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 Seventeen

President's Office

EarthDome, Geneva

A Short Time Later

Sitting comfortably behind her desk, joined in her office by the vice president, President Elizabeth Levy listened carefully, and with no small amount of well-hidden glee, as General Lefcourt carefully detailed the results of the raid on the Minbari staging area. From what he was telling them with the aid of the SDF-1's unique FTL drive technology they had achieved complete surprise as it had let them bypass all of the normal early warning measures – the Minbari like everyone else relied on a combination of hyperspace probes and patrols by lighter vessels and fighters to give them warning of approaching hostile forces. In this case they'd been taken completely off guard and that surprise had let their attack force inflict the maximum amount of damage upon their enemy while sustaining no damage or losses themselves. To say it was a sharp contrast to all the other times they had engaged the Minbari would have been an understatement if ever there was one.

"The destruction was total?" Vice President Luis Santiago asked the general standing nearby. Like the president he was keeping his expression calm but inwardly he was dancing a jig at the news of what was clearly a potentially catastrophic defeat for the Minbari invaders.

"It was sir," Lefcourt replied, inwardly jumping for joy at the fact that the Minbari had taken another devastating defeat with little to no damage being inflicted upon EarthForce. For so long the boneheaded aliens had been casually, in fact downright effortlessly, ripping apart their forces leaving nothing and nobody alive when they struck even going so far as to deliberately target and destroy life pods. It was nice to see them on the losing side of a confrontation, nice to see the warrior caste taking casualties for a change. It would hopefully put them on notice that there days of running roughshod over EarthForce were coming to an end and that they were now facing them in a real war, that they were no longer just target practice.

"So what does this mean general," Levy asked, feeling a lot more hopeful for the future than she had been feeling before the SDF-1 appeared in this reality. Appeared and revealed that she had sensors that were capable of penetrating the stealth technology that had previously allowed the Minbari to massacre their forces while being virtually immune to their return fire. Before the accident that brought that ship here occurred the only prospect they'd had against the Minbari was defeat and certain extermination – the Minbari had done that before to other races they'd gone to war with like the Garmak who'd been wiped out to the last soul by the warrior caste. She'd had to look at developing various methods for their species, their civilization, to survive the Minbari's insane rampage even if all the worlds in the Alliance – even Earth herself – fell to the Minbari.

Now however things were very different. While she still might have to implement some of those evacuation plans, depending on how things went, they could now make the Minbari pay a price in blood for every attack. Maybe it would be enough to convince the arrogant creatures to come to some kind of agreement with them to end the war.

"Madam President based on what our intelligence intercepts can determine it means that the Minbari expeditionary forces invading our territory have been, to all intents and purposes, completely destroyed," Lefcourt responded, "while we know they do have small raiding parties out, the loss of their key logistical support hub will certainly force the Minbari to withdraw those forces for the foreseeable future.

"From intelligence shared with us by the Centauri and reports from own commerce raiding we know that the Minbari logistical support networks are in a very poor state. In fact they are in complete chaos with entire convoys of transports being able to be destroyed due to lack of any serious escort," Lefcourt continued inwardly shaking his head at the utter incompetence the Minbari were displaying with regards to logistics especially the warrior caste. Really you would think an entire caste who trained for nothing but war would understand the vital importance logistics played in any military operation. Frankly it showed both monumental arrogance and monumental complacency on the part of the Minbari.

"Thus it will take them a considerable period of time to prepare another force if they are able to do so," he continued. "In the meantime, they're on the defensive, something that according to our Centauri friends the Minbari warrior caste will not like being as they have little experience with it since all their tactics and training is based upon being on the attack."

"Meaning that we have an opportunity to end this through diplomacy," Santiago commented with a smile at the thought of ending this tragic, pointless war with the Minbari through his preferred approach of diplomacy. Still he was realistic enough to realize that they had to be prepared just in case the Minbari were still unwilling to talk with anything other than particle and fusion cannons "or at very least complete the refit of our fleets with the sensors from the SDF-1. Once the refit is complete..."

"…we can begin preparing to go on the offensive against the Minbari," Lefcourt finished for him. He hoped that invading Minbari space wouldn't be necessary as experience in the Dilgar War had taught him that invading another races territory could be a costly, bloody affair especially assaulting planetary defence grids.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," Levy answered even as she quietly acknowledged that invading Minbari space might be necessary in order to end the war. "We will continue upgrading our ships as quickly as Captain Gloval can provide us with the sensor units but take no offensive action. Instead, we will try to end this peacefully."

