Chapter 12

Bridge of TCS Bull Run: Captain Grove looked at the after action report from the marines. They had managed to capture the ship, but there was a lot of damage, much of it caused by the Minbari crew. He felt certain, that the techs could glean something from the ship, and security could probably get something from the prisoners. But now he looked at their costs, one marine dead, one other injured.

"Comm., get me a line to the Admiral, I'll take it in my ready room."

"Aye sir."

A few minutes later, Admiral Douglas was on the line with him. "So Captain, how did it go?"

"All in all sir, not to bad. We captured the ship, mostly intact, twenty Minbari bodies, and we even managed to capture ten Minbari prisoners."

The Admiral saw the look on Jeff's face, "And how many did we lose?"

"Our losses weren't that bad sir, one wounded, and one dead."

"I see. Well then, I'll have Commander Langford standing by with a tech crew to start going over the ship, and I'll inform General Hague what transpired."

"Yes sir, we'll be at the space dock in about an hour."

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Beta Durani Space dock: General Hague was in his office, when his intercom buzzed.

"Yes."

"General, I have President Levy on a gold channel secure call for you."

General Hague put down the tech reports he was reading about their ship updates. "Put it through."

His monitor quickly showed President Levy sitting at her desk. "Hello General. I hope I haven't called to late."

"Uh no Madam President. I was just looking at some reports."

The President smiled a little, "Ah yes, paperwork, the bane of all modern civilizations. General, I was briefed by the Joint Chiefs, about your visitors. And our tech people have looked over the data you sent. General, it is extremely important to Earths future that we maintain a friendly footing with your visitors."

"I agree Madam President. That is why I agreed to there few small requests, before forwarding this information to Earthdome."

"You took a big chance General, one that I'm glad to say may have been the right one. An official diplomatic team is on its way to Beta Durani. I have asked Louis Santiago to be the head of it personally."

"He's a good man Madam President."

Now the general saw her look turn a little sour. "Unfortunately General, Senator Clarke will also be accompanying him. After all he is the head of the R+D committee of Earthforce."

"Yes Madam President. Will he have his own entourage?"

President Levy knew what he meant, "Yes General he will."

"So when can we expect them Madam President?"

"In about 30 hours General."

"Thank you Madam President. I'll inform my staff, and our visitors." President Levy just smiled a little, then the call ended.

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Admiral Douglas's ready room: Admiral Douglas was getting ready to call General Hague, when his aide buzzed him. "Sir, I have General Hague on the line sir."

"Put it through."

"Hello Admiral, I have something to tell you."

The admiral laughed a little, "That's funny General, because I have something to tell you to. You first General."

"Well Admiral, I just had a call from President Levy of the Earth Alliance. They are very interested in an alliance, and are sending a diplomatic team, headed by the Vice-President."

The Admiral saw the look on the general's face. "What else is there General?"

"Well Admiral, one of the people coming is a Senator Clarke. He's a weasel of a man Admiral, if you know what I mean."

"I believe I do General."

"And Admiral, he may have some telepaths in his entourage."

"Thanks for the warning General."

"So what is it you wanted to tell me Admiral?"

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Well General, Captain Grove and the crew of the Bull Run have managed to capture a Minbari ship, here in the Beta Durani system. And they have some prisoners, I was wondering, do you have anyone who speaks the Minbari language?"

The General was amazed, to put it mildly. "Well, I don't think we do, but I'll send you everything we have on their language."

"That would be helpful General, maybe we can set up a translation program. In the mean time, I'm having the Bull Run tractor the ship into the space dock. I figure your tech's and mine will want to start going over it."

The General smiled, "Sort of a mutual benefit project."

"That's what I was thinking General."

"Well Admiral, we'll be standing by. Hague out."

The general got on the line to the tech department head. "I want two full teams on that ship as soon as it arrives, and send all Minbari language data to the Mastiff right away."

"Yes sir."

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Small system on edge of Minbari space: A vortex to normal space opened and a Sharlin cruiser entered into normal space. A shuttle quickly launches from it with two fighters in escort position. The shuttle and its escorts fly to a large Minbari War cruiser, the Valen'tha. The occupant of the shuttle is a warrior, an elder of the Wind Sword clan. He is met at his shuttle, and escorted by three acolytes. He is led deep into the ship, and finally the group stops at the door to a chamber. Dosalann has come to see the Gray council, with news of a possible new threat to the people of Minbar. The door before him opens, and he steps through alone. When the door closes, he's in total darkness. He sees a circle of light appear before him, and he steps into it.

