A Universe of Change:
By Candlelight Defiance
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-One
Star Station Laberre
The General was never known for wasting time getting to the heart of a matter.
"Captain Archer, In a few hours, forces from the Federation, Earth Alliance, Narn, and the Drazi, are about to set foot on Minbar. It's something that has never happened before, given their attitudes. Being new here, I am sure you are not fully caught up on our relationship with the Minbari. We were in a war that would have resulted in Earth's genocide," he informed Jonathan, as if he was reliving the war yesterday. "We still have bitter feelings about that, although we won the war," he said sarcastically, not believing it for a second. "They surrendered on the eve of their victory, and we don't really know why. Don't believe people when they say that we were able to fight them off. We didn't have a chance, and everyone knew it. Now we're about to help them fight another enemy who almost destroyed Earth a month earlier. These aliens are coming back and will try to kill the world. Your people are the ones who stopped them. Earth, Minbar, the Vree, Narn, Drazi, none of us can defeat them without horrendous losses." He growled in frustration. "We can't stop them. What we need is shield technology and your beam weapons if we are to have a chance. I am here to ask you to help convince your fellow captains to share this technology. We have some of your technology," he said without a hint of remorse. I think we can develop a lot of what we already have on our own, but we don't have the time or resources. That is one of the reasons why President Luchenko authorized our military to aid a former enemy who tried to kill us."
The younger man carefully nodded. "I am fully aware of the history and the situation facing everyone here. The seriousness hasn't escaped us. In fact, the Abbai have approached us, asking us to help develop advances in their own shielding, which they are now openly offering to the Non-Aligned worlds who desperately need it. Archer folded his hands as he remembered some of the lessons learned when he first began exploring on his Enterprise.
"There was a time when I would not give away such technology. It was a violation, and it was dangerous. Giving such technology away usually caused more problems than it solved."
"But this isn't your universe," Pickett countered. Even though he didn't really accept they were from another reality.
"No. This isn't our old universe. But it is our home now. believe me we have discussed that very problem for a while. It is a headache," he acknowledged. "We have decided to help the Abbai redesign their shields and the Proxima alliance group are designing a variation of their shields to aid in the fight."
"But what about you people?" Pickett asked. "We need those shields. The Sinhindrea are coming as soon as they finish with minbar, if not sooner."
"We know," said Jonathan. "That is why we are building four more of our Alamo class battle stations similar to the ones now guarding Babylon Five and Laberre. All of them are modified with heavy shield generators, and we are planting cloaked mines that are extremely effective against the Sinhindrea. The stations will be controlled by your people. The mines will act as a deterrent against the Sinhindrea. We learned from Voyager that the Sins tried to get the codes from their computers and being telepathic we know they tried scanning us. Therefore, for all our sakes, we will not give Earth Alliance the codes for the mines."
The general didn't like the idea of not having control of those antimatter mines orbiting Earth. Not at all. But Luchenko had already given her approval weeks earlier. It was a battle already decided. Earth Alliance would be forced to trust Starfleet not to stab them in the backs. Therefore, he changed the subject.
"I appreciate your help, from the Drakh, the Centauri, to the battle with the Sins. You people have helped us but, but personally, I have a problem with your reluctance to join Earth. You work with aliens easier than with your own people. I don't mean what happened with the Clark debacle. That is over, but you haven't even considered fully sharing your technology with us, your own kind. Help me to understand why you have chosen aliens over us. Not everyone believes this," he clarified, "But this how I see this. You're so far ahead of us, the Vorlons and Shadows were afraid of you. The younger races were nothing to them. But they respected you."
"And they hated us."
"They were afraid of you," he corrected. "But not enough to take out your five isolated ships. That makes me worried about what you can do. I was at the Proxima battle." The general looked off, remembering the nightmare of that conflict and the things he saw, the people he lost. The general remembered the fear of losing that battle, not for his own life, but for the lives of everyone on Earth. The Centauri would have killed billions, and only God knows what the Drakh would have done.
"I saw what the Enterprise could do. I saw what your ships did to the Sinhindrea over Earth. Most of you are human, yet you isolate yourselves from us. General Lefcourt and I couldn't even get Picard and Janeway to share those rail rifles just for study." Archer could see him getting angry. "But you allowed the Minbari ship to accompany Voyager back to your home space! If and when they come back, Minbari science will leap ahead so far, Earth won't have a chance of catching up. That is why many of us feel betrayed by you. You won't even level the playing field for your fellow Humans!"
