Chapter 38 (John Sheridan)

The atmosphere on the loading dock was so tense Sheridan could have cut through it with a knife. Standing right next to him, and using up his personal space, stood the very man that had started this mess with the Minbari. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he held back the unrelenting hate he had for the man. He had a job to do and his entire livelihood depended on it. His mission was to drop one warrior on a Minbari colony and survey the results.

Surely I can perform such an easy task with a squirming little weasel called Jankowski.

Sheridan was apprehensive about the effectiveness of such a warrior, but he knew the human military had to go on the offensive and take their revenge on the people who had destroyed his world. But at the forefront of this, one question still remained on his mind.

Why did they have to partner me up with this asshole?

"I never got the chance to thank you," Sheridan sarcastically began, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Jankowski."Thank me for what?" "The mess you got the human race into.""That…was not my fault-"

"Just like the Omega incident?" Sheridan barked, anger layered over his spitting words. "I warned general Lefcourt about your inability to handle first contact situations effectively. Now look at the shit you got us into. My whole family died on Earth thanks to you!"

As expected, Sheridan knew there was not much Jankowski could say. After all, it was his decisions back on his own command that had started the war. If he had only waited, kept his main fleet away from the Minbari ships, or even kept his distance instead of insisting on scanning their cruisers from close range, this war might not have started.

But as Jankowski began to speak Sheridan gave him a dismissive wave of his hand and looked directly into his eyes. He wanted to get one thing straight in Jankowski's mind and no amount of grovelling would change that. "Now you listen to me. I'm in command of this mission and I expect no insubordination. You take your orders from me and me alone. You lost your chance to command and personally, in my eyes, you're not fit to wear that uniform. I won't have a problem throwing you out the airlock and giving you to the Minbari."

Something within that sentence must have angered the man because, with a noncommittal glare, Jankowski spun in place and left the loading dock, heading towards a dark corner that faded into the warehouse. Even as he watched the back of the man, Sheridan could not help but wonder what would happen if he had a weapon in his hand. Could I really kill a man in cold blood?

Luckily for Sheridan, that theory was nothing more than idle speculation. He glanced back at his vessel, TheAgamemnon and wondered how much more punishment his ship could take.

Battle scars lined the hull and what had once been fine metallic paint, now chipped and bearing the scars of timeless battles and patch-up work. Even glancing down the far side, Sheridan could see an army of greasy men welding plates to the side of the hull that had been ripped open by Minbari energy beams. More patches, more scars.

"You must be Sheridan!" Suddenly a brisk man grabbed Sheridan's hand and began to shake it vigorously. With no identification on his person, Sheridan assumed it was a crew member overwhelmed with excitement.

"Sorry, who are you?"

"Oh, forgive me, I'm Marcus, Marcus Cole. I'll be your Vanguard for this mission. I've been instructed to guide your vessel to Sector 119 and bring you back once your mission is complete. I must say, this is an impressive vessel you have here."

Sheridan watched Marcus glance at the huge front of the Agamemnon, which dwarfed their entire platform. Star Furies, hauled by monstrous cranes, hovered impeccably close overhead and crates of food rolled in off the platforms and into storage decks below. It was common to see such a bustling dock and this new Vanguard seemed accustomed to the whole spectacle. At least Sheridan could rest in the knowledge that the President opted to send a Vanguard showing that she fully understood the importance of their mission.

The assignment the President had sent them on should take one day at best and involved no combat, but Sheridan was still nervous because all commanders knew that when you dealt with the Minbari, there was no such thing as involved no combat. But the thought of jumping into a planet's atmosphere also had its dangers and he weighed them up accordingly. No one had performed a stunt like that and the chances of disaster were great.

Marcus continued with his great speech, giving no time for Sheridan to answer. "Yes, I head about the president's daring plan. But I must confess, an atmospheric jump is a new one even by my standards. It gives me the jitters just thinking about it."

Sheridan glanced awkwardly at Marcus and tried to swallow that hard knot that had formed in his throat. I hope it will all go well...