Author's notes: To answer a few things

EMCOM is an advanced form of ECM that works in conjunction with the phase shields. It not only scatters scanning beams, but partially absorbs them. This makes it more difficult to get a target lock with energy weapons and missiles and torpedoes. And before you ask, the minbari frigate was at nearly point blank range when they fired on the Jason and the Galahad.

As for the Temshwee, that is a Minbari bird found in most temples on Minbar.

A list of the ships and their officers will be in a later listing.

But mostly, I would like to thank everyone for their reviews. Please keep them coming, they make my muse smile.

Chapter 6

Sickbay of TCS Yoshi-Iye: Commander Ross looked at her CMO, "Well doc, how's our guest doing?"

"Not to bad, considering what he went through."

Commander Ross looked at the young man on the sickbay bed.

"What are his injuries doc?"

"He's got a mild concussion, a few minor abrasions and contusions, and a slight case of hypoxia."

"So when can I speak to him?"

"Not until tomorrow, Captain."

"Alright doc, keep me updated on his condition."

"Yes Ma'am."

Commander Ross left sickbay and went to the bridge. As she arrived, she went to the comm. station. "Send to Admiral Douglas. Have rescued pilot that came through the jump point, after his ship disintegrated. Will keep you apprised of his condition. Send that along with the scans of his arrival."

"Yes Ma'am."

Lt Commander Ahmed came over to her, "So how is he doing?"

"Not to bad, but doc wants to let him rest overnight."

"So any idea what's really happening here boss?"

"I've got a few idea's, but nothing concrete yet."

The comm. tech spoke up then, "Message from fleet captain, the rest of the fleet will rendezvous with us here in about an hour."

"Thanks chief."

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Admiral's ready room TCS Mastiff: Captain Tate knocked on the Admirals door and came in. After he closed the door, he looked at his old friend.

"Luke, you're going to have to tell the fleet what's happened."

The Admiral rubbed his temples, and then looked at Leroy, "I know that Leroy, but how do you tell almost 4700 people that they will never see their homes, families or loved ones ever again."

Captain Tate sat down across from the Admiral. "Luke, I know it won't be easy, but they have the right to know."

"Your right Leroy, schedule a Captains call for 0700 tomorrow. We need to decide what the fleet's going to do, if we can't get back home. And Leroy, ask Captain Santiago to please attend as well."

Captain Tate nodded, and started to get up to make the needed arrangements, when he looked at the Admiral.

"By the way Admiral, Commander Ross picked up a pilot that came through the jump hole."

The Admiral looked at him, "Is he alive?"

"According to Commander Ross he was."

Now the Admiral rubbed his throbbing temples again, "Wonderful, just wonderful."

As he started to leave, Captain Tate looked at the Admiral, "Remember to get some sleep Luke."

The Admiral just looked at his old friend, and he could see the concern in his eyes. "Don't worry Leroy, I will. Good night Leroy."

"Good night Admiral."

The Admiral called the comm. tech, "Patch a secured call to Commander Ross on the Yoshi."

"Yes Admiral."

.
A few minutes later, his monitor activated, and he was looking at Commander Ross.

"Hello Commander."

"Hello Admiral."

"Captain Tate informs me that you have a guest on your ship."

"Yes sir, I believe that he's a fighter pilot from the Earth Alliance."

"So Commander, how is he doing?"

"Well sir, doc says he has a few minor scrapes and bruises, and a mild concussion."

"Have you talked to him yet?"

"No sir, I was going to wait until tomorrow."

"Commander, I want you to try and talk to him before the Captains call tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

"And Commander Ross, there are a few things you need to know first."

The Admiral filled the Commander in on what the real fleet situation was, and what they had found out about the war the earth was currently involved in. He also asked her to ask the pilot specific questions. To say that the Commander was in shock would have been an understatement.

"Commander Ross. This information is for the Captains only. Am I understood?"

Commander Ross snapped out of the mild shock she was in, "Yes Admiral, I understand."

"Commander, I'll want a full briefing from you at 0645 tomorrow."

"Yes sir."

"Good night Commander."

"Good night sir."

The Admiral closed the channel, and headed for his quarters. When he got there, he buzzed his aide Ensign Femia and told him to awaken him at 0500. Then the admiral lay down on his bunk and was soon asleep.