"Madam President we should still prepare to invade Minbari space if they refuse to come to the negotiating table," Lefcourt counselled. "Given how angry they are over the accidental death of their leader, Dukhat, during the incident with the Prometheus we cannot assume they will be ready or willing to even entertain the possibility of talks with us even though there expeditionary forces have been destroyed."

"General Lefcourt does have a point," Santiago admitted, "we must also factor in what the Centauri have told us about the Minbari especially the flaw in their biology that means strong emotions can overwhelm them and completely destroy any and all ability to think clearly. If they refuse to come to reasonable terms with us, or even entertain the idea of talks to end this then we will have no choice but to invade their space and keep fighting them until they surrender."

"That will be a long and bloody process," Levy commented, "will our forces be prepared to face such a prolonged campaign?"

"They will madam president," Lefcourt replied, "I will admit that the prospect of invading Minbari space is not one I relish, from the Dilgar War we know such campaigns are far from straightforward, but if the Minbari give us no alternative then we will do what we must."

"I know that you will general," Levy answered even though she knew that before they did anything else she would have to discuss all of this with the war cabinet. Once that was done and a decision made she would be able to give EarthForce orders to prepare for an invasion of Minbari space if that was felt appropriate. "But moving on I believe you have a bit more information about the SDF-1 to reveal? I understand that EarthForce Command had the Minerva and the other ships record the space folding process in the hopes of understanding it."

"We did," Lefcourt confirmed with a nod, "the sensors on our ships recorded a treasure trove of information on the space fold though we still don't understand how exactly it works. What we have been able to determine however is that to initiate and maintain the fold the SDF-1 generates and focuses some type of previously unknown graviton particles as well as beta-phase tachyons. Somehow they use these particles to create what is essentially a wormhole between two different points in space. From conversations we've had with Captain Gloval we know that the focusing of the particles into a bubble or fold sphere around the ship requires the use of some type of monopolar ore but we currently don't know anymore than that. Well beyond the fact that fold transit is a hell of a lot faster than using hyperspace. Our science divisions have begun looking over the data we gathered during both the fold to the staging area and the return fold to Altair. Hopefully they'll be able to tell us a bit more once there analysis is complete."

"Is there any chance that the SDF-1 crew might be persuaded to share space folding technology with us," Santiago asked knowing that such a drive system could be beyond transformative for them. "Not that we should ask right now, Captain Gloval has already been extremely generous in providing us with the stealth busting sensors we had best not push our luck."

"Indeed is that all general?"

"No ma'am. We now know a little bit more about what that ships weapons systems are capable of including the effective range of the ships massive main battery," Lefcourt answered before giving a slight gulp. "Based on combat data recordings from all the ships that took part in the raid we have confirmed that the SDF-1's main cannon can project its beam up to three hundred thousand kilometres or just over one light second."

"Jesus," Santiago breathed shocked, he had known from the earlier Battle of Altair that the SDF-1's main cannon was an immensely powerful energy weapon – anything that could disable or destroy twenty-two Minbari warships in a single shot was power beyond anything they could easily comprehend – but he had not realized that they could project the beam so far.

"It is not the only energy weapon they have which has that kind of range," Lefcourt continued, "upon reviewing data from the first encounter with the Dauntless and an exchange of warning shots we have confirmed that all the SDF-1's anti-ship energy weapons – which appear to be a mixture of proton-based particle beams and high intensity free electron lasers – have that kind of range. Her rail cannons and missiles likely have even greater range still. In fact the only weapons aboard her that probably don't have ranges we would consider impossible to achieve are her defensive weapons which appear to be a mixture of pulsed laser arrays, railguns, and more missiles. The rail cannons are something we are going to need to talk with them about."

"Oh," Levy asked.

"Yes during the battle the SDF-1 fired four railgun slugs – each weighing two hundred and forty-five kilograms – at a massive ground supply depot the Minbari had built. Each one struck the surface with the same energy as a hundred megaton bomb. As you both know at the end of the Dilgar War a number of treaties were signed forbidding the use of such weapons on planetary targets. Now while it can be argued that the SDF-1 and the people aboard her are not covered by such treaties as they are from another reality and thus aren't technically covered by the treaties it does put us in a somewhat awkward position diplomatically."

"Indeed," Levy admitted with a slight grimace. She knew that there were people in EarthDome who wouldn't hesitate to use the fact that the SDF-1 possessed and used railguns in that way – a way that practically every race around here said was illegal – as an excuse to stir up trouble. It wouldn't matter to them that they could be endangering their relationship with the very people who were giving them a fighting chance against the Minbari. Not to mention what some of the other races would think, though really they had no right to criticise. She would speak to David later and get him to mention that the use of such weaponry on a planetary target – though she got the distinct impression that it was probably the least destructive of the battlefortresses weapons when it came to planetary bombardments – was problematic diplomatically.

"What I do not understand is how the hell is it possible for them to have and run so many different, immensely powerful weapons systems on a ship that's only twelve hundred meters long," Santiago said ignoring the railgun issue for now, he knew David would take care of that issue at least with Captain Gloval. As for those in the Senate who would use it to make trouble, well he would deal with them.

"Unfortunately that's not really a question we can answer right now, especially as so few of our people outside of General Bradshaw and of course Secretary Sheridan have been aboard the battlefortress," Lefcourt answered. "And none of the people who have been aboard have been allowed anywhere near the engineering areas. There chief of security, a Colonel Dennis Maistroff, is very strict about where anyone we send aboard is allowed to go and Captain Gloval goes along with him. In fact all we know is that whatever the power source is, it's definitely organic."

"Organic," Levy muttered before shaking her head. "That extra-universal ship is proving herself to be both an incredible aide to us in our battle with the Minbari and a mystery that is both fascinating and vexing."

"That it is ma'am."

"Hopefully we'll get some more answers eventually," Santiago commented.

"We can but hope," Levy agreed, "though we're not going to push right now. Let us just be content that they're willing to assist us against the Minbari – they could have just as easily chosen not to. Is there anything else general?"

"No madam president."

"Very well then general you may go. I will see you tomorrow at the next meeting of the war cabinet."

"Yes madam president."

Minbari War Cruiser Valen'tha

That Same Time

Shai Alyt Branmer was nervous as he stood outside the meeting chamber of the Grey Council waiting to be admitted. He had hurried here from the main strategic command on Minbar with a report that he knew the Council was not going to like one bit, the other Shai Alyt at command certainly didn't like it, as its consequences for their offensive into Human space were dire indeed. In fact he knew there had been no small amount of panic among the others when a cruiser sent to investigate why their forward supply and refit base – an absolutely vital lynch pin for their expeditionary forces – had stopped responding to communications made its report.

He could well understand the reaction.

The complete destruction of the base and all the accumulated supplies was an absolutely colossal setback for them, one that they would not be able to recover from quickly. Unlike many in the warrior caste he understood the importance of logistics – something that was honestly helped by the fact that he had not been raised as a warrior but had been religious until Dukhat's death – as no army or navy could hope to fight even if a limited campaign if there supplies of food, weapons and other important equipment were disrupted or completely destroyed. The Humans obviously knew that as well, which was why they had been targeting their logistical support networks in a tactic that both Delenn and Lennon had told him they referred to as commerce raiding. A tactic that had so far proven devastatingly effective, especially as despite being the largest caste the workers had few heavy warships – certainly proportionally far less than the religious and warrior castes did – favouring lighter escorts. Escorts that, while they still had better weapons, struggled in confrontations with those human cruisers and carriers that had been carrying out the raids. The lower power stealth systems on said vessels not being strong enough to defeat the Human sensors for long enough to stop the Humans admittedly powerful plasma weapons demolishing the ship.

He was brought out of his thoughts by one of the religious caste acolytes who served as pages and aides for the Satai emerging from the chamber. The other Minbari bowed politely, making a triangle with his fingers a gesture Branmer automatically returned in a fashion that betrayed his religious caste origins, before stepping aside and gesturing for him to enter. Knowing that the Grey Council were ready for him he carefully made his way inside, the iris like door closing behind him leaving him in darkness.

Indeed the only light he could now see was the circle of blue spotlights in which the nine grey caped and cowled members of the council stood.

"Well Branmer you wished to speak with us," Jenimer said removing his hood and gesturing with the staff of leadership, which he as the eldest member of the Council held until the time of mourning for Dukhat ended and a new Satai was chosen to be leader, to a central circle of light "step into the circle and speak."

Branmer nodded and did as he was bid. "Honoured Satai it is my honour to come before you," he said as soon as he was standing in the central circle. "I only wish the circumstances were better as I bring devastating news that will affect the course of the war with the Humans."

Satai Morann removed his hood, looking puzzled. "What has happened," he asked.

"Two hours ago the supply and refit post established in one of the unclaimed systems between ours and Human space ceased responding to communications," Branmer explained, "a cruiser was immediately diverted from its patrol route to investigate."

"Has there been some kind of communications breakdown," Morann asked hoping that was the case, really it was the only explanation as the base was too heavily defended to be easily taken down by anyone not to mention their security patrols and hyperspace probes would have detected any attack force approaching and sent an alert. Though if it was only a simple communications breakdown why was Branmer here reporting it to them? And why did he look so worried?

"If only that were the case Satai," Branmer answered. "It is with great regret that I have to report that our base has been attacked and completely destroyed."

A shocked murmur ran through the council. Removing her hood Delenn frowned at him. "How," she asked, while she wasn't a warrior she was aware that it should have been impossible for anyone other than the Shadows to have taken the base by surprise let alone destroy it before any distress call could be transmitted. She seriously hoped that the Shadows were not getting involved in this, and that they were still wherever they had gone to after they'd defeated them a thousand years ago, as them aiding the Humans was the very last thing that they needed. Though it was also something that the Shadows would do if there records from the last great war were accurate.

"The Humans attacked the base," Branmer answered, "they achieved complete surprise and were able to completely destroy both our defences and all supply dumps and cargo ships present."

"Impossible," Morann exclaimed, "given our superior knowledge of hyperspace our probes and patrols would have spotted their ships long before they reached the base. Not to mention they would be no match for our defences."

"That would normally be true Satai," Branmer agreed. "However they didn't use hyperspace to attack the base. Instead the same ship that our forces encountered at Altair brought a squadron's worth of warships to the system through a previously unknown form of faster than light propulsion. The cruiser we sent after we lost contact has extracted visual records of their arrival and the subsequent battle from some of the perimeter security bots. They have yet to retrieve any data recorders from the remains of our ships as their current focus is on the recovery of life pods."

"As it should be," Jenimer answered even as he saw the slight scowl on Morann's face. He shot the wind sword a warning look, quietly telling him to hold in any outbursts or else. "Show us."

"As you wish Satai," Branmer acknowledged retrieving a small remote from a pocket in his elaborate senior warrior's uniform and giving a command to the Valen'tha's computer to retrieve the appropriate records from the computer on his flyer and to display them for the Council.

For a few more moments nothing happened then the holographic projector activated and a holographic screen formed around the assembled Satai and stabilised. An image of their supply post, one of the warships assigned to protect it cruising in the foreground, appeared backdropped by the shimmering veils of a nebula. All seemed normal until there was a sudden flash of a strange eldritch light a few moments before a tiny ball of light appeared and rapidly grew into a sphere of energy fifty kilometres in diameter. A sphere that looked like a whirling ball of golden frosted glass.

It was actually quite beautiful to look at, alien and mysterious in away the Minbari had never seen before. As the Satai watched entranced by the strange beauty of the energy sphere shapes began to appear inside it, skeletal and indistinct at first but rapidly solidifying as if they were being reintegrated into normal space. Many of the shapes were clearly the angular, blocky forms of EarthForce heavy warships. Abruptly there was a brilliant flash of blue light that swirled in a gyroscopic fashion, making the sphere vanish…

…revealing eight Human warships and the same alien ship they'd seen at Altair. An alien ship that had, in one shot, annihilated a huge chunk of their attack fleet and led to the death of thousands of warriors including Shai Alyt Sineval.

"What was that?" Morann asked.

"We do not know," Branmer answered as he paused the playback, "all we know is that just before the energy sphere appeared sensors detected a sudden huge gravitational disturbance beyond anything we had ever seen before. However, it only appeared at most sixty seconds before the sphere appeared."

"There was no other warning?" Satai Coplann asked slipping off his own hood.

"None Satai."

"Continue with the playback," Jenimer ordered. Branmer nodded and pressed the button to resume the playback.

For another few minutes the Human ships did nothing, meanwhile the Minbari defence ships formed up and began advancing towards the new arrivals to confront and destroy them. Then as they had seen at Altair the alien ship began changing shape, transforming into a tuning fork shape that began to glow and crackle with a phenomenal amount of energy. It aimed its brightly glowing prow at the approaching Minbari ships.

"No," Morann breathed in horror realizing just what was about to happen. The alien ship fired unleashing another of its absolutely colossal, and utterly devastating, energy beams. In an instant the beam impacted and enveloped the approaching warships. The three Sharlin was instantly annihilated while their escorting Tinashi were heavily damaged and thrown away like flotsam in a storm, trailing debris and bodies from ruptured hulls.

The beam was not done as it continued on, traveling farther than anything the Minbari had ever seen before, before slamming into the starbase towed to the staging area to both act as a defender and the primary command and control hub for their forces in Human space. For a moment it looked like the station would survive the attack then, with breath-taking suddenness, it exploded consumed by the incredible destructive power of the alien weapon.

The beam disappeared and the alien shape changed back to its normal shape before it and the Human ships advanced towards the lightly armed, highly vulnerable mobile repair and supply docks. Simultaneously fighters launched from the ships began advancing upon a group of newly arrived cargo transports, transports that immediately – recognising their peril – began to try to return to the jump gate and the safety of hyperspace.

Over the next few minutes the nine watched as the Humans closed in and unleashed an absolutely colossal barrage of nuclear ordinance at the docks. The worker caste crews did their best to defend themselves from the incoming missiles, firing the light fusion pulse cannons on the docks and while some missiles were shot down it was a somewhat pointless gesture of defiance as missiles began impacting. Over the course of the next two minutes the horrified members of the Grey Council watched as every single dock – and all the warships moored up to them taking on supplies or being made ready for frontline combat – was annihilated in a massive onslaught of thermonuclear hellfire. When the searing light of the blasts faded all that was left of the docks, the ships and all the workers and warriors aboard them was a spreading cloud of plasma and heavily irradiated dust.

"In Valen's name," Delenn breathed staring at the devastation in a combination of shock, horror, and guilt. It was after all her rage-fuelled vote, made just minutes after Dukhat died in her arms, that had set her people on this path. And thousands of lives on both sides of this conflict had now perished as a result.

On the holographic display the killing continued as the nine observed the alien ship fire upon the huge warehouses established on the planet. In mere moments that too was annihilated wiped out of existence by what appeared to be some type of hypervelocity railgun rounds. Finally though the killing stopped and the Earth ships and the unknown moved away and back together again before the ship once again made one of those energy spheres and the whole fleet vanished as if they had never been present at all. The holographic display powered down shortly thereafter leaving the Grey Council in stunned, horrified silence.

"Shai Alyt what is the assessment of the caste elders," Coplann asked, hoping against hope that this was not going to be the logistical catastrophe that he feared it might very well be. Warriors after all couldn't fight without all manner of supplies from food to fuel and munitions.

"Unfortunately Satai we do not have a complete assessment of the damage yet. However, it is unfortunately very clear that to all intents and purposes our expeditionary forces – already badly weakened by the losses at Deneb and Altair – have been destroyed," Branmer said grimly, "the losses amongst the worker caste heavy transport and specialist munitions handling crews are if anything even more catastrophic. With the destruction and the loss of all its supplies… I believe we have no choice but to for now at least withdraw our remaining forces from Human space."

"We can't do that we need to stay on the attack," Morann protested.

"And how will you do that without a ready source of supplies Morann," Satai Karenn from the worker caste asked as she removed her hood and in her eyes all of them could see barely repressed tears. Many of her clan mates had been at that base, the families of her clan owned most of the Federations heavy transports and trained most of their specialist munitions handlers. Thus the grief in her expression was completely understandable. "You cannot fight without supplies of food, medical supplies, reactor fuel or munitions and all of our ready stock was at that base. You are talking several hundred kilotons of supplies, equipment as well as the specialist crews needed to safely handle and transport them. All of it has been incinerated in this attack."

"But we must keep fighting honour and justice demand it," Morann protested hotly.

"Ships cannot run on such things nor can warriors live off such things," Karenn answered, "if we continue to attempt offensive operations at this time then it will only end in needless Minbari deaths."

"She is right Morann and you know it," Coplann said seeing the wind sword was about to erupt like a volcano. Morann turned and stared at him in shock, clearly caught off guard by his intervention. "The war will not stop but we must pull our forces back to our territory to regroup and re-supply. Pulling our forces back for now at least will also let us deal with these infuriating Human raids on our shipping."

