Chapter 15
"How much longer until the target is in weapons range?" Alyt Shakat beamed.
"Fifty two more seconds Alyt." The First Officer replied.
"Increase speed then…, each second that those aliens live is a further insult to the souls of all the brave Minbari that so far have fallen in battle." Shakat roared while thinking, that not even in his wildest dreams he could have imagined that the long-awaited attack on the human's last stronghold, rather than be an easy battle, like many others before, would be one in which they now were fighting was to survive.
However, to him the most mind-boggling thing of all, was how the despicable Humans that were yet to be seen, surprisingly had found an ally willing to fight for them. Ally that showed be almost as powerful as the cybernetic creatures that they had fought before and where by the order of the Grey Council had been ordered to flee like a pack of scared Goks.
Even now every time he tried to sleep, terrible nightmares haunted him, but still, running from that battle had been the utmost dishonorable thing he had ever done and no matter what, he certainly did not intended to run again, even if it cost him his life.
But now his thoughts should be directed at more pressing matters, namely the destruction of their present target, an immense battle-station belonging to the unknown aliens that had allied themselves with the humans and that moments ago so many brave Minbari warriors had killed. Still, even if that station had proved to be extremely powerful, Shakat had the conviction that the might of the fifty warships under his command were more than enough to achieve victory.
Unfortunately, convictions never won battles, superior armament did and Shakat was about to learn that the hard way as again frighteningly powerful beams of energy emanating from the Alien station began bombarding the approaching Minbari force that he commanded, obliterating them as easily, as they in the past had obliterated their enemies. Large fireballs were seen everywhere, and each time one occurred, meant that a Minbari vessel had ceased to exist. Hence, very quickly Shakat's convictions began diminishing, almost as fast as the ships of his attack force.
"Alyt, at this rate all our ships are going to be destroyed long before we can get in range to fire a single shot!" A distressed First Officer said to Shakat.
"Control yourself; a true Minbari warrior does not fear death. I'll make sure that for every fallen Minbari, they will pay with a million lives." Shakat beamed to his apprehensive second in command.
"They soon will cease to exist…, now tell the fleet to initiate evasive maneuvers and to divert all available power to our stealth generators." A Shakat trying to show confidence, but having his mind full of concerns spouted.
Immediately the order was carried out, but the pace at which the Minbari ships were being destroyed did not change much. However, Shakat was an experienced warrior, and quickly realized that his current tactics were not being very effective, so it was time to try something else.
"Order the Valir, the Valhza and the Hentur to go to hyperspace; once they're there, relay them the coordinates to where they should open exit jump points that will be right on top of them. Not even that station power will be able to survive the vortex of a jump point." To Shakat the humans' continuous refusal in die and now having found allies that were willing to fight and die for them was truly exasperating; he really longed for the moment where both their wretched species was eliminated
"Yes Alyt." The Minbari at communications immediately acknowledged and then sent the order.
Swiftly, three war cruisers that were flanking Shakat's ship, veered away, each opened a jump-point and disappeared into hyperspace.
In the command center of Earth's spacedock, the event did not go unnoticed.
"What the hell…, did you saw that? Where did those ships go?" An astonished Federation officer inquired.
"I don't know, but I have the feeling that we will not like the answer." Other officer replied.
After having reached Hyperspace, all three ships anxiously start waiting for the coordinates of where to open the exit points and eliminate the damned station. However, the worst nightmare of any ship in hyperspace became a reality as no navigational beacons whatsoever were detected. Consequently and without points of reference to where to hold positions, the three Minbari vessels began drifting, carried by the powerful currents of hyperspace.
"Alyt, Alyt!" A Minbari addressed his Alyt in a tone of urgency. "All the nav beacons seem to have disappeared, we need to exit to normal space immediately before we drift too deep and become permanently lost."
"WHAT, are you certain?" The Alyt asked.
"Absolutely Alyt, I checked several times and there is no doubt." The Minbari replied in a much-stressed voice.
"Could it be that the humans have destroyed all the nav beacons in the area just to prevent our coming? They are truly an insane race that does not regard whom they harm. They deserve nothing more than total annihilation. But still, we will wait for Shakat's signal, it will not take long I'm certain." The Alyt said.
The Alyt of the Valhza however was not as fearless as the ones from the Valir and Hentur, so he immediately ordered his ship exit to normal space, unfortunately for him and his crew, his vessel didn't exit far from the Federation spacedock, and quickly was turned into smithereens.
The other two Minbari ships whoever held firmly, and when the signal came, as planned opened the exit jump points into the indicated coordinates promptly causing a tremendous devastation in the other side.