.
Yoshi-Iye sickbay: Lt Mackenzie awoke on a strange bed, his whole upper body ached, and from where his body hurt, he knew it was from the restraining harness of his star fury. But now he began to focus on where he was. Judging from the smell of the place, it had to be a med station or a hospital. But the colors were all wrong, and he could feel the pull of gravity on him. Wherever he was, it couldn't be on a ship. He tried to remember everything that had happened to him. He remembered launching from the Nautilus, and following the probe thing. He remembered the weird chute his star fury had fallen through, and his ships computer saying the engine was going critical. The rest was fuzzy after that, and he vaguely remembered voices. He also remembered images of people standing above him, and the feel of small pinpricks in his neck and arms.

.
As he tried to sit up, he groaned without realizing it. A young woman came over to him and put her hands gently on his shoulders.

"Don't try to move, you were hit with a pretty big shock wave."

Even though she wasn't very big, she was able to push him back down on the bed. She turned her head, and called out, "Tell the Captain that our guest has awoken, and she can speak to him now."

From somewhere behind him he heard someone respond, "Yes ma'am."

The woman looked at him, "So where do you hurt Mr. Uh."

"Mackenzie, Ronald J. Lt Earthforce. Serial number alpha-872-5782-beta-99."

The young woman looked at him now, "I don't think you would be giving away any secrets just telling me where you hurt Lt."

"No ma'am, But until I here differently, I am assuming I have been captured."

"Very well Lt, do you have any allergies that I should know about?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm allergic to rag weed pollen."

"What about Gardenia's"

"No ma'am."

"Good then."

He then felt a sting on his arm, and the aches in his chest and shoulders began to subside. "You should feel a little better now Lt."

"Yes ma'am, thank you."

.
Commander Ross had been asleep, when her desk monitor buzzed; it was the night med tech in sickbay. "Our guest is awake Captain."

Sleepily, she hit the button, "Thank you."

Now she sat on her bunk and yawned, then she looked at the digital display on the monitor. "Oh well, I had to get up in an hour anyway."

She got up and took a quick shower, and put on a clean uniform. She made her way to sickbay, and when she arrived, the tech looked at her and handed her a cup of coffee.

"Looks like you need this more than me Captain."

Commander Ross took the warm beverage, and drained the cup.

"Thanks." she said and handed him back the cup.

Now she went to the bed were the pilot was laying.

"So doc, can I ask him some questions?"

"Yes Captain, but he may not tell you much, he thinks he's our prisoner."

The doctor turned to the Lt, "Lt Mackenzie, this is Commander Ross, the Captain of our ship."

That bit of news seemed strange to the Lt, but he didn't say a word.

.
"So Lt, before we begin, let me tell you a few things. First, you're on the TCS Yoshi-Iye, a destroyer in the Terran Confederation navy. Second we rescued you after your ship disintegrated from flying through a gravitational anomaly. Finally, you are not a prisoner, you're a guest, and I will arrange for you to be transferred to an Earthforce ship as soon as possible."

Lt Mackenzie just took in this information a little hesitantly.

"What I would like to know Lt, and you don't have to answer, is what do you think of the Minbari?"

The Lt looked at her, "I'm afraid I can't answer that Commander, there are ladies present."

Both the Commander and the doc smiled when he said that. "That's alright Lt, I can guess from your answer that you don't really care for them do you?"

"No ma'am."

"Lt, how do you think your commanders would feel if a more advanced race offered to help you fight the Minbari?"

"They would probably begin doing back flips, and kissing the ass of that race ma'am."

"Now Lt, a very important question. If you represented that advanced race, whom would you talk to?"

The Lt looked at her, somewhat perplexed. "I don't know if I can help you there Commander, I don't know anyone at Earth-dome. But I guess that you might want to talk to General Hague."

"Why the General Lt?"

"Well Commander, I met the General at officers call 2 months ago, and he seemed like a man you could trust. He doesn't spread the bull like a lot of Generals, he speaks plainly and honestly."

Commander Ross just nodded, "Thank you Lt. Why don't you try to get some rest now. I'll see about getting you transferred to an Earthforce ship tomorrow."

.
Admirals Quarters TCS Mastiff: Admiral Douglas heard the buzzing from his door, and just looked up at the ceiling of his quarters.

"What I wouldn't give for five more minutes sleep," he thought.

He sat up on the bed, then spoke, "Enter."

He saw his aide standing in the door with a cup of coffee.

"Admiral, it's 0500 sir. You said to wake you at 0500." and he handed the Admiral the coffee.

"Oh yeah, thanks Tony."

"No problem sir."

"Ensign Femia, did you get the meeting transcripts made from our meeting with Captain Santiago yet?"

"Yes sir, I'll be handing them out to the Captains before the meeting sir, along with the reports from Commander Langford and the After Action Reports from the Jason and the Galahad." then the Ensign turned and left the Admirals quarters.

The Admiral drank the coffee and let it wake him up a little. "Good coffee" he thought, "I may have to promote Tony, if he keeps treating me this way."

The Admiral went and showered and then dressed. It was going to be a long day, and not one he was looking forward to.

.
The other Captains of the fleet began arriving at 0630, and were escorted to the main briefing room. When Commander Ross arrived, she was met by Ensign Femia, and asked to follow him to the Admirals ready room. When they arrived, the Ensign stepped aside and let the Commander enter. The Ensign then went back to the landing bay to await the arrival of Captain Santiago. When she entered, Commander Ross came to attention and saluted the Admiral, and he saluted her back.

"Commander Ross reporting as ordered Admiral."

"At ease Commander, have a seat."

Commander Ross sat down, and the Admiral looked at her. "I hope you were able to talk to your guest before coming here today Commander."

"Yes sir, and I think I may have some of the answers that you were looking for."

"Go ahead Commander."

"Yes sir. The pilot, Lt Mackenzie, was not very keen about the Minbari sir. And he believed that any superior help that the Earthforce could get would be greatly appreciated. He also suggested that we might want to talk to a General Hague, it seems that the Lt actually likes the General."

"Is that so unusual Commander?"

"Well Admiral, when you were a young officer, did you like many of the Admirals of Confed?"

The Admiral just looked at her, "No, I can't really say that I did."

"No sir, and neither did I, but the honest ones, the ones who really cared about the people under them were the exceptions."

The Admiral thought about what she said for a minute, and found himself silently agreeing with her. "Thank you Commander, that's helpful."

"Yes sir. Also sir, I would like to see about getting the Lt transferred to the Earthforce ship if possible sir."

"I'll see what we can arrange Commander."

"Yes sir."

Now the two of them got up and headed for the Captains call. As they walked there, the Admiral just quietly thought of what options he was going to have today, and how would they affect his people.

.
As they arrived at the briefing room, the Admiral asked Ensign Femia if Captain Santiago had arrived yet.

"Yes sir, he's waiting in the other office as you requested."

"Thank you Ensign."

The Admiral then went to the other room, and found Captain Santiago waiting there.

"Captain Santiago, I'm glad you could make it today."

"Well, It's a little hard to turn down an invitation from an Admiral."

The Admiral smiled at that. "So how are the repairs on your ship coming?"

"Very well Admiral. Your engineers have been doing an excellent job, my ship should be completely repaired in just a few more hours."

"That's good to hear."

Now the Admirals face turned serious.

.
"Captain, I'm going to be briefing my Captains about our situation, and about the current trouble that the Earth is facing. I have to ask you to wait in here, until I've had a chance to brief them and get their input. After that, I would like to have you there as a representative of the current Earth government."

Captain Santiago looked at the Admiral, "Admiral Douglas, I don't know if I can be of any help there sir. I'm not a diplomat."

"No Captain, you're not, but you are a member of Earthforce, and you're the senior officer of Earthforce in this system. So to put it bluntly Captain, your it."

Captain Santiago just shook his head, as he found himself agreeing with the Admirals rather apt analysis.

"Just so you know Admiral, I can't promise anything on the Earths behalf."

"I know that Captain, but if I know my people, some of them will want to ask you questions."

"Yes Admiral, that I think I can do safely."

As the Admiral turned to leave, he stopped and looked at the Captain.

"One more thing. We managed to pick up a Lt Mackenzie; I believe he's an Earthforce fighter pilot. I would like to help him get back to Earthforce, if you have room on your ship Captain?"

Captain Santiago just looked at the Admiral, "Do I want to know how you found him Admiral?"

"We'll cover that in the briefing Captain."

"Yes Admiral"

"In the meantime, if you need anything, just ask my aide, and he'll get it for you, within reason."

"Yes Admiral."