It looked to Archer as though the man was trying not to jump out of his seat, possibly to try to ring his neck.
"I don't know if I believe you're from another universe or another long-lost colony that happens to use perfect English as your standard language," Pickett noted with more than a hint of sarcasm. "Having the exact same language used by people from another universe, well, I am skeptical. And coming from a long-lost colony who uses perfect English is just as incredulous." He glared at Archer, almost daring him to argue the point. "There are too many questions that we need answers too, treaty or not, if we are going to develop some kind of relationship between the two of us."
"So, you are saying that you're afraid of us and what we can do," Jonathan replied.
"Absolutely, and I'm not the only one. Your science, wherever it came from, is far too advanced. When this war is over, who knows what might happen. Your people could come and take over everything," Pickett snapped. His voice softened. "We need you people. That was made clear during the Drakh Centauri war and it's clear now. But we need to come together as a unified whole if things are going to work between us. For example, the classes you're teaching. Who is going to benefit from them, you or Earth Alliance? Those are EA citizens and we're going to lose them to you. And instead of sending them home–when Earth recovers, they'll join your Federation, and Earth will lose valuable resources that could help us compete with the other races. Why should they even think about coming back home when they have all of this?" And here, he waved his hand, indicating the station and all the Federation had to offer. "We're already behind the Minbari in terms of everything but medical technology, and you people don't care."
Jonathan didn't glare at the man, not quite. He'd seen people like him before, officers who tried to dominate by force of their will. "I'm finding it interesting that you seem upset that we won't join Earth and incidentally give all of our tech and sciences to Earth Alliance. That sound a little petty and possessive of something you don't have control over."
"I feel that it's where it belongs," he countered defensively. "It's Human technology, developed and controlled by Humans. We've been shut out for the most part." Archer could see the waves of frustration and anger building up in the man's eyes. "You and your fellow colonists, Humans…whatever, should have some connection to Earth, but you don't. You're disconnected from us, and I don't understand why."
Jonathan looked at the man. What he was saying reminded him of several conversations he had with the Starfleet captains, weeks earlier. "I disagree. We Federation Humans, and many of the others with us for that fact, do have a connection with Earth. But we are not bound by that connection. Many of your Earth Alliance colonists have moved away from Earth, ready to start new lives, not associated with Earth, but that seems not to bother you."
"We know they will come back sooner or later," Pickett countered. "They know it's home. When push comes to shove, they will come together. I and others don't see that in you. You associate with our enemies more than you do with us."
"If you mean the Minbari, They are not your enemies any longer," Archer flatly commented.
"Keep telling yourself that," the general growled. "You haven't been around them long enough to see how they really are. They're short-tempered and ill-mannered when it comes to anyone even thinking about competing with them. That's why they are so pissed off at you people. The Ambassador beat one of their ships, one-on-one, in honorable combat. I'm still astonished they didn't start a war then and there, to prove that they're still number one. Every single Human in the EA cheered when that happened! And all of us were afraid that another war would start because of their holier-than-thou stinking attitudes. It's a miracle we're not in a war at this moment with them." He was quiet for a moment. "We were so proud. But then Voyager went back to wherever it came from," he snipped. "And took a Minbari ship with them!" he almost roared. "When they come back, they'll have knowledge that will take us one hundred, maybe two hundred years to catch up to, if we could even do that. We can't compete with that kind of science. You didn't even ask if we wanted to go with them!"
"That was a little before my time here, but I understand you didn't ask. I do however understand your point. You want us to join Earth Alliance so you can maintain a balance, or in most cases, develop an edge."
"Yes," the general confirmed slowly. "We needed you to join with us. Whether you like it or not, you are family. Proxima is showing signs of returning to the fold, if only partially. But we're being left behind, and when that Minbari ship comes, that's if we even survive. We will always look like primitives. The Narn has the other universal ship and the Klingons. We see what is happening there. We'll be behind everyone! Clark tried to take your ships. It was wrong, but in light of everything that's happening, we're desperate. I can see his reasoning. We lost a fifth of our population. Another third is suffering from radiation poisoning. A fifth of the population is suffering some form of blindness. Earthforce is crippled, our military manpower is low, and we need every person we can get to prepare for this war. People are still recovering from the Shadow plague. And you people, you Humans, are allowing us to be left behind."
"I can sympathize with your feelings," Archer countered. The man had just poured out his soul. "But we are an independent entity."
"Earth is tittering on the edge of a cliff. The Proxima group is helping, as are you, and we are more than grateful, even if we can't pay you back," he grumbled. "But for Humanity, there is no such thing as a separate Human."
Archer frowned. Each time he used the words 'you people', it sounded like a curse. This was something he wanted to test. "You sound as if Humanity is some kind of herd that has to stick together no matter what, for the good of the body.
"I don't fully understand what you mean by that, but Humanity in all its forms have to stick together, if we are to survive. Associating with aliens is fine, but in the final analysis, Humanity must stick together. There is no such thing as separate, but equal."
"My people told me that Earth Alliance couldn't fully trust us, unless you had us under your thumb. The Earth Alliance corporations are still trying to sue us, despite the danger we are all in. they want our technology and Proxima's as well. Their need for profit appears to be more important to them than unity. They are willing to let the colonies who depend on them for medicines and food, starve, so that they could bleed Earth dry for their bottom line."
The general gritted his teeth. He knew that and was against it, but thousands of people, weighed against the billions on Earth was an unequal equation. Besides, Proxima's synthesizers were doing wonders keeping the population from starving and helping them get back on their feet. But he also wasn't willing to concede the argument.
"I can understand their point," Pickett said. "It comes down to a matter of control. The Feds are independent from us. I may not like it or agree with it, but I will respect it. I wanted to get that out of the way. I'm sure there will be a lot of small disagreements between us and I wanted to make myself perfectly clear since we will be working together for the duration."
"I'm glad you made yourself clear. So, I will make myself equally clear. I love Earth. But your world isn't my Earth. I do feel a kinship with it, but trust takes time. We're improving, but we're not there yet. Too many people and corporations in Earth Alliance want to take from us. You can call it sharing if you wis, but we both know better. We will help Earth and other worlds, but we will not be exclusive to Earth, and you will have to live with that. I hope we can improve our relationship with each. But trust me. An onrush of technology can do a lot more harm than good. General Pickett, I am fully aware of your feelings about us." Jonathan said. "But I've been around worse people, and I found I could work with them. I will do that with you. Senator Wells is a different story. Our trust with him will extend only so far and we will not tolerate him attempting to forcibly try to integrate us into Earth Alliance. If he wins the election, we will not. We just wanted to let you know."
It took everything the general had, not to make a face. Bruce Wells, running for President, had gone out of his way to antagonize the Feds and pull Proxima back into the fold of Earth Alliance with him in charge. He wanted the colony and all of the technology, and he had the backing of the big corporations. He was evidently still pushing for the position of President of Earth Alliance, in spite of the polls. What people didn't know was that Luchenko was still recovering from the effects of the Shadow plague. She had refused to see the B5 or Starfleet medical services. It was her opinion that using non-Alliance services would be seen as a weakness and could not be tolerated by earth Dome, for the same reasons why Earth Force One was the flagship of Earth Alliance and not the Federation rebuilt Alexander. Her stubbornness could cost Earth alliance when Wills found out the extent of her illness.
He vehemently opposed having EarthForce troops helping the people of Minbar on their soil. He was behind in the polls, but he was using the feds as a whipping boy to convince an already terrified population to see him as their best hope for survival. People didn't seem to care that he hadn't set foot on earth since before the plague was cured. Picked considered him a coward and understood why the Feds wouldn't hesitate to break the fragile alliance if that man got into power. It would be another headache to deal with besides a homicidal group of ancient aliens trying to eat everyone.
"Differences aside, we'll work this through. Now, as for the reasons, I am here. I've been tasked to submit a request to acquire for Earth Alliance the schematics of the duotronics chips that are used in the latest version of our Star furies and capital ships. We're learning a lot from our continuing studies, but that can only go so far. The chips are very advanced and it will take us years to fully understand them and time's something we don't have. Babylon Five has the capability and understanding of how to make and effectively use them, but we don't. EarthDome would like to correct this in the same way we did with the transparent Aluminum diagrams you supplied us with."
The meeting lasted another hour. It included transporting of more troops for the Minbari expedition. Everyone expected that reinforcements would be quired sooner than later when the plan went into effect.
General Pickett appeared more relaxed towards the end of the talks. His aides, who hadn't said a word during the entire time, appeared happy that the meeting was almost finished. However, the general had a couple more questions to ask.
"How long will it take to repair your vessel the Bozeman? It looks to be in bad shape. You have other projects, but I am curious as to your eta."
Jonathan sighed. "That ship was our home for almost three years. But it is antiquated and severely damaged and not worth the time and effort to rebuild her. Even with the state-of-the-art specs, her lifespan would only be extended a short time. We are going to scrap her."
That was what Pickett had been told originally. "You're building two new ships over there."
"The Intrepids, yes."
"Well, since you're just going to scrap the Bozeman, then in the interest of improved relations between Earth Alliance and the Federation, we offer to buy it and take it off your hands."
A surprised Archer stared at him. "It could be a very strong, positive gesture to pave the way for improved relations. Plus, it's the same level of technology that B5 has. It also would balance the fact that the Minbari will have so much more advanced technology when that ship returns.
"Our scientists can take the time to learn about the new tech as well as ask questions… in the open."
The commander of Starbase Laberre didn't say 'no' outright. He took the time to think about it and the more he did, the better he seemed to warm to the idea. It was his ship, after all, and the tech was antiquated compared to what the Feds had now. It would give Earth a boost in which they could study the sciences properly instead of trying to steal everything. Being one hundred twenty years behind the times was an added incentive. With the things Ensign Crusher s data had provided, the gap between them would be even more impressive.
"I will consider it. We would have to remove a few things to keep you from blowing yourselves up, no anti-matter of course, and I recommend you be careful about that little project. Talk to the Narn. But the chambers would remain. No phasers. You have the precursors. We know you're working on that already and who knows what the future will bring. And we will have to drain the coolant. It's toxic," he explained. "It would take you about ten years to fully understand what you have. Plus, it has the duotronics." He was quiet again. "I will consider it. We might leave the library partially intact."
Pickett couldn't believe it. He has zero expectations at getting that ship and now, Earth Alliance had a chance to leap forward fifty years or more without having to hide it. He almost blushed, but not quite. He could never, ever allow his aides to witness something like that.
XXX
Nials and Linnials, completes their mission in a record five hours. Hundreds docked at their respective ships, delivering the precious information that would begin the start of the liberation of their home. Messages were read by the Alyt and Shai Alyt ship commanders. Those who read it immediately understood the implications and rushed to implement their orders. Engineers and weapons specialists rushed to make the changes. Some already realized what was about to happen and it served to improve their resolve. But they would only have one shot at this. After this plan was initiated, then the Minbari would have to rely on brute force, and they would have to rely on their own cunning and strength against a superior enemy. The tactic, if successful, would throw the Sinhindrea fleet into chaos. Then they would most certainly be out for blood.
Reconfiguration of the beam weapons took a short time. Their technology was advanced, and the workers understood their systems perfectly.
Babylon Five has signaled," Koral told Coplann. You may begin."
Coplann glanced down at the padd he held in his hands. The countdown was at zero and the image of a flashing green button had now appeared on the screen. Coplann stood in the center circle, staring at the others who had lowered their hoods and revealed their faces.
"If we do this," addressed Hedrann. "We will be beholden to the younger races. We will be beholden to the Starfleeters and Humans. There will be those who will not approve of being in their debt. There have been too many changes, and I fear for the future stability of our people."
"If we don't do this, then there may not be any future to worry about. The Minbari people have never been known for its timidity. We have exulted in the weakness of the younger races. Now, it is our turn to show what strength means. The Vorlons thought us pawns. They thought us worthless, to do with as they pleased and then discard as though we were nothing. It is they who are wrong and beginning this day, we will do what they failed to do. Let the future take care of itself."
Once again, Coplann stared at his fellow satais. They bowed, and he returned the acknowledgement.
Resolute and comforted, he boldly pressed the green button. And the Sinhindrea began shrieking as their plans were ripped to shreds.
Chi Draconis System
Minbar orbit
The Sinhindrea ship in orbit closest to Minbar rocked violently almost breaking is back in spasms. No less than three cloaked high yield photon mines detonated right on top of the ship. Its energy shield wavered violently, but hadn't collapsed. The collapse happened an instant later when a cloaked quantum mine detonated on top of the globe anti-proton power source. Quantum energy mixed with anti-proton power and the ship ceased to exist an instant before it shined like the sun. The reaction was a massive implosion which then exploded. Tens of thousands of Sinhindrea young and middle-aged warriors were instantly cooked inside their armored shells. The younglings barely had time to understand what was happening to them.
The commander of the ship, however, knew exactly what had happened and managed to shriek its rage and warning before it fell into the darkness. The male held no fear of death, on a seething hatred for those who had killed it and his ship.
Even before the second transport went up, the collective Sins knew exactly what was happening. There was confusion and boiling anger as to how such an occurrence could happen, given the security around the transport. The mines hadn't been there a mere twenty -time units earlier. But they were there now, multiplying and rapidly vectoring towards any Sinhindrea in range. These there weren't the mighty warships feared throughout the galaxy. These were transport and supply vessel, with inferior shielding.
The ships had only unloaded half of their supplies and warriors. Now, it was too late to finish the job although some vessels tried. One such vessel lingered too long as it attempted to release several shuttles, pushing them to flee to the surface. Six were released. One made it to low orbit and then to the surface. The other armored transport was blown out of the skies and the mines started hunting Sinhindrea. They weren't simply marking their territory; they were pushing the ships away from orbit, and there was nothing the transports, freighters, and small destroyers could do to stop it.
The small, globed warrior ships and the squid-designed cruisers tried to strike back, but it was futile. For every mine they destroyed, several more took its place and rushed towards them, sowing obliteration and death. The assault continued until the Sinhindrea were pushed two light seconds away from Minbar's orbit. Rage didn't begin to describe the emanations of the telepathic aliens. They realized what happened, but not how. Two transports. Their shields to full and the defensives weapons at maximum tried to push their way back into orbit.
They failed.
The Sinhindrea collective hated the human-stain with greater ferocity, promising revenge and an even more memorable death to every Human its species encountered. No feeding. Oh, no. Just a memorable death which would serve as an example of defiance to any who dared opposed them. total extinction of the human-stain was now mandatory.
The Sinhindrea didn't know of the concept of embarrassment. But they understand the concept of humiliation in battle. All eyes watched malevolently while Minbar was snatched from their grasps in a matter of minutes. They were too far out of range and the ever-increasing mines cleared the way for something to enter orbit. They logically anticipated a Minbari fleet to jump in and attack surface units.
What happened was something else. It took another second to understand what they were seeing. The Minbari and human-stain were not going to bomb the planet. They intended to take it back.
The Sinhindrea flashed in defiance. It was theirs now and they would keep it.
Malevolent eyes glared greedily at the planet, the leaders already planning to take it back as soon as they resolved the dilemma of the despised cloaked mines. Brute force was useless. It had been tried before at Z'Ha'Dum with disastrous results. Then those mines terrorized the colony when the hated things broke away from blocking the gate after they destroyed it and chasing the Sinhindrea ships. Millions died, and the colony was severely weakened. Those same mines now kept the Sinhindrea from their prize, and they struggled for a solution. It was because they were focused on the planet that they all saw it.
Two hundred miles above Minbar, a red swirl, not unlike a jump point appeared. The glow brightened and something indefinable began to materialize. The shape quickly defined itself and resolved into a tube-like structure bristling with antennae. The structure was covered with Minbari crystalline armor. At the bottom of the three mile long station was a long pylon, unmistakably Starfleet-shaped in design. It looked similar to a warp nacelle, but it served a different purpose. It glowed green and blue, providing power for the defensive shields and station. Heavy weapons ports opened and a variety of formidable array weapons revealed themselves. Transporters borrowed from the Federation, began transporting soldiers and supplies to the surface.
Storm Bringer, Draal's little project, had arrived, its majestic presence a shining light for all to see.
Valen'tha
In the secured chambers of the Grey council, it took every bit of strength by Coplann to maintain his dignity and not scream to the rafters. He hadn't known what Sheridan was planning, but the sight of the Minbari-like vessel, made his heart swell with pride. He could almost hear the screams and jubilation of the warriors in the fleet. The time was almost here, the battle about to begin.
TBC