular the vidshow, Dallas. We, unfortunately, missed one episode and Earth lost the recording for that episode. It was most fortunate that the Enterprise had recordings from its own Earth. Now we finally know who killed J.R.!"
Sheridan screwed his face in confusion and frustration. He felt like shouting that he didn't care if the Enterprise gave away Debbie Does Dallas with pomp and fanfare, just that they vote right away. He reminded himself once again that he was the diplomatic representative of the Earth Alliance. He gestured for another ambassador to speak.
Londo Mollari was bored, but he was determined to have his way. "The extra-universal ship Enterprise savagely attacked two Centauri ships, murdering hundreds. Wouldn't the universe be safer if we took that dangerous ship and make it disappear?"
Delenn glanced at Kosh who appeared to be avidly watching the whole thing. Well, she didn't know if the Vorlon was watching avidly. The fact that Kosh stayed through the long hours told her something. The mere presence of the Newcomers' ships was causing disorder, discontent. Perhaps, for the sake of the Light, it would be better for them to leave. Though...she didn't exactly feel right about this. She didn't like that feeling. It was too similar to what she felt before the surrender at the Battle of the Line. She pulled out of her musings when the Markab ambassador stood up. It was the first time she'd seen Fashar in this chamber.
Fashar steadied himself before speaking. "The gods found many of my people wanting and sent the Dark Angel of Drafa. Realizing that the Dark Angel had come, my people quickly worked to purge themselves of sin. But the plague remained, and soon death was everywhere. Fathers abandoned their sick sons. Lawyers refused to come and make out wills for the dying. Priests were left to care for the sick, and temples were soon deserted, as they were stricken, too. Bodies were left in empty houses, and there was no one to give them a proper last ritual and burial. Even now, the great cities of Yersin and Kerson are villages among empty buildings and temples. As I think over these miseries, sorrow grows in me."
Fashar turned his eyes to the table of the Big Powers. "Shame on you for trying to take away our Saviors." He pointed at Londo. "The Enterprise may have killed many of your people, but your people are attacking worlds, killing many more."
Londo tiredly raised an eyebrow. "You are concerned about the Enterprise. And the Hakudo Maru, yes?"
Fashar dropped his pointing finger wordlessly. He had defended the "Saviors" if only to repay a little bit of the debt that can never be repaid by Markab, nothing more. And to keep the dangerous Centauri from getting their sinful hands on the Newcomers' technology, of course. He didn't really care if the Earth Alliance took the other extra-universal ship.
"Here we go," said Dr. McCoy.
"Oh hush, Bones," hissed Kirk.
Ambassador Zilchah delicately stood up. "The Ventuki Conglomerate opposes the detainment of the Hakudo Maru as well. The Vree used to have close relations with Earth. But...." The Vree ambassador tilted hir head sideways to peer at Captain Sheridan out of huge black eyes. Sheridan was a little uncomfortable. He knew that EarthGov hadn't been ideal lately. "But in light of our current relations, we must move that the League considers the Enterprise and the Hakudo Maru to be one and the same."
Sheridan looked around. No other ambassador seemed to want more discussion. "Let's vote then."
USS Excelsior
Janice Rand finally recalibrated communications to tachyons. "Captain, that fleet has been hailing us."
"Onscreen."
A large humanoid man came on the main viewscreen, sporting a uniform that Sulu thought was very reminiscent of the Austrian uniforms used in Earth's Napoleonic Wars. That haircrest...in addition to that elaborate uniform, it made him think of a peacock's raised tail. He remembered a story from India saying that peacocks were very vain about their breathtaking appearance, but when they look down at their ugly feet, they screamed in outrage, causing a thunderstorm. He hoped this one wouldn't look down and throw a stormy tantrum at the Excelsior. The humanoid alien widened his eyes at Sulu in surprise.
"Earthers—? I am Lord General Marrago of the Royal Navy of the Centauri Republic. In the name of His Most Illuminated Majesty, Narleeth Cartagia Jarn, by Grace of the Great Maker, Emperor of Centauri Prime, Defender of the Republic, Voice of the Gods, The Empire Made Flesh, High Seat of House Kasto, we thank you for the assistance against the Shoggren."
