Into The Fire
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters and universes that I am about to mangle around for my own amusement - sadly all Robotech and Babylon Five characters remain the property of Harmony Gold, Babylon Productions Inc and Warner Brothers respectively - I am merely borrowing them and make absolutely no profit from their use. As a result, please keep the legal attack dogs - also known as lawyers - firmly muzzled and on a leash as I have no money to give to anyone.
Chapter Ten
Zor's Private Lab
Hidden Section, SDF-1
That Same Time
Rick stared at his holographic doppelganger in a combination of shock and disbelief. He just couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that he was dealing with not only an AI - that wasn't to bad as advanced computers that used so called dumb AI software had become quite common in the last few years - but one that was a) seemingly fully sentient and self aware unlike every other AI he'd encountered in the last few years, b) claimed to have a complete copy of all his memories up to the moment of its creation and c) had just dropped one hell of a bombshell in his lap.
"When you say you want to save all our lives," he started to say.
"I mean exactly that," the AI replied, looking at him sympathetically, understanding that his younger, organic self was having difficulty processing all of this. He - they - had been so young and innocent back at this point in the timeline before everything, before the wars and before the destruction of their home and the loss of their child in that assault. He couldn't help but feel guilty for the fact that he was going to have to destroy that innocence so soon and wished that he didn't have to. Unfortunately there was no other choice, the fate of not just the people of Macross Island but this entire section of the galaxy depended on it. Plus he knew how strong his younger self was - certainly more than he himself knew at this point - and knew that he would be able to handle it and that there would be others who could help him. Help them both really so they wouldn't have to bear this burden alone - not this time.
"In the time in which I was created almost the entirety of the Macrossian population were dead, the new homes and society we had spent so long building for ourselves annihilated," the AI continued, a remorseful look appearing on its/their holographic face. "I know that this is hard for you and I am sorry to have to dump all this on you but if we are to prevent that future from coming to pass then there is no choice."
Rick blinked. "Are you referring to the war between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari?" He asked, "Everything I have heard indicates that they are determined to wipe out every last man, woman and child of the human race just to avenge the death of their leader. Did they attack us?"
"No it wasn't the Minbari. While we will engage them in battle a few times before the war between them and Earth ends, they are not the ones who ultimately attacked and destroyed our colony. No, the ones who were behind that are considerably more powerful and dangerous than the Minbari."
"Then who?"
"It is a very long story and it will require me to fill you in on a hell of a lot of backstory about what has been going on in this reality for thousands if not millions of years, a cycle of violence and chaos that repeats itself every thousand years or so and the next cycle is already in its very early stages."
"We have time."
"Actually we don't," the other Rick answered, "Roy will soon find out that you are no longer in the cargo bay with the rest of the Macross Island refugees. Once that happens…"
"...he's going to start tearing the ship apart looking for me," Rick finished knowing exactly what his adoptive older sibling was like. Roy was still somewhat wound up over what had happened on Macross Island and how he had ended up flying a Valkyrie in combat against the alien giants when he both wasn't trained to do that and truth be told not really fit enough to endure the rapidly changing gee forces encountered during air-to-air combat. Only the fact that he was in somewhat decent shape from both flying in the air circus and having been a track and field athlete in High School had prevented him from seriously hurting himself. As it was he had ached for two days almost like he would if he pushed himself too hard in the gym. Thus Roy, when he found him missing, would hit the roof and in a desperate panic would start searching the whole ship for him.
"Exactly and I well remember what Roy is like when he goes into full overprotective big brother mode."
Both the flesh and blood and holographic versions of Rick Hunter shivered at the thought of facing Roy Fokker when he was in full on overprotective big brother mode. Oh Roy never meant any harm or anything when in that mode, in fact he couldn't do enough to look after his little brother in such instances. Unfortunately he tended to well overdo the protectiveness thing just a little bit, more than one blazing row - and once a bout of fisticuffs that had left both of them with a black eye each - had erupted between them when Roy had been like that.
"Well I don't want to really deal with Roy in that mode if I can avoid it," RIck commented. "I can still remember the black eye he gave me that time when we ended up having a fight about it. Boy was Pops mad about that."
The hologram smiled though the smile was tinged with a bit of a melancholy air. "I remember," he said.