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A voice in the darkness, "Who are you?"

"I am Dosalann, third elder of the Wind Sword clan."

Another voice, "Why have you come?"

"I bring news of a possible new threat to all of Minbar."

A woman's voice, "What is this new threat?"

"A race that we have never seen before. And they have technology that may be superior to our own."

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The first voice, "Show us." a light shows Dosalann a data crystal reader. He walks over and places a data crystal in the reader. Soon the chamber is filled with a picture of space. Then 4 earther ships are seen, but there are areas of nothingness around them, and some ghostlike images of ships. As the view becomes closer, the outlines of the ships can be barely seen with the naked eye. The few that can be seen look like warships. Now an image appears, a race of creature that is unknown. It looks like a temshwee, but is much larger. The creature is speaking, and all hear what it has to say. Then the image is gone, and the view of space changes to one of a vortex to hyperspace opening. Dosalann stops the projection there.

"As you can see, this new race is one we have never encountered. The power level readings we were able to get from their smaller ships where equal to our Tanashi frigates. We can only guess at the levels of their larger ships."

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A new voice, "There were only eleventyfive ships. Why did your Shai Alyt not attack them?"

"He felt that our clan and this council should know of this new race."

The woman's voice, "It seems that not all of the Wind Sword clan Shai Alyt's are foolish. This one saw the wisdom of withdrawing and making this new race known to us."

The first voice, "We will have to find out more of this new race, Dosalann, you will return to your clan and await our decision."

Dosalann bowed, and the door opened behind him. He left quietly and proceeded back to his ship.

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After he had left, nine circles of light came on, and nine figures clad in gray robes stood in a circle.

One took off her hood, "It seems that we may have a new race to contend with. A race that we know next to nothing about."

A man removed his hood, "I agree Satai Delenn, and we must know more of this new race. Have the Anla-shok heard anything of them?"

"I do not know Satai Racine, but we will have the Anla-shok investigate this new race. We must know where they come from, and if they are a threat to the Minbari people."

The others all nodded their heads. "I will speak to Lennon, and find out what the Anla-shok know."

"Good Satai Delenn, until then, we must continue our war against the earthers, and then if needed, we will face this new foe."

"Yes Satai Racine."

Now the lights of the council members began to blink off, and finally it was just Delenn standing alone.

"A new race, in Valen's name, I hope that we do better when we contact them than we did with the humans," she thought. Then her light went out as well.

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Satai Delenn was walking down the passageway to her quarters. She was lost in thought, thoughts of this new race, and of the war with the humans. She entered her quarters, and proceeded to her alter. As she lit a candle, she heard a sound behind her. She turned and saw Lenonn standing there.

Even though she was glad to see him, she asked him harshly, "How did you get in here?"

"I am Anla-shok, I go where I am needed."

Now she relaxed, "It is good to see you Lenonn, I was about to summon you."

"About a new race?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

Lennon smiled, "The Anla-shok know many things Delenn, that is our task."

"And you carry out your task well old friend."

Lenonn bowed his head, "But I have something to show you Delenn."

"What is it Lenonn?"

He placed a data crystal in a small projector. Soon they both saw the view of space from a Ranger scout ship. They saw two ships headed toward it, and they fired missiles at the ship. Then the view faded.

"Where did you get this Lenonn?"

"This was from our ship the Dark Night. It was doing recon in the human system of Beta Durani. Apparently the new race may be there as well."

Delenn looked at Lenonn, "But our attack on that system begins within moments."

Lenonn just shook his head, "I know Delenn, I know."

Delenn's face became pale, "May Valen protect them."

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Dukhat's Sanctorum, Valen'tha war cruiser: The image of the Delenn's chamber faded, and the two of them looked at each other.

Using their mind speak, Kosh Naranek spoke, "This is not a good omen."

Kosh Ulkesh looked at him, "I agree. Our Minbari children are meeting a race that was destroyed in the last war."

Naranek looked at him, "And this race has technology that no younger race should have yet."

Ulkesh just nodded, "We must contact the others, the shadows may be involved in this."

"I agree, the circle must stand. It must not be broken. I will go to this place and see what there is to see."

Ulkesh looked at him, "We will await your call."