The Federation Spacedock shields still managed to withstand the powerful energies of the swirling vortexes for a second before along with much of the space station dome disappear in a massive explosion while all of its lights that before were fully lit, began to flicker and then disappearing
The Valir and the Hentur that now had emerged from the still open jump points, immediately began unleashing their mighty weapons on the now defenseless station. Shakat was immensely pleased as his plan had worked flawlessly. Unfortunately, in his eagerness to destroying the station, he momentarily forgot that a large battle was still raging on and that many enemy vessels were still around.
The USS Monarch was one of those vessels. The Nebula Class Starship had just arrived at battlefield, when through its main viewscreen, its bridge crew witnessed the dreadful scene.
"My God, tens of thousands must have died instantaneously!" The First Officer exclaimed.
"Mr. Garrack, plot an interception course to those ships, all weapons ready to fire on my command." Kirk ordered.
"Sir, are you planning to battle all those ships alone? The phasers are still offline and only the torpedo bays one and two have torpedoes, seven in total." The Tactical Officer stated.
"Thanks for that information Lieutenant." Kirk replied bluntly.
"There are still tens of thousands of people aboard that station that may still be alive, and I will not stand still and see them be butchered, initiate attack pattern delta six, now." Kirk ordered.
Immediately the Federation starship quickly approached the Minbari vessels that ruthlessly continued tearing the Spacedock apart.
"FIRE!" Kirk yelled and seconds later a photon torpedo that had blast out of one of the Monarch's a torpedo launchers, hit a Sharlin in its aft, right where the engine section was obliterating it. Action that soon was repeated three more times with equal deadly results.
"Alyt, we are being attacked by a single enemy vessel, it already destroyed four of our war-cruisers." Shakat's First Officer informed Shakat.
Shakat already had realized that the Aliens' vessels that were fighting for the cowards' humans were more powerful than those of any other known race bar first ones or the cybernetic creatures of earlier. But a single vessel daring to attack fifteen top of the line Minbari warcruisers was madness.
"Bring us about, fire all weapons, DESTROY THEM!" Shakat shouted.
Slowly the large Minbari vessels began turning around to face the new threat, but meanwhile two more Sharlins and a Tinashi had disappeared in a blaze of fire.
"All torpedoes were expended Captain, now we have no weapons left to fight." The Tactical Officer informed.
"Then now it would be a good time for the phasers to be operational." Kirk said in a calm manner.
"We are trying Sir, but more than half our systems were either shut down or disassembled for repairs and maintenance, we were lucky the ship managed to get here in one piece." The Fist Officer expressed his opinion.
Opinion that Kirk promptly ignored. "Kirk to engineering, we need phasers now."
"We are trying to repair and assemble in minutes what normally would take hours, Capt'n." Was heard over the com.
"I understand that Mr. Dolan, but we are about to engage eight enemy ships, and we have no torpedoes left, so I suggest that you come up with something really quickly because we need those phasers." Kirk out.
"Aye, Capt'n, I'm workin' as fast as I can."
"Captain, to go against eight enemy ships with no weapons is madness; I say that we should retreat until at least phasers are operational." The Ops Officer beamed.
"I'll ask for your opinion when this becomes a democracy Mr. Stiles." The Captain stated.
Now eight Minbari vessels began firing every weapon they had trying to hit the still approaching Federation vessel.
"Forward shields at twelve percent, Captain." The Tactical Officer reported.
"Distance to the enemy?" Kirk asked, as smoke and sparks began filling the bridge.
"Three thousand kilometers, Captain." The Tactical officer replied.
Reverse course; change all power to the rear shields and as soon we out of range match their speed and vent some plasma from our operational nacelle."
"Aye, Captain." The Monarch's helmsman acknowledged.
On the Minbari side, the situation was perceived a bit different. "Alyt, the enemy is now running away and is leaking plasma, we must have seriously damage it."
"Increase speed, don't let them escape." The Alyt ordered."
Nevertheless, no matter how much the pursuing Minbari vessels increased their speed; the apparently damaged alien vessel seemed to be able to maintain the distance.
"Your plan is working Captain; we draw their attention away from the Spacedock." The USS Monarch First Officer stated.
-oOOo-
Minbari command ship.
Eight of the nine members of the Grey council attentively were watching the ongoing battle and getting more nervous as each second pass. The battle was not going well and to every way they look, Minbari vessels were seen disappearing in fierce explosions.
"This is madness, who are these servants of darkness?" A member asked.
"It doesn't matter, in the end the light will always prevail, always has been, and always will continue to be." Another member replied.
Another member was about to say something else but before that could happen, a flash of light lit the dark room.
"Hello boys and girl, is the battle against the humans being everything you wished for?"