"So now what? Do I just go back to the cargo bay the same way I came," Rick asked.
"You could go back that way or, alternatively, you could follow me for a little bit," his doppleganger answered. "Not only can I take you out of this hidden section of the ship in such a way that we will both get the attention of some of the people that I really need to talk to if I am to avert the future I remember. But I can in the process show you some of the greatest secrets of the SDF-1. Secrets that will definitely get you the ear of some very important people onboard up to and including Captain Gloval himself."
"Secrets? What kind of secrets?"
"Follow me and find out."
Rick smiled and shook his head. "Alright lead on then McDuff," he replied. The artificial intelligence laughed in response, he had forgotten somewhat how carefree and irrelevant their humour had been at this time in the future he remembered there had been little time for humour and since the death of their wife and child in the attack on New Macross the version of them that had been used in his creation had had very little to really smile and laugh about. Rather than respond out loud he turned and started walking away.
Rick followed unaware that he was about to embark on a journey that, while it would be relatively brief, would completely blow his mind.
Diplomatic Conference Room
That Same Time
"Why a complete blockade on all exports to the Minbari Federation for the duration of the war."
David Sheridan blinked in surprise as the Centauri envoys words hung pregnant in the air. If indeed the Centauri had persuaded all among the League of Non-aligned World's who had some trade links with the Minbari to agree to such a blockade then he didn't doubt that that would seriously hamper the Minbari economy. Especially if the blockade affected supplies of materials like quantium forty, which was absolutely vital to every known spacefaring civilization as you couldn't build and maintain jump gates and jump engines without it and the exotic subatomic particles it produced when energised which allowed the barrier between normal space and hyperspace to be pierced. He glanced at Adrian silently asking if Jaddo was serious, the telepath gave a subtle nod back confirming that he was.
"That would be an incredibly helpful move envoy," he answered at last "but are you not concerned by how the Minbari would react to such a blockade? They might try to militarily intimidate the League especially into resuming trade, especially the Pak'ma'ra who if I remember correctly control some of the largest quantium forty mines in the known galaxy."
"What's quantium forty," Gloval asked making everyone who wasn't originally from the SDF-1 blink and exchange surprised looks that he didn't know.
"Oh right you wouldn't know," Bradshaw said at last mentally kicking himself for being surprised by Gloval's ignorance. Coming from a completely different reality to them, and having a completely different form of interstellar travel to them to boot, meant that he wouldn't know what quantium forty was and why it was so important to every known spacefaring race in the known galaxy. "Quantium forty is a unique material that when refined and energised produces a form of subatomic particle. These particles are then focused and directed by the jump engines to create the vortices that allow ships in this reality to travel in and out of hyperspace. It's also quite a rare material."
"That I can understand," Gloval replied, "we have a similar issue about a rare material being needed. In our case the material is a monopolar ore that is used in the amplifiers and field projectors in our fold drives."
"Fold drives I assume that is your FTL drive system," Jaddo asked, hoping to learn just a little bit more about this ship and the people aboard her. Any information that he gained, no matter how inconsequential it could seem, would be instrumental in determining just how the Centauri Republic dealt with them as currently they only knew that they were human, were from another reality and had the firepower to wipe out entire squadrons of top-of-the-line Minbari warships - warships that could take any ship in the Centauri fleet apart in moments, even the rare but mighty Centurion battleships, in a single strike from an energy weapon whose power was almost beyond comprehension.
"Correct. To achieve FTL travel the fold drives as their name suggests bend and fold space-time to create a wormhole through hyperspace to the destination coordinates. Don't ask me exactly how it does that as frankly I have no idea," Gloval replied. Not that he would tell them exactly how space folding worked even if he did understand it, he had to keep some of this ship's secrets just that secret after all. Hell there was still a great deal about this ship and her technology that they themselves didn't yet understand and probably wouldn't for decades yet given that much of it was based in sciences that until this ship fell from the sky in the closing months of the twentieth century they had had absolutely no knowledge of let alone experience in using.
"Believe it or not that isn't particularly surprising," Jaddo admitted, "there are actually very few people in any race who fully understand the particulars of how jump engines and jump gates do exactly what they do and how quantium forty behaves in the way it does when charged. Even my people who have studied the technology involved for nearly a thousand years don't yet understand everything. In fact I doubt even the Minbari or the Yolu do either.