Sulu suppressed the almost automatic feeling of resentment at the insulting term 'Earthers.' What wordy titles this emperor had! "Sho—who?"
"Shoggren. Those aliens we fought and defeated. Are you...amenable to an alliance with us?"
"Ah. The Hur'q. You've helped us. We'll help you, of course. We'll hammer out the details later." Captain Sulu thought that an alliance with an obviously powerful star nation with an even more obviously powerful, albeit ominous, ally would help the Excelsior cope with being in this quantum reality. The starship's sensors had confirmed what the Hur'q had done: sucked them into another universe. Apparently, Earth existed in this reality if this Marrago's reaction was any indication.
Marrago narrowed his eyes at Sulu. "I'm curious. What did you do with the crew of the Yaria"
"Oh, we beamed them over to Sickbay on my ship. As soon as Doctor Altos Viger gives them a clean bill of health, we'll transport them back to your ships."
Marrago raised eyebrows. Was this Earther talking about what he was thinking? Tesseract technology, possibly more efficient and flexible than the Vree dimensional slip technology! Suddenly he could see it. No more need for landers or breaching pods. No more destroying stations or ships, but adding them to the might of the Royal Navy. Most of all...getting the favor of the Emperor himself and gaining a position within the Royal Court. And getting Lord Refa out of the Centaurum for the Republic's sake. He made sure that his face wasn't showing the glee he was feeling. He bowed.
"We thank you again. The other ships, they are your allies, yes?"
Sulu reluctantly nodded. "Well, the Klingons are. The Romulans...are another story. They're the ship that fled before those...black ships helped us out. Who are those black ships?"
"We don't know."
Sulu raised his eyebrows. The still fresh memory of the slick black ships caused chills to climb his spine. "You...don't know?"
"We really don't. We invite you to come to Centauri Prime. I'm sure the Royal Court would like to personally welcome and congratulate you." Marrago smiled, revealing sharp teeth. "Can we...talk with your ally?"
Captain Sulu nodded at Janice who immediately began transmitting the codes for tachyon communications to the Ki'tang.
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General Moghar slapped Narg's back hard, causing a wincing grunt from the commander. "A great battle to go down in song! It will equal the song of the Battle of HarOs!"
"I'm sure the court bards and the monks will be pleased." Narg gave a wry smile.
Scanner Kullor hissed for attention. "General, the Starfleeters has transmitted formulas for modifications for tachyon communications technology. I'm adjusting to their specifications now."
The general laughed, giddily buoyed by the victory against such vast odds. And those black ships! They were like the gods that the Klingons killed millennia ago. If the Klingons had such allies, they would be able to surpass their ancient teachers, the Old Kings of the Karsid Empire. Although.... Moghar frowned as an uncommon chill came up his spine at the memory of the shrieks from the black ships. It didn't feel right or honorable for anyone to attack anyone else with such strength and ease. The Klingon Empire had prided itself on its ability to conquer worlds, but it always made sure to make the conquest of primitive weaker worlds as difficult as possible to satisfy the war-lust of the conquerors.
Kullor called out from her station. "Modifications are complete. Answering Centauri hail."
Lord General Marrago came up on the commscreen below the main viewscreen. Marrago and the bridge crew of the Thalis hissed in surprise and shock at the appearance of the feral-looking Klingons.
Gunner Kazj leaned over to Kullor. "Don't they look familiar?"
The female Klingon nodded, baring her fangs. She glanced at General Moghar. She could see that the general recognized the Centauri as well.
Marrago leaned forward closer to the screen, squinting, his mouth twisting in distaste. "It would seem that today is full of ancient tales coming back to haunt us."
Moghar growled. He turned to Kullor and curtly ordered her to scan the Centauri lifesigns. After a while, Kullor hissed through bare fangs and said, "Fek'lhri."
Moghar growled louder at Marrago, his instincts coming to the fore.
Marrago raised his nose, as if he smelled something extremely foul. "We thought we've exterminated all of you, Xon. We will make sure of the Xon's extinction this time. There can be only one people for Centauri Prime!"
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Captain Sulu was receiving reports from Doctor Altos, nodding at each point made by the Bolian doctor. It intrigued Sulu that the Centauri had...reproductive tentacles that they called "tentesticles." He remembered how Captain Kirk had described the knee of an alien he fought at the dilithium mining prison on Rura Penthe. Lieutenant Akaar looked around from the master situation station. "Captain! The Centauri and the Klingons are arming weapons!"
"What?"
Ensign Tuvok said, "Confirmed. The Ki'tang has raised shields and the Centauri one-man fighter craft are maneuvering towards the bird-of-prey."
Dr. Altos grimly shook his head. "Sounds like more casualties coming in. Madness. Klingons may be great warriors but they must know they can't handle an entire fleet of warships by themselves."
Captain Sulu grimly set his chin into his hand, looking determined. "We worked hard for the Khitomer Accords. We are allies. They won't handle the Centauri by themselves."
Dr. Altos threw his blue hands up into the air. "More madness! I might just as well transfer myself to a hospital ship! Do you really want to blow the ship apart in a futile gesture of...of...some insane human charity?!"
Sulu narrowed his eyes at the Bolian. "Then we'll blow the ship apart if we have to!"
Dr. Altos walked into the turbolift, muttering about madness as Sulu ordered the shields raised and the weapons rearmed.
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A Klingon K'Vort-class bird-of-prey tore its way past a gauntlet of Centauri Primus battlecruisers, being chased hard by Vorchan warships and heckled by fighters. Lasers, particle beams and ion bolts licked at the rear shields of the Klingon warship, while debris from wounded and destroyed Centauri and Hur'q craft bounced off shields already damaged by the Hur'q.
"Aft shields buckling!" shouted Commander Narg in Battle Language as the Ki'tang shook from Centauri weapons fire. Klingon weapon technology was much more effective than the Centauri's, but numbers can overcome technology. There were just too many Centauri warships to handle. Smoke clouded the bridge and two Klingons were lying dead on the deck.
General Moghar sternly ordered, "Auxiliary power to aft shields!"
The Ki'tang shook again. Narg growled in frustration. "Aft shields gone!"
General Moghar's expression hardened. In spite of the honorable help from the Excelsior, this battle was hopeless. The Federation starship was in a similar situation, but in a better condition as it preferred cowardly evasive patterns weaving among the Centauri warships. The Starfleeters shot only at weapons and engines instead of trying to destroy enemy ships as the Klingons were trying to do. There were just too many in spite of the Hur'q. The Centauri still had eight Primuses and thirteen Vorchans, and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of fighters. In spite of efforts to strike at the head, the Centauri Octurion-class battlecruiser Thalis was too well protected by the rest of the fleet and its own bristling weapons.
Commander Narg leaned close to Moghar's ear. "We can't win. We must withdraw."
Moghar's head snapped around at Narg, eyes afire. "Keep your place!" Turning back to the battle viewscreen as Commander Narg returned to the tactical station, Moghar had to privately admit that Narg was right. The general must show strength. Perhaps the human saying "Run and you'll live to fight another day" has merit.
All eyes were trained on General Moghar. While brave warriors, they didn't want to die so futilely without letting their brethren in the Empire know of their last days.
Moghar grunted. "New course. Two five zero...mark zero one five."
The helmsman turned around to the general, shocked. "But sir—!"
"GhoS!"
The helmsman turned back to his console and entered the coordinates and maneuvered the bird-of-prey out of the middle of the battle. Gunner Kazj was cursing as he hurried to fire off as many shots as possible. A Vorchan exploded satisfyingly in Kazj's gun sights.
General Moghar leaned forward in his command chair, watching as Centauri warships swept past, becoming fewer and fewer in the battle viewscreen. Commander Narg urgently reported, "The Fek'lhri are closing in! Shields red-lining!"
"Gunner, ready a volley. Helm, stand by to enter warp on my command...." Moghar wanted to allow time for Kazj to take out as many of the Centauri as possible. They would be back to finish the job.
"DaH!"
The Ki'tang suddenly launched many photon torpedoes out of its rear, creating an explosive cloud of death as Centauri fighters and Vorchans ran into the red flaring torpedoes. The bird-of-prey stretched into the distance as it went to warp, leaving a flash of light which quickly faded.
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Captain Sulu hoped to see the Klingons sometimes soon. He wished them well on their journey. If they ever needed to talk with them, they knew where to find the Klingons. He also felt that since the Klingons has left, it was time for the Excelsior to leave as well. But where? The Centauri mentioned the Earth Alliance. He wasn't sure if he wanted to announce himself to an Earth he didn't know. There was, however, one world that the Centauri didn't appear to know, but could still exist in this quantum reality.
"Mr. Tiffe, set a course for Vulcan. Warp 7."
"Aye, aye sir!"
The Excelsior, managing to evade its way to the edge of the battle, pirouetted on its axis and lowered its saucer downward. Shields flaring at Centauri energy weapons, the starship stretched into the distance, disappearing into the blooming warp light-flash.
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On a small ship hidden by advanced technology and magic, a man stared into the large crystal globe. So. The Circle has changed. And a most interesting change it was. The technologies of those extra-universal ships were nothing short of amazing. Especially their continuum distortion engine technology that allowed FTL travel in normal space. But he had a duty to his brethren in the order. He sent off recordings of the events that happened so quickly in this area of space to the Tower. Normally, the technomage would have sent the recordings to his mentor at his hiding place, but this deserved the attention of the One Above All.
His task done, the technomage thought his ship into hyperspace to follow that white-blue starship. Computations had shown where the starship would go. Nodding and thinking of his mentor Elric and his friends Isabelle and Tamyrlin, Galen knew that the Light needs all the help it could have against the Darkness.
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Commander Jurod was satisfied. He now knew what to do. "Sub-Commander Veron, keep us out of their weapons range. Decloak and hail them."
Babylon 5
Captain Sheridan stared at the two extra-universal ships hanging in space outside of the space station. Most of the damages and scars they had when he first saw them were now gone. If Sheridan trained telescopic cameras on them, he knew he would be able to see space-suited people at their repair work on the ships' hull. So fragile, yet by all reports, so strong. So alone. He felt ashamed that EarthForce would resort to such tactics at Janos 7. He hoped that Doctor Franklin wouldn't find out the role that his father had in that incident. He sighed once more, earning a glance from Ivanova.
The Russian woman sidled closer to the captain's side. "Will you obey the orders?"
Sheridan grimly schooled his face so as not to betray any feeling that someone in C&C might catch. He threw his thoughts back to yesterday when they finally concluded the special session of the Council.
Captain Sheridan glanced at Ambassador Kalika and gave a tiny nod. He almost gave into the temptation to look at Delenn, but he must maintain his distance from the Minbari ambassador. He finally broke the silence in the chamber. "We will begin the vote with the Centauri Republic. One vote for each ship. Yes for arrest and no for no arrest."
Londo Mollari covered his mouth with a fist as he coughed. "The Great Centauri Republic votes yes for the Enterprise, no for the Hakudo Maru
"The League of Non-Aligned Worlds?"
As the oldest race in the League, the Yolu ambassador was chosen to speak for the League. "No for both ships."
Sheridan took a deep breath. This was it. "The Earth Alliance votes yes for the Hakudo Maru. No for the Enterprise." Technically, he was supposed to vote yes for Captain Kirk's starship, but he had taken upon himself to stay strictly to the words of his orders. He will use that reasoning to argue down any protest from MiniPax and EarthForce. He turned to Delenn, suppressing the illusion of squeezing pain in his heart and keeping his face empty of feelings. "The Minbari Federation?"
Delenn glanced down at the Council Table. Her eyes studiously avoided Ambassador Kosh and John Sheridan. "The Minbari abstain on both counts."
Surprised murmurings filled the Council chamber before Sheridan was able to restore order with his gavel. Frowning at Delenn, he asked, "What's this? The Minbari Federation has expressed an interest in the extra-universal ships. I hope that the Minbari ambassador does not see the vote as a joke."
Delenn turned eyes to Sheridan, eyes that were frightened, pleading, sad and loving all at once. "I have consulted the Grey Council. They...." Her eyes flicked to Kosh and back to Sheridan so quickly that the Earth captain thought it was his imagination. "They said, 'The problems of others are not our concern.' I again say the Minbari abstain."
Sheridan raised his eyebrows, his first facial expression to Delenn since their argument in the transport tube. He turned away from her to the Vorlon ambassador. He had been amazed that Kosh had stayed the entire time. The meeting must be very important to the Vorlon Empire. Why?
"The Vorlon Empire?"
Ambassador Kosh turned its headpiece towards Delenn and slowly went back to Sheridan. Sounds like that of crystal wind-chimes softly tinkled from the translator on the ambassador's encounter suit. "Yes."
Sheridan peered at the Vorlon. He wasn't alone in peering at Kosh. "Ambassador, yes for which ship? The Enterprise and the Hakudo Maru
"Yes."
Sheridan nodded. "OK. The Vorlon Empire votes yes for both ships. The tally now comes to...two yeses and two no's for each extra-universal ship. A tie." The captain turned to Delenn once more. All eyes were now on her.
"Does the Minbari Federation wish to change its abstaining vote? It is now the deciding vote."
Delenn looked like she felt cornered. Her eyes reflected the fast thinking she was now forced to do. Coming to a decision, she looked like she was facing a tribunal. Sheridan frowned subtly. Why is this so damned important? He looked at Kosh, pursing his lips. That's why.
"Since...the Grey Council has declared its neutrality in this matter, the best way to maintain a neutral stance without abstaining...." Delenn sighed as she glanced at Sheridan. Ever since the secret alliance between Delenn and Sheridan, the Minbari ambassador had always supported every vote made by the Earth representative. "The Minbari vote...."
Captain Sheridan continued to stare out at the stars. "Screw the orders. Forget about them."
Ivanova raised eyebrows at Sheridan before turning her eyes back to the extra-universal ships. "You do know that Earth will want to know why its orders were not followed?"
"Yes. Let them come."
The Russian felt like another cup of coffee. "Oh boy."
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Dr. McCoy released his feeling of tension by rearranging the medical vials in their racks yet again. It was therapeutic. Even though the Enterprise and Hakudo Maru were safe, thanks to the Minbari ambassador's flip-flop, who was to say that something worse won't come out of this incident?
Finishing the arrangement of the vials in their racks, McCoy went to his office and set to reading and analyzing the reports of the deaths on the Hakudo Maru. Something about the murder of Dr. Nashiin wasn't quite right. Dr. McCoy now had the time and freedom to study what was wrong with the Oran'taku woman's murder.
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Delenn walked down a corridor toward her ambassadorial suite, deep in thought. A shadow came up to her, blocking the light from her eyes. Startled, she turned around.
It was Ambassador Kosh.
Delenn bit her lower lip. "Is there something wrong?"
"You, perhaps."
Delenn was startled again. That was exactly what John said in the transport tube. She had known that John was teasing, but coming from the Vorlon, it cut deeply into her pride. Kosh wasn't finished answering.
"We have sent for an inquisitor."
Delenn felt like cold water was splashed into the inside of her body. That has to be a human reaction. "An inquisitor? Why?"
Kosh tiled its headpiece to the side. Delenn had the feeling that Kosh was thinking that she should already know why.
"To be sure about you. You will submit to his authority."
Delenn stared at Kosh. Submit? She squared her shoulders, confident that she will pass this test. "How will I know who it is?"
Kosh inclined its head towards Delenn. "You will know.... If you survive."