"Those minions of yours are not the humans, but regardless, even if we all perish today, the darkness will not succeed!" Delenn shouted.
"They are humans all right..., let me shown it." Q said smiling and immediately in a flash of light, a human appeared next to him.
-oOOo-
Several seconds before on board the Federation command ship.
"Status report!" Admiral Paris commanded.
"The Spacedock was seriously hit and is now defenseless, twelve more starships have arrived but casualties are being far superior to reinforcements. The main force of the aliens is about to reach Earth defenses and sector 1A is weakening fast." Captain Riddick reported.
"Have the Ajax, Ahwahnee, Daedalus, Endeavour, and the Drake to reinforce sector 1A, alpha wing initiate attack pattern omega five and..." Before Admiral Paris could finish the order, he disappeared in a flash of light.
Everyone in the bridge was stunned. Captain Riddick was the first to recover and immediately yelled." SHIELDS STATUS!"
"Shields at forty percent, Captain." The tactical officer replied.
"How the hell did they manage to beam the Admiral then? Rotate shields frequencies randomly and order to all ships in the fleet to do the same. Find me their command ship; they are going to pay dearly for this." Riddick ordered as simultaneously inserted in a console near his chair, Admiral Paris' last commands.
-oOOo-
Presently on the Minbari command ship.
"Where Am I?" A completely aghast Owen Paris inquired.
"Welcome Admiral, sorry for the poor lighting but I'm certain you will get used to it." A cheerful Q replied.
After quickly having looked around, Paris immediately focused his attention on eight hooded figures in the dark room and next to them, a slightly above holographic display was showing the ongoing battle.
"You are the Aliens attacking us, aren't you? Why are you doing this, have we done anything that could cause offense to you?"
All of the gray council was appalled; a Human had just appeared in the heart of the Minbari. However before the Minbari could do anything, Q in his unruffled manner began talking.
"He is quick isn't he?" Q said addressing the Minbari, but then turning to Paris
"Not even Jean-Luc would have got it so fast and certainly not your brainless offspring, I really don't know why Kate puts up with him, are you sure you two are related?"
"You know Tom, have you done something to him? Who are you people?" A complete confused Admiral asked in all directions.
"You see, this why I like the humans they are fascinating and inquisitive." Q joked and then again addressed Paris. "Don't you recognize me, Didn't Jean-Luc mentioned me? I'm very disappointed with him and I must tell him that the next time we meet."
"Are you talking about Captain Picard, why should he have mentioned you? Who are you?"
"Ah yes of course, is my appearance isn't it?" Q stated and in a flash of light his appearance completely change, now appeared as a human dressed with a Federation uniform. "Is this better?"
"Q, you are Q aren't you?" Paris immediately beamed.
"You see, didn't I tell you he was quick." Q addressed the speechless Minbari.
"You are the responsible for this attack aren't you, thousands of beings are dying each second, and you are here enjoying it!" A very outraged Admiral Paris stated.
"Bla,bla,bla, and just when I though you were interesting, you disappoint me." Q stated.
Paris ignored him and addressed the eight hooded figures in front of him. "This being is a trickster, whatever he told you isn't true, please stop this madness before is too late."
The Minbari didn't know what to say, then one stepped in and started talking, the voice was of a female. "Are you renouncing your dark Master?"
"What? I admit that he is powerful but no one in the Federation answers to him, we are free. Do you obey him?" Paris asked.
Delenn felt incredibly offended with the insinuation and immediately replied. "We only fight for the light, darkness is our enemy. You are the one that serves the darkness."
In the back Q was enjoying immensely the exchange Delenn and Paris.
"I already told you, the Federation serves no one." Paris replied.
"You have accepted his help, those vessels prove it." Delenn said.
However, before Paris could tell anything another member of the Grey council spoke. "Our main force is about to reach orbit of the Human's Homeworld, soon they will be of no consequence.
A cold chill run through Paris spine, if the planetary defenses could not stop the aliens, the fault would be his.
Suddenly, apparently dormant satellites awakened and a hail of orange beams began striking the approaching Minbari fleet. All the eight of the Grey council were hopeful that the attack on the Humans' Homeworld changed the heading that the battle was taking, but what happen next horrified them as of about hundred vessels that had reach Earth's orbit, in minutes all had been reduced to nothing more than floating wreckages.
Paris felt a tremendous relief, but a fierce war was still rampant and Federation vessels were still being destroyed, suddenly the enemy vessel where he was rocked violently and in the holographic display, a Federation starship was shown coming towards them, in its saucer section was written NCC 70637 USS Galaxy.
"Paris to Galaxy do you her me, Captain Riddick please reply." However, no answer was heard.
TBC