"But we have wandered off topic," he continued before turning his attention back to Secretary Sheridan. "To answer your question, mister secretary, we have already factored the possible response of the Minbari into our planning. Emperor Turhan personally spoke to the leadership of the Yolu, after considerable negotiation the Yolu have agreed - under the circumstances - to waive their normal neutrality. If the Minbari attempt anything militarily against any of the League for taking this action alongside us then the Yolu will stop them."
"They can do that," Bradshaw asked. He knew that the Yolu were one of the oldest known spacefaring races alongside the likes of the Minbari and the Markab and that while their fleet was relatively small it was extremely powerful. Powerful enough that even during the height of their invasion of the League even the Dilgar left them alone. Historically even the Centauri at the height of their imperial expansion phase didn't bother them.
"They can," Jaddo replied, "the Yolu are an even older spacefaring race than the Minbari and their technology and weaponry reflects that. The Minbari will not risk a military confrontation with them, the few contacts we've had with the Minbari over the centuries have confirmed numerous times that they are well aware of the fact that in a one-on-one confrontation even one of their Sharlin-class war cruisers would be no match for a Yolu war cruiser."
"I almost cannot believe that they would be willing to do something like that," David admitted, "I know that they're not a race to cross lightly - hell even the Dilgar knew better than to cross swords with them - but that they would be willing to stand up to the Minbari in such away is kind of hard to believe."
"As I understand it it took the Emperor a long time to convince them that it might be necessary but they understand now and are willing to do whatever is necessary. The Minbari must be made to understand that wanting to wipe out an entire race for the death of a single individual, no matter how loved and gifted he was, is not a proportionate response."
"I see," David replied even as he once again felt astonished that this much diplomatic activity had been going on among the other races regarding the war between them and the Minbari. Well if you can call getting slaughtered a war, he thought even as he acknowledged that soon that would no longer be the case. The sensors that Captain Gloval was providing them with would take out the single biggest advantage that the Minbari had over them, their stealth, and give them an actual fighting chance of stopping the alien's jihad. And who knew if they were able to make things difficult enough for the Minbari in general - but especially the warrior caste - then maybe they would be willing to talk to them with something other than their admittedly fearsome particle beams for a change.
I am really going to have to talk to Elizabeth about all this, he thought about the president. The fact that all this had been going on without their knowledge was definitely not going to sit very well with her. In fact knowing her as he did he didn't doubt that if she found out that the intelligence people had known about this and not told either her or him about it then there would be absolute hell to pay.
"You said that you would do this with our agreement," he said remembering what the Centauri envoy had said when he first dropped this particular bombshell on them. "What exactly would you want from us in return for putting such a blockade in place?"
"Nothing," Jaddo replied. He knew that there were some in the Centarum who had wanted to use Emperor Turhan's initiative to garner some concessions out of the humans, Lord Antono Refa chiefly among them, on several issues where their species disagreed. Fortunately for everyone both Emperor Turhan and Prime Minister Malachai were having none of that kind of talk. "Our two species have been friends for nearly a hundred years now, Secretary Sheridan, and honestly we do feel somewhat responsible for your development and evolution as a spacefaring race since we gave you the technology to walk the stars alongside us. While we cannot fight the Minbari for you, as much as some of us wish we could, we can help you against them in other ways. This is one of them."
David blinked in surprise. He didn't need to be a telepath to see that the Centauri nobleman was being completely truthful - well as truthful as anyone in the Centauri nobility could be - with them when he said that the Centauri wanted nothing in return for arranging all this. Though it was obvious that there was something else, some history between the Centauri and the Minbari that was also being addressed here. A history that they did not know about as he knew his Centauri, they could and would hold onto grudges for a long time until the time was right for them to get back at whoever they were angry at. Even if they did have to wait for centuries to get that vengeance as wasn't there that Centauri saying about how revenge was like the finest of wines, it had to be aged until it was just right.
"Bridge to Captain Gloval," a female voice said, bringing him out of his thoughts. He looked over to see where the voice had come from to see one of the massive overhead screens had come on showing an image of a young woman in a white uniform with light brown hair.
"Yes Lisa what is it," Gloval asked.
"Sir, some ships just came through the jump gate that I think you should see."
Gloval looked at Bradshaw. "Were you expecting anyone," he asked.
"No," Bradshaw replied with a somewhat puzzled frown. To the best of his knowledge there were no more ships scheduled to arrive today and their latest supply and reinforcement convoy was not due until tomorrow evening.
"Envoy Jaddo?"
"No, I wasn't expecting any more ships to arrive," Jaddo replied, puzzled as General Bradshaw seemed to be by the arrival of whatever these ships were. Though as he thought about it a suspicion began to grow in his mind as to the identity of those ships, who exactly they belonged to and likely why they were here. It was likely that they had been en route here even before the Demarius left orbit of Centauri Prime to bring him here it had just taken them this long to arrive given that not only was their space further away from Altair than Centauri space was but their ships were considerably slower than Centauri ships were.
Gloval raised an eyebrow. While he could tell that the fan-haired alien was being truthful he also caught a look that said that the Centauri had an idea of just who and what these new ships likely were. "Put them on the monitor Lisa," he said, addressing his default XO as the man who should have been his first officer hadn't been able to make it to Macross Island in time for the SDF-1's commissioning ceremony being confined to bed by a particularly nasty case of the flu.
"Yes sir."
Immediately the image on the monitor changed from a larger than life representation of Lisa Hayes to a feed from the SDF-1's external cameras. Hanging there in space were three alien warships, their sharp blade-like designs and red and black tiger striping clearly conveying their military nature and four smaller blocky transports. From the immediate looks on the faces of his guests it was immediately obvious to Gloval that they all recognised those ships.
"Who are they," he asked.
"They're Narn," Bradshaw replied, "the big one in the middle is a G'Quan-class heavy cruiser while the two smaller ones are Thentus-class frigates. The others are standard Narn commercial transports."
"Captain we are monitoring a communication between Altair Base and the Narn cruiser," Lisa added though her image didn't reappear. "The Narn say they are here to deliver a large consignment of somethings called ion torpedoes and energy mines as well as some medical supplies."
Bradshaw blinked. "If that's the convoy we've been expecting they're early they weren't due until tomorrow," he commented, noting out the corner of his eyes the Centauri noble and his guards wincing at the mention of the Narn bringing them weapons especially energy mines and their little - but still devastatingly powerful - brother the ion torpedo. It was well known that the Centauri were not happy about the deal they had made with the Narn to buy weapons - especially as the Centauri knew full well it wouldn't take them long to reverse engineer them and start making them themselves - but couldn't really do anything about it. After all such trades were not in any way illegal under interstellar law. "We've been buying weapons from the Narn since about three or four months ago, their weapons are a bit better than ours and a bit more effective against Minbari warships. Or they would be if it weren't for that bloody stealth technology of theirs."
"I see," Gloval replied. Though with the sensors we're giving you the Minbari stealth will soon no longer be an issue for you to worry about, he thought. "Any idea why they have arrived early?"
"Probably because we are here," Jaddo admitted, "due to some unpleasantness in the past relations between my people and the Narn are not the most amicable. Though since his ascension to the throne Emperor Turhan has done his best to improve relations with them, things are still somewhat tense between us."
"Why do I get the impression that that's an understatement," Gloval pointed out.
"Because it is," Adrian replied with a smile, "the Narn and Centauri hate each other's guts for very good reasons as the Centauri devastated the Narn homeworld in a century long occupation."
"Crudely put but accurate," Jaddo admitted, giving the human telepath a momentary glare. Like many who believed as he did he didn't like being reminded of the terrible crime his people had committed when they had invaded and stripmined the Narn homeworld. It had been one of the last gasps of the imperialists in the Republic, who believed they should dominate all around them, and was a stain of blood on the soul of their people that would never be truly washed away. They could only try to move on from it and learn from the experience. Unfortunately there were too many people in both the Republic and the Narn Regime who were unwilling to let that past die. Something that he honestly quietly despaired about as unless something changed then eventually there would be war between them and he didn't want to think about what would happen then.
Before Gloval could reply Lisa spoke again, this time her image returning to the screen in place of the Narn ships. Though as the image changed they briefly saw the Narn transports heading in to dock with Altair Base, presumably to unload their weapons and medical supplies. "Sir we've received a message from the Narn cruiser," she said. "They've identified themselves as the Q'zent and say that they are carrying a representative of something called the Kha'ri. The representative wishes to come aboard for a meeting."
"The Kha'ri is the Narn ruling body," David quickly explained at the quizzical look that Gloval shot him. The universally displaced Russian smiled and nodded his thanks. As he did so David made a mental note to get someone to send the SDF-1 a copy of the current Encyclopaedia Galactica as well as some notes on the local races. After all, if they were going to be here for a while, presumably until they found a way home if such a way existed, it would be helpful for them to know just who was who.
"Allow the representative onboard Lisa," Gloval ordered while shooting the EA Secretary of State a grateful look. "Be sure to inform them that no weapons are permitted onboard, not even ceremonial weapons like swords."
"Understood sir."
"Advise me when the ambassador's ship is on approach."
"Aye sir."
With that Lisa signed off and Gloval turned to look back at his guests, whose number was about to grow by at least one.
"We had better wait for the Narn representative to arrive before we continue with our talks," he said.
"Agreed," David replied.
"Agreed," Jaddo added. "Though while we wait we should both fill you in on some details of the Narn. They can be volatile people at the best of times and I'm afraid with me here whoever their ambassador is could be more prone to outbursts than normal."
"Are not the Narn party to the planned blockade of trade to the Minbari?" Adrian asked.
"They are," Jaddo confirmed.
"But knowing the Narn they've sent a representative here to try and gain some advantage for their Regime," David added with a sigh knowing that such power games were part and parcel of Narn diplomatic behaviour as was being somewhat belligerent over anything and everything. It was all an attempt to keep others somewhat off balance when dealing with them so they could get the best deal for themselves.
"I have known more than a few individuals like that," Gloval replied. "Still gentlemen, I would appreciate it if you told me all you know about the Narn in the time we have before their representative arrives."
Both the Earth Alliance Secretary of State and the Centauri Republic Imperial Special Envoy nodded in agreement and began giving him the Narn 101.
Hidden Section
That Same Time
Rick Hunter was getting somewhat fed up as he followed the holographic projection of the AI of his older self through the interior of the SDF-1. They had been walking down near featureless corridors for what seemed like an eternity, though was probably only a couple of minutes, and the boredom and tedium of it was starting to get to him somewhat.
"I thought you were going to show me something," he said.
"And I am, we're coming up on the access door now," the AI replied. "I know it seems like we've been walking forever but we haven't. It's just that while this whole section is sealed off there is a perception distortion field in place along with a sensor scrambling field. It's why your mind is thinking we've walked miles when we've only walked about twenty metres."
"Huh that's devious."
"Indeed. Zor could be both a devious and inventive bastard when he wanted to hide something and he went overboard in hiding this section of the ship. Even surrounding it in a phase displacement field - that's what felt cold when you passed through the bulkhead into this area."
"How did I pass through that bulkhead anyway," Rick asked as that had been kind of bothering him.
"You passed through it as the bulkhead is made from a material that can be made permeable by exposing it to certain frequencies of infrasound. When the Pollinator approached I began broadcasting them allowing it and you to pass through the bulkhead. It also reduced power to that part of the phase displacement field."
"Oh."
"Ah here we are," the AI said as they arrived outside an ornate looking hexagonal door. As they approached the door split into six parts that retracted into the bulkhead. Without hesitation the hologram led Rick into the room beyond and Rick blinked at what he saw.
He was in a large toroidal space which was filled with pedestals on top of each sat a globe like containment vessel, a vessel that had a translucent pipe that headed up to a series of larger pipes on the ceiling. What was even more surprising than the set up was what was in the globes. In each one was a plant with odd trumpet-like flowers that grew in strange bunches of three - no more and no less - the rest of the plant looked equally strange and alien being both vine-like and yet not at the same time. Every now and again one of the flowers would emit a burst of golden glowing pollen or spores that were then drawn up into the tubes and carried away elsewhere in the ship.
"What strange plants," he commented, moving closer to take a look at one of them.
"They're stranger and more amazing than you realise," AI Rick replied with a smile. "In our language they're called the Flowers of Life. Strange name I know but it is what can be made from their pollen and spore pods that really sets these plants apart and makes them one of the true wonders of the universe."
"Oh what's that," Rick asked.
"You'll see in a minute, come on."
At the urging of his AI self Rick began moving again following the hologram across the toroidal room to another elaborate door. The door opened on their approach leading to a smaller corridor with another door at its end. Without needing to be prompted Rick followed his doppleganger down the corridor to the next compartment.
What he saw took his breath away.
The room he entered was a huge silo-like space that had to run a sizable chunk of the height of the ship. Directly in front of him was a thick conduit filled with a softly glowing green fluid, a fluid that he could tell just by looking at it was packed with pure power. From above he could hear a deep thrumming noise and he looked up, noting a spiral stairwell that ran upwards along the side of the silo, to see at the top of the silo was an incredibly complex looking alien machine. A machine that seemed to be made of a series of spheres and pipes all of which hummed and glowed with an ethereal energy that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
"What is it," he asked.
"This younger me is the protoculture matrix," the AI replied. "This is the ultimate source of all the power on the ship, and in our own reality has been the source of never ending conflict among the spacefaring races."
"What why?"
"Because protoculture is essentially the ultimate power source. Though it is also far more than that, like crude oil back on Earth there are different products and effects produced during the refining process, different grades and types of protoculture that have very different but all equally amazing properties. Both its potency as a power source and all of those abilities have made the race to control it, to harness it a source of never ending conflict back in our old reality. It is why Zor sent this ship and the matrix away to stop the fighting, it is also why the Zentraedi attacked us."
"The who?"
"It's the name of the alien giants who attacked Macross Island. They had come to take this ship and didn't care about killing anyone who got in their way. Now we have a short walk ahead, then I need to give you something. Once that's done I will take you out of here."
"Alright," Rick replied as he started following the other up the steps. "Quick question: is this protoculture why our future colony was attacked?"
"No we were attacked for another reason though it might have been a secondary reason but that is not certain. We were never able to fully understand the reasons why the attack came, only that it was sudden, unprovoked and utterly merciless."
"Okay how far up do we need to climb?"
"Not far just two decks worth come on."
Rick nodded again before following. In no time at all they had climbed up the spiral stairwell to a landing, a landing that led to what looked like some kind of control room. Several consoles dotted the room along with along the far wall a strange table. Holograms displaying the same alien characters as the ones in Zor's lab floated above the consoles, all of which seemed to be running on automatic.
"This is the matrix control room," the AI said before leading him over to the desk. Rick followed and as he approached a section of the desk surface dropped down and slid aside. A second later a small silver wristband with a green crystal in it rose from within. "Take the wristband and put it on."
"Why?"
"It will let you bring others in here. It will also let me briefly appear next to you outside this section of the ship should you summon me. You will just need to concentrate and I will know you need me and I will come," AI Rick answered, though he didn't say that it would have other effects as time went on. His younger self didn't need to know that yet, though none of the effects would be harmful. In fact they would be very beneficial. "Please Rick, trust me."
"Well you are me so if I cannot trust you who can I trust," Rick asked as he picked up the wristband and carefully put it on. The moment it was fully closed around his right wrist the crystal lit up and what felt like a wave of cool energy washed through him making him stumble, momentarily disoriented though it passed quickly. "Whoa what was that?"
"It was just calibrating itself to your genetic and bioelectric signatures. It's nothing to worry about."
"Okay. Well now what?"
"Now I will show you how to leave here. Come along."
Without waiting for a response from him the hologram began walking again. Rick followed a few paces behind him as they left the control room and found themselves in another of the large toroidal rooms filled with the flowers. The AI led him straight across the room to another corridor that as with the one that had brought him here ended in a simple blank wall. Abruptly the wall shimmered slightly and somehow, though he wasn't quite sure how, Rick knew that he would be able to walk through it.
"Do I," he asked.
"Yes."
"What's on the other side?"
The AI smiled. "Go through and find out," he said.
"You're not going to tell me are you?"
"What would be the fun in that? Good luck," the AI answered with a familiar cheeky grin before vanishing with all the fuss of a bursting soap bubble.
Rick rolled his eyes, mentally grumbling that AI doppelgangers didn't have any manners, before resolutely stepping through the wall….
…and finding himself face-to-face with several dozen shocked engineers.