"Coplann is correct," Satai Naraan added, "the military reality of this situation must take priority over pride. If we continue to launch offensives into Human space in our current very precarious position then our forces will continue to be destroyed piecemeal. As much as it hurts my own warrior pride we must accept the reality of the situation and withdraw our forces, at least temporarily, to Minbari territory."

Morann frowned not at all impressed by the fact that the other two warrior caste satai were taking this stance. He wanted to object but he doubted that it would do any good and besides he did see the military reality of the situation as painful as it was. "I don't like it but I do see your points," he admitted with a sigh. He knew that many in his clan were not going to like this but that while they would grumble about it they would have to accept military reality and pull their forces back for now at least.

"Then let us vote on the issue," Jenimer said, "all those in favour of recalling our ships to Minbari space for now cast your vote." None of the lights of the nine went out indicating that they all, even Morann, agreed with this course of action. "Very well the motion is passed. Shai Alyt Branmer you will pass on our order for all Minbari forces to return to Minbari space immediately."

"As you wish," Branmer replied with a bow.

"You may go," Jenimer said prompting the priest-turned-warrior to leave the chamber. Jenimer then looked at the other members of the Council. "Now let us move onto the next item on today's agenda. Satai Nakani I believe your clan has determined the source of the problems some of our ships have been experiencing with their neutron cannons?"

Dukhat's Sanctum

In the quiet, semi-darkness of the recreation of the sanctum of Dukhat the Vorlons Kosh Naranek and Kosh Ulkesh finished observing the recordings of the assault on the Minbari supply base by the Humans and their extra-universal cousins. To say both were somewhat shaken by what they had seen would have been an understatement as the SDF-1's weapons systems – especially its main cannon – had proven themselves to be even more destructive and powerful than they had believed and possessed an extremely impressive range.

"The interlopers continue to disrupt the circle," Ulkesh commented at last. "We must eliminate them, before they destroy it completely."

"That is not necessary this could work to our advantage," Naranek answered, while the losses to the Minbari were considerable they were learning valuable lessons from the defeats that they were being handed to them. "The Minbari are learning the price of arrogance and complacency. It is better that they learn the lesson now before the Shadows return than when they are here."

"A good point," Ulkesh admitted, "but we cannot let the Minbari be defeated."

"No we cannot. However there is a way we can end this without risking attacking the interlopers."

"The Human captured by the anla'shok?"

"Yes though we can also arrange for the capture of Sinclair. Once they finish refitting their fleets with the interlopers' sensors they will begin probing the Minbari border. We can arrange his capture then."

"Doable. What about the interlopers?"

"The emperor himself has made it clear that we are to take no aggressive action against them," Naranek reminded his counterpart, prompting the other Vorlon to give the slight Vorlon equivalent of a wince as his faction had been told in no small terms by the Emperor to obey his orders or else. "Plus there is something intriguing about that ship, an emission from it we have never seen before."

"I have noticed and it is very intriguing. So we do nothing and take no action against them for now? But after the war we investigate this anomaly more closely?"

"Yes."

"Then so it will be."

"Yes."

Authors Notes: Well another chapter bites the metaphorical dust I hope you all enjoyed it. And so the die is cast for the next part of the war between the Humans and Minbari and the Vorlons are beginning to come up with a plan to end this before it gets bad enough that neither side will want to stop until the other is dead. I bet you all thought I had forgotten about Lieutenant Stevens captured by the anla'shok a few chapters back he's going to have more of a role to play than would have been thought, especially as the triluminaries are somewhat vague on which specific human traits they actually look for, it has to be fairly broad given that they can still ID Minbari with some human DNA in them even a thousand years after the time of Valen/Jeffery Sinclair. Of course the biggest response from the triluminaries would still of course come when they encounter Sinclair.

On the final section of the chapter I feel I should point out that the Vorlons are speaking clearly because they actually do speak clearly among themselves – plus if I had to write entire conversations in riddles I would swiftly go completely crackers – and only speak in riddles with the younger races because they take great amusement in watching them metaphorically bang their heads against the nearest wall as they try to work out just what the hell they mean. Finally I am sure you can all guess what the 'anomaly' is on the SDF-1 that has the Vorlons so intrigued. Until next time.