Chapter Nineteen

MinbarChapter Nineteen
“Foothold:
Part Six-Intruders in the home”

Jewyn Province

Tas Center for Science and Medicine

Far away from the fighting, but still far closer than they’d like, there was another no less intense battle being waged. Rii-nan’shok Donaan refrained from screaming in frustration at the actions of Challaon Alyt Winiann. His insistence at being meticulously careful while reconstructing the subspace transceiver tested the Rii-nan’shok’s sanity. “Is it necessary to test the machines’ casing again,” he asked.

“These are alien devices and as such we can not assume anything,” insisted Winiann. “This casing may well be critical when it comes to the efficiency of this device. We must document everything as much as possible for future research. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not document everything properly.”

“People are dying,” Donaan remarked caustically. “We need to communicate with the warriors and the outside worlds and let them know what’s happening here. We need to coordinate our defenses with our military.”

“People always die,” he coldly answered. “Science lives on in one form or another. My colleagues would be angry if I did not follow standard procedures. I can not be rushed.”

The Rii-nan’shok once more resisted the urge to throttle the scientist. “If you simply place the outer casing on the device we can communicate with our people and organize resistance and perhaps save many thousands until help comes.”

Winiann barely seemed to hear him as he studied the outer shell of the subspace communications system. “We need to run a spectral scan on this casing once more before we put it in place,” insisted the scientist. “Perhaps in three hours we can complete the assembly. Then we can test the overall output of the signal.”

That was when Donaan lost it. “Finish putting the Federation subspace transceiver together now,” he told the now frightened scientist. “Do it now or I will send you and your family back to Dravanlpore Province and leave you there to your most deserved fate. I will then tell the world of your traitorous actions and you will be remembered not for your brilliance but for your betrayal of your own people for personal gain.”

“But-but I am not a traitor!”

“Our world will only know the truth, my truth – but not yours. I promise you this. Intelligence such as yours would be a shame to lose. However I will finish the job myself if you do not hurry,” he finished. The worker’s anger was enough to send Winiann scurrying to complete his job. It took all of three minutes. Finishing, he slammed the tool he’d been using down hard enough to cause it to bounce away. “Are you happy?”

“No. Turn it on, wide band, general frequency.”

Clearly not wanting to, he activated the transceiver. The scientist looked as if he had been personally slapped.

Feeling a moment’s pity for the scientist, Donaan spoke his next words with less venom. “Challaon Alyt, you are looking at what will be the communications hub of this world, perhaps its savior if we can't manage to break the jamming.”

“You were sent to protect me, not threaten me,” the scientist said looking sullen.

“I was sent to you to make sure you completed your responsibilities. Now go and complete your transceiver in a timely manner-if you can.”

That statement sent another spasm of hurt and insult into the heart of the scientist. “You dare speak to me in such a manner?”

“You dared to waste valuable time because of your pride. I see it as a good counterweight to your single-mindedness.” Without another word, the Challaon Alyt started to speak into the device. “To anyone on this frequency, can you hear me?”

“This is Starbase La Barre. Please identify yourself.”

The universe be praised. “This is Challaon AlytWiniann of Minbar on the planet Minbar. I must speak with the Minbari representatives as soon as possible. We are under attack and our ability to communicate is limited.”

“Hold on for a moment, we’re transferring you to Babylon Five…”

Babylon Five

CnC

The military heart of Babylon Five hadn’t been this active since the so-called Berserkers, or as some called them the Red Monks, incident almost seven months ago. No one was absolutely sure who they were but the probe ship sent to Babylon Five was supposedly sent by that particular race. Treated as a first contact, Babylon Five answered a series of questions both scientific and philosophical that had been demanded of it. The alien probe was originally believed that the correct questions would acknowledge that B5 was advanced enough for first contact by the race that sent the probe in the first place.

Instead it was quickly discovered that the entire incident was a trap. Apparently the creators of the probe used those questions to determine whether the race that created B5 would be deemed a threat. The station, having answered the questions correctly via a mainbot, in essence announced to the probe that they were knowledgeable enough and therefore dangerous enough to be eliminated. The probe prepared to blow itself up with enough theoretical force to destroy the station (which had Federation-based shields now so the blast wouldn’t not have done anything to it) and everything around it. Fortunately, B5’s vastly improved weaponry vaporized the probe before it could explode. Two weeks later, an enemy fleet of forty ships appeared from hyperspace, presumably the creators of the probe, and attacked the station.

The fleet was completely wiped out by the stations defensive weaponry and support ships. It was a slaughter. The Whitestars and Starfury Threes, several Sharlins and their support ships, and the USS Rantoul and Yeager dominated the ill-conceived battle. The breaching pods filled with berserker platoons never even got close although Corwin really wanted to see one of them bounce of the defensive shield surrounding B5. The few that survived chose suicide rather than capture, leaving their identities and homeworld unknown, at least for now.

Captain Sheridan spoke rapidly to Commander Ivanova, giving last minute orders before the crap hit the fan. The fighters were being launched. The Evanston and Charon were taking up station near Babylon Five adding their Starfuries to already crowded space. Four more Omegas, the Juno, the Revere, and Agamemnon, and the Sparta were slowly pulling away from the station, preparing to act as a reserve in case the worst happened. All four Starfleeter ships were in the area and the call for friendly warships had been issued.

“...I repeat, move your ships to the coordinates being supplied to you,” Lieutenant Corwin told the small Kor-lyan flotilla.

The word was out. Refugee and commerce vessels from least two dozen different worlds were moving away from the station, with the exception of the four ships, the sole survivors from the planet Kor-lya. The ships were some of the latest arrivals, having traveled almost fifty of light-years to escape the fast-spreading Sinhindrea. Fifty ships from various kingdom state escaped the blockade before it closed. Four ships survived to make it to Babylon Five with the remains of their people.

“We are here because nothing is left!” the co-joined ape-like captain announced. “We have nothing left to flee without consistency of safety. Here is stability with reason.”

“Trouble with the translator,” he muttered. “Our military will protect you. But you need to move to the coordinates provided.”

“Why military is fighting? Monsters not here, fight not necessary is.”

Kor-lyan fleet, get your ships moving now,” Corwin said as forcefully as he could. “The monsters are coming.”

Judging from the horrific scream coming over the comms, he said the correct thing to motivate them into moving away from the station. Engines were powering up and the vessels were slowly moving away from the station in ships that by all rights should not have even left orbit in the first place.

“Good job, lieutenant,” Sheridan muttered. “When in doubt scare them to death.”

“Learned that from the Commander and,” he added sheepishly, “my girlfriend.” Klingon women did have an interesting sense of doom surrounding them. ”

“Captain, permission to join my squadron,” said Susan ignoring the jibe until later.

“Permission granted. Be careful out there.”

“I’ll try,” she answered which meant very little and they both knew it . Still it was the thought that mattered. “You too, Sir. And Captain, I know she’ll be okay,” she added as she walked out of CnC.

“Thank you, Susan,” he muttered. Delenn was in trouble, even dead for all he knew but now wasn’t the time to dwell on such things. He had to keep his mind on the here and now. “Status, Lieutenant.”

“The Minbari will be through the jump gate in twelve minutes. Shakiri’s and Neroon’ fleets will immediately escort the command ship to the station, Sir. I have been informed that they will use military deceleration protocols as soon as they exit the gate.” He winced.

They had to have inertia dampers far superior to standard EarthForce ships or that was going to hurt the crew as well as the ship. But then again, the Minbari had superior technology and could most likely handle the transition quite easily.

“Captain,” said Lieutenant Polowski. The young blond seemed somewhat anxious as she watched her scanners. “That signal we’ve been tracking, they’re two distinct ones now. Both are giving off similar energy missions but the second one is much larger than the first and moving fast on an intercept course, most likely joining the first group. The resolution’s terrible, can't get an accurate reading. Whatever form of FTL they’re using is giving the sensors fits. I’m surprised that we can track them at all.”

Sheridan almost smiled at the remark. A year earlier no one in EarthForce had any form of subspace scanners and now people were complaining about the quality of the images they received from quarter light-year away. “We can see them. That’s what counts. How many of them are there?”

“In total, six of the battle cruiser analogs and three ships twice their size. Whatever they are, they’re big, bigger than anything we’ve seen from them. I can’t tell how many fighters but from the mass, I expect it’s going to be a large number perhaps as many as a hundred.”

“Aw, hell,” he snarled as inspiration hit him. “It’s not just the Minbari they’re after. They’re coming for us as well. Inform the Minbari that we’re about to have a lot more company.”

“Passing the word, Captain.”

“Captain La Barre is calling,” Corwin said. “The party is ready to beam over.”

“Good. Tell them to energize.”

“Acknowledged.”

Seconds later, a now familiar whine was heard by the CnC officers. A confined energy beam formed into a somewhat nervous officer unused to beaming from one place to another.”

“Colonel Griffin, glad you could make it.”

“Glad to be all here,” he answered as they saluted one another. Quickly, he checked himself to make sure that he was all there. “Interesting way to travel.”

“Everybody says that until they get used to it. Colonel, I’m taking command of Whitestar One and our forces out there. I want you in here in CnC.”

“When I came as an exchange officer for the Feds I didn’t expect to wind up in charge of B5,” Paul said. His hazel eyes flashed a bit as he smiled something that sent a chill down Sheridan’s spine. “I will keep this station safe.”

Of that I have no doubt. Michael Garibaldi is chief of security and all around know-it-all. If you need something he’ll do whatever it takes to get it.”

“I understand. I hope we don’t have to get into a fight but if we do this station will be ready.”

“I don’t doubt it, Sir,” Sheridan answered. “Corwin, show him the ropes.”

“Yes, Sir,” answered the Lieutenant.

Babylon Five

Ambassador’s quarters-Observation deck

Lorien stood next to former Ambassador Kosh and the female Vorlon Barkesh as the trio of them stared out into the void. All three of the First Ones hadn’t moved so much as a centimeter from their positions for the last two days. Lorien had come to visit but had said nothing and the two Vorlons had been content to wait until the First of the First Ones decided to speak, as was his right.

Finally he did and his words filled the Vorlons with dread. “They are here now.”

Barkesh’s iris narrowed. “We should not be here. The pebbles will die. Our place is at the Rim.”

“Do not let your fear overtake you and allow death to follow,” Lorien intoned. “Today the young ones will learn to take another first steps in a brave, frightening new universe. Kosh, what do you see?”

“Confidence fueled by ignorance of those they face,” was the Vorlon’s sullen reply. “I also see possibilities. They grow strong, but they alone are not enough.”

“What would you propose?”

“To teach them how to fight giants.”

Lorien turned to face Kosh. “No. Some things they have to learn themselves. If the station survives, it will become a beacon. If it does not, then other measures will be required. In either case, will you help?”

“Yes,” answered Kosh without hesitation.

“No. But there is always the weapon.”

“Barkesh?” asked Lorien. “You would sacrifice a pebble so that the mountain would remain unscathed?”

“Yes,” she answered. “The mountain remains, a few pebbles are of no consequence. Order is preserved.”

Lorien shook his head sadly. “You have so much to learn.”

“Yes, she does,” Kosh added, not pleased at all by her comments.

Babylon Five

CnC

“We have a few new things here that are not EarthForce standard,” Lieutenant Corwin told Griffin. “Colonel, this is the sensor package. What you are seeing here on the screen are two groups of enemy ships. We’ve tagged them as enemy combatants and all ships have uplinks passing on and updating targeting data real time to every friendly combatant. We have ten probes continually feeding us data. In addition we have our own subspace sensor package that includes direct connections to our hyperspace and subspace probes located within one quarter light year.”

The Colonel was suitably impressed. “In other words, we now have an unparalleled view of the entire area for a half light year including hyper and subspace.”

“Yes, Sir. The sensors are behind the Feds by about a hundred years however they’ll do in a pinch.”

“Thank you Lieutenant, most interesting. What about the station’s defensive capability?”

“Defensive wise, we have polarized plating covering the entire station which was installed before we got our defensive shields. A twenty megaton nuke couldn’t get through when they’re activated and the station would shrug several of them off even without the shields. As for weapons, our own have been upgraded and we have several new emplacements with first generation phase cannons. The range of these weapons is one-half light second. Plus we have the Thunderbolt Threes as our standard front line fighters. We also have stealth mines but they’re inactive right now. ”

Griffin smiled tightly. “And this is the stuff they consider obsolete?”

“Yes, Sir. Not the mines,” he hastily added, “but the rest. Their stuff is way beyond this.”

He believed it. “I have a question. Has anyone at EarthDome seen any of these systems since they’ve been installed?”

“No, Sir. You’re the first.”

“Why me?”

“Sir, I don’t know. You’ll have to ask Captain Sheridan.”

“I will.”

“Can I continue, Sir?” The Colonel nodded. “The Federation has supplied us with several high speed torpedo systems. The first are tricobalt missiles, extremely powerful but useless against shielded ships and the second class of missiles are photonics low and medium yields.”

“Antimatter warheads?” he gasped out. Every since EarthForce discovered the antimatter warheads were feasible and far more destructive than anything the Narn had, they’d been trying to develop such a weapon. Antimatter was difficult to produce and extremely expensive to make or buy and supremely dangerous to work with. That of course didn’t stop EarthDome R&D from trying. But B5 literally had some of those devices handed to them on a silver platter. It would be another little convenience that would piss of more than a few politicians once they found out. He looked at Corwin’s screen. “High yield, if I am reading this correctly is a directed thirty megaton yield?”

Corwin nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“I see Sheridan’s been busy,” he murmured.

“Everything is changing, Colonel.”

“Yes, it is.”

Babylon Five Space

A veritable flotilla of Minbari warships stood at the ready to escort the Valen’tha to safety the instant they exited through the Babylon five jump gate A Shagotti, seven Sharlins, two Tinashis and two of the newer Valantu heavy cruisers had weapons powered, prepared for the worst. In command was Neroon who stood at attention studiously ignoring a humiliated Shakiri standing at his side. Other vessels, Earth Alliance warships, B5 allied vessels and the USS Yeager and Rantoul patrolled in the distance. Dozens of Earth fighters provided cover and they were flanked by six of the newly built Peregrines.

The former Minbari leader of the Star Riders fumed but said nothing. His gamble for power had failed, and just as importantly had succeeded in humiliating the Minbari in front of the Humans and the Federationists. He was essentially under house arrest until the Grey Council could decide his fate. The situation was made worse as he had orchestrated an attempted takeover of the government. “They should not have come here,” he whispered. “Minbari should protect Minbari. We need no help from these ‘Humans’ or their kind.”

“The Grey Council goes where it pleases, provided that they are not held hostage by their own leadership,” announced Neroon loud enough for the crew to hear and for Shakiri to shutter. “Your ex-prisoners will determine your fate and that is the reason you’re not in a cell because you are still the recognized leader of the Warrior caste. Your comments are not appreciated.”

“The Grey council is obsolete. The creatures may well destroy our world while they run to inferiors for safety. Leadership belongs to those that can grab that power and hold on to it!” He was starting to rant once more, something that was becoming more and more common.

“You could not hold on to Valen’s Remembrance, snapped Neroon. Shakiri jumped back as if he had been slapped. The loss of his ship was still too much of a fresh scar. “No more. Place Shakiri in a cell,” Neroon ordered. Two warriors escorted a belligerent Shakiri from the bridge.

“Neroon, the jump gate is activating. We’re getting confirmation of the Valen’tha.”

“Inform the Shai Alyt in command that he is to undergo military deceleration, all weapons hot. The danger is not over. The enemy is less than ten minutes behind them. He is to move the Valen’tha away from the fighting. We will do the rest.”

“Acknowledged,” Communications specialist Myla answered. She finished then hesitated as she listened to incoming transmission. “Shai Alyt, Babylon Five is requesting that we tie in with their sensors. There’s something that they wish for us to see in sector six,” she said in classic understatement.

“Do it.”

In sector six, ninety-five thousand kilometers from the station, a distortion not unlike an indistinct bubble was forming in normal space. Surrounding the bubble was a halo of bright light as hyperspace collided with normal space. The first ships didn’t so much erupt as much as oozed through the bubble distortion. Sinhindrea fighters looking like a fusion of organic hull with huge thrusters attached formed up in attack formation. Thirty of them were followed by an equal number of identical looking ships the size of Whitestars. Nine Clovien sphere ships, one kilometer long each flanked by fighters emerged next followed by three two kilometer long Bane-of-life battleships. Those warships were nearly identical to the heavy cruisers differing only by the fact that each had dual spheres located side by side by side. Forming up quickly the Sinhindrea strike force moved towards Babylon Five and the planet.

The capital ships’ energy readings increased as they prepared for war.

Csynzu, She-Who-Commanded, by designation a Clovien hunt lord and an ancient in her own right had been in hundreds of battles against those who would fight against the inevitable. Every battle she had participated in ended in victory not that she cared. Victory simply meant that there were fewer enemies that could oppose them. This battle, the first of many in this new universe for her would be no different. It brought neither joy nor sorrow to her or any of her species. It was simply her responsibly to remove any threat. None of her species had an understanding of fear in battle. They lived or died at the sufferance of existence.

However they did understand concern and this was one of those times. She and her command were Clovien hunters, mind trackers. Being highly telepathic, they focused on the psychic taste of prey, and they prided themselves on the ability to track a particular prey across a galaxy. Three such prey targets were within this system. The hated sHp’kU ship from their universe and its crew tasted close. It was well known that two Clovien hunters war craft had been destroyed by that ship and that it was related to another sHp’kU ship that had destroyed another Clovien hunter group. Too many Sinhindrea had been killed by those ships and the threat factor had been upgraded to severe.

Two targeted sMinbp’kU prey animals had been identified by the savants. One was nothing. The other had managed to escape the grasp of an ancient telepathic master and was considered a target to be removed after it was ascertained how the prey animal had escaped. Its mind hadn’t been strong but it was somehow augmented by artificial means. The lord wasn’t overly concerned as to how it was done as much as that the unknown factor be eliminated. The combat center hummed with energy as plasma feed the weapons and shields. The thick viscous bio-fluiditic polymer ensured comfortable life support for the crew as well as providing nutrients required to keep them from reverting to their more basic urges. The need to feed required them to eat almost half of their body weight every other day. Without the fluid nutrients, ship operations would become difficult very quickly.

All of the crew whether in the fighters of capital ships were telepathically connected. They were not a hive mind, far from it. However the race lived and hunted with their minds. In combat they didn’t rely solely on sensors to find and kill their targets, they instead used their minds.

The creatures before it were already prepared and ready to fight back, their ships forming up to defend the prey ships, the two orbital habitats, and the world that contained the unusual power readings. The Clovien High Lord Nesy’az had passed on to the savant who was now locked on to both creatures and the others designated for destruction. The leader had been wise to send in re-enforcements for this battle. Always the aggressors, Csynzu ordered the attack to proceed. The fighters would clear out the resistance and she would complete her mission to destroy the escaped sMinbp’kU leaders. The habitats and all other life would then be extinguished, the planet bombed into a burned out shell and the hated sHp’kU ships of battle incinerated before they could flee. The young, always eager for battle were sent in first. The savants had done their job now she had to do hers-destroy the sMinbp’kU creature on the planet. It had escaped once but this time death would be inevitable.

Her multi-jointed legs folded close to her body as she allowed her body to float freely in the nutrient fluid. Characteristic of her people in a meditative state, she began to rotate laterally over and over again. Her mind split into to as half continued to command her forces by the use of the chromatophores on her body to flashed orders while the other half began its search for the power source located somewhere deep inside the planet. She began her search.

The sMinbp’kU hunt prey wasn’t where it was supposed to be. In its stead was a sHp’kU.

The sHp’kU would be an easier kill.

Dravanlpore Province:

City of Yeya’la

Forty kilometers west of the remains

Of the city of Ravin’sha

The twin moons were still visible in the growing daylight, silently moving eastward, completely indifferent to the war being waged on the world that they orbited. If the twin moons had indeed curious then the whispers of another universe would have informed them of the intended fate of that world, another among thousands whose inhabitants had been besieged by an ancient and bloody race of predators. Whether their prey was sentient or otherwise, these creatures cared not for those they destroyed or consumed. It was their perception of things. They were driven by million years-old genes making them alpha predators and supremely territorial beings. Anywhere they set their sights on was deemed their territory; anything within that territory was deemed either a threat or prey. When the Minbari home world was attacked, the Sinhindrea considered them simply prey. Without help from the hated Vorlons, they were nothing. Their world would be used as a base of operation in order to spread and dominate all life in the galaxy. For the rest of the galaxy, the perception would be somewhat different. The Sinhindrea were not considered dominators, they were considered destroyers of life.

In the Sinhindrea’s universe of origin, they destroyed thousands of races and were destroying thousands more. And a beginning of a war that would define the fate of life in that universe was less than four years away. The sentients of that galaxy located in the Alpha quadrant were already embroiled in a genocidal war against an artificial race, completely unaware of the holocaust bearing down on them. In three year all of that would change and even the remnants of the Borg would reluctantly embrace allies they never knew they had

None of this was important to Shai Alyt Na Moyvnn. He was too busy trying to keep his people alive inside the city of Yeya’la. The creatures that dared to set foot on his home world hit his troops like a tidal wave. His thirty thousand troops were fighting holding actions, buying time with their lives as the last of the civilians fled.

Warrior Chynese of the first rank huddled inside a ruined home with the other members of his squad. Warriors two thousand strong had been cut down to a mere one hundred ten in a matter of minutes by the Sinhindrea weapons. The entire city had been destroyed in a matter of hours, the beautiful, rounded crystalline structures turned to rubble. The dead were everywhere; thousands of civilians hadn’t made it to the outskirts of the city and relative safety of the open roads. The buildings were crumbling as if the crystals they were made of were poisoned and in a way they were. The alien nanites creating the dark city for their masters were multiplying, breaking down their structures and everything else in their paths. Vehicles were breaking down, engines exploding as the fuel cells were compromised. Metal that shouldn’t have, pitted and corroded as they watched. Even the rich, black dirt beneath his feet slowly changed color, losing its luster.

“They’re coming!” Benenann hissed, his words producing a mad scramble among his fellow warriors almost before his words left his mouth.

Benenann had spotted a three-meter First One climbing over buildings like some kind of hideous insect. It was a young creature, its shell barely developed. It carried its weapon of choice, an elongated gun. All of the warriors had seen that type of weapon in action. Killing wasn’t its primary purpose but there was something far more insidious about a weapon that destroyed the calcium in ones body. Hundreds of warriors had been killed by those beams and no one wanted to be next.

Three more Sinhindrea, soft-bodies ones followed in the first ones wake. Two more of the huge armored shelled ones followed some distance behind, all of them heading in the Minbari’s direction, an action that had occurred for the third time in the last hour despite the warrior’s evasive actions. It had taken one of the sensitives of the squad to make the connection that understand that the creatures were tracking them telepathically. It was impossible for them to remain hidden for any length of time and they knew it.

“Where are the Ne’Shus covering our flanks,” Chynese whispered to his communication’s specialist.

“One group is over there burning about a kilometer to the southwest of here. Another group has been destroyed by an enemy vehicle.”

A single Sinhindrea armored analog single-handedly engaged and wiped out fifteen of sixteen Foltia Armored Fighting Vehicles. The Minbari fired heavy disruptor cannons, twin fusion and neutron pulse. Their combined firepower along with infantry support did nothing to stop the cubed-shaped tank from slaughtering all of them. The last FAFV survived only because the Sinhindrea’s energy shield collapsed and the Minbari was able to hit the energy globe. The ship detonated turning an eighth of a kilometer of city into a smoking crater.

Overhead, energy pulses from the enemy’s second weapon of choice thundered overhead. Skyscrapers built hundreds of years earlier ceased to exist as the plasma energy touched then passed through them. Buildings brushed by the pulses exploded or crumbled as their molecular structures were shredded. Those who died by those blasts were the lucky ones. People and warriors hit by the other weapon’s blasts were the ones every one of the warriors felt pity for. So many bodies or what was left of their bodies littered the landscape.

The young female whose upper body had lost all cohesion as she tried to escape through a window was particularly gruesome. Caught by one of the weapons every bone from her upper spine to her skull plate had been dissolved. No doubt she was still alive as her sagging body crushed her brain. Blood, now congealed on the walls had seeped through every orifice. Many of the warriors had speculated that such a device was primarily a highly effective terror weapon. But not everyone agreed.

‘Nothing is the same any more.’

Minbari men, women and children lay as they died. Already the smell was almost intolerable as the nanites invaded the dead bodies, breaking them down. Then the creature consumed the dead as if they were carrion, an action that made the Minbari hate them even more.

“I do not believe that help is coming,” whispered Benenann.

“No choice then. We retreat,” answered Cynese. “There’s nothing we can do. This city is dying around us. Even the plants are dying.” The surviving Star Riders land strikers barely muttered any discontent. They never retreated, but there was a first time for everything and the warriors weren’t fools. “Without the transport feeding them power, their shields have limits. I want Tyrss squad to cover our retreat. Tell them to use everything they have. The rest of us will cover them. We leave now.”

The Sinhindrea weren’t making any pretense now, having sensed the survivors of Chynese’s squadron. The six-legged creatures screamed alerting others that prey was available. The Tryss fired, targeting the closest squid-like alien with neutron and hand-held disruptor rifles. Two of them had plasma phased rifles, prototypes built by the workers as the Minbari’s answer to counter Starfleet Federation weaponry. The squids’ shields glowed as it was knocked back. It righted itself instantly before it was struck once more. Its personal shield shivered as the power source overloaded. More Minbari weapons incinerated the screaming creature.

From behind warriors began screaming. Energy beams cut through several Minbari leaving nothing in their wakes. Chynese didn’t as much see as felt the claw that slammed him into a far wall. But he did see his warriors’ flesh liquefy as Sinhindrea weapons annihilated skeletal supports.

They’d been flanked.

Now he was the one screaming. The pain was unbelievable. The bones in his left leg touched by one of the thin white beams, was gone. Muscles released from ligaments crushed nerves sending waves of previously unimagined pain throughout his body. A large shadow overtook him and he was faces to face with an armored horror. The thing screamed at him as it pointed its weapon.

The last thing he would remember his body slumping to the ground as the calcium in his bones turned into power. The previous pain was nothing compared to what he felt at this moment. His eyes, now free from their sockets couldn’t focus properly which he registered as a good thing. Awareness dimmed and finally disappeared as his damaged brain slowly died. His remains didn’t live long enough to understand that he had been honored as one eaten fresh by a leader of the ancients.

Teeth ripped into almost dead flesh. For the Ancient one activity such as war required food to maintain her energy levels. It was logical to feed quickly before the nanites converted the organic mass into essential building material.

Babylon Five:

Sometime the alienness of these Humans was mind-boggling. “Captain Garrett should have known that trying to speak to these monsters was a waste of time,” Shai Alyt Aalaan muttered softly. “Why she would persist in her attempts…”

“It’s an example that no matter the differences from wherever they came from, they are Humans,” Rii Mazik answered. “Their directive zero one zero-before engaging alien species in battle any and all attempts to make first contact that achieve non-military resolution must be made-was an intriguing idea. The enemy has chosen silence as their answer as was to be expected. Still I believe it was worth the attempt.”

Aalaan reluctantly agreed that it couldn’t hurt although he still considered it a waste of time. Obviously Rii Mazik had taken his study and understanding of Federation law with diligence. “Are our fighters ready?”

“The Linnials are signaling ready and will engage the with Commander Ivanova’s Starfuries at her command. The other Nials and lesser Earther ships will offer support as soon as the order is given.”

If Aalaan didn’t know, better and he did, he would have placed bets that his Rii was excited about the coming battle and he could understand why. This had nothing to do with politics only survival.

The Linnials were the newest fighters developed by the worker caste in direct response to the Starfury Two developed by the Starfleeters for Babylon Five. Much to the chagrin of the warriors and workers, they had to play catch up to the Human-based organization. Some still considered them a threat but more and more of his people were seeing the Starfleeters as a challenge to be met. The Worker now considered the Federationists glorious and worthy competition, pushing them to heights of inventiveness. The Humans called it ‘keeping up with the Jones’ and when Aalaan understood the meaning behind the words, he wholeheartedly agreed. The Linnials, similar in appearance to their Nial cousins, were faster, used WhiteStar armor technology and boasted improved weapons armaments. That made them the equal to the Starfury Twos but still, they lagged behind the newer version Threes, a temporary situation at best if the workers were to be believed. The Minbari would again become the superior force among the younger races as they constantly exclaimed with more than a touch of rabid humor. Personally he didn’t care about being first once more. What he cared about his people and others joining forces and becoming stronger as a unified group as they were doing now. His world was threatened and this battle would be a step to reclaiming his world from these creatures.

“Jump engines are charged. Inform Shaka that he may begin at his leisure. We will follow.”

“The Turval shall perform its duty,” the Shai Alyt responded. “The package shall be delivered now.”

“Follow him in.”

The Turval powered up her engines and the swirled of hyperspace engulfed it. But it wasn’t alone. Babylon Five’s Starfuries, the Linnials, the available Starfury Twos, two Liandras and the Drala’Fi-class Sharlin Pionatus followed in its wake.

The Minbari had mapped every meter of Babylon space in preparation for a war against the Federationists that had never occurred. Several of the warrior clans had prepared for what they assumed would be the enviable war against the Humans and the Starfleeters. Plans were drawn and meticulously prepared to destroy what many warriors considered one of the great threats of their time. The ‘inevitable’ war never materialized and with the exception of a few of the smaller more rabid clans who still hung on to their fears, peace broke out instead of armed conflict.

But B5 space had still been mapped and now that information had become useful once more for a similar purpose. The defenders had taken the battle to the enemy. A precisely plotted jump point formed in the middle of the charging Sinhindrea fighters. Two dozen of the small ships were instantly destroyed as their shields glowed briefly before burning out allowing the ships to be ravaged by the rampant energies of hyperspace. The defenders poured from the jump point followed by the Pionatus which opened another jump point allowing both warships to vacate the immediate area to regroup near B5. The Sinhindrea responded instantly locking onto fighters and pushing the plasma weapons to the maximum.

The Great Machine:

The Great Machine power systems fluctuated slightly, slowly increasing in power as it reflected Wesley anxiousness. Watching the panoramic view of the battle gave him a newer appreciation of the death and destruction going on not far from the station. The Sinhindrea had charged in fairly confident of their power only to run in to commander Ivanova’s Starfury squadron followed closely by the EarthForce’s Revere squadron. The Revere’s Fury Twos had seen combat against the Sinhindrea before and in the first few moments of the battle, they’d accounted for the first four kills against the enemy. Realizing the danger, the Sinhindrea switched tactics and started working as units and that’s when the fighting began in earnest.

The larger squid-like corvettes charged in and were met by Sheridan’s two Whitestars, the Peregrines arriving at low warp, and the two Liandras escorts. Both sides slashed at each other, neutrons and phaser beams countering plasma energy bursts. Both sides slipped past one another with the Sinhindrea corvettes taking the worst of the punishment. Whitestar main guns crushed two of the enemy ships, breaking through shields, disintegrating one and ripping apart another.

To Wesley’s dismay, none of the corvettes missed. Sinhindrea scored on the Whitestars however their shields held as did the Starfleet vessels. One of the Liandras was not as fortunate as plasma energy penetrated its armor and killed a quarter of the crew. The ship limped away while the others tried to protect it. The Sinhindrea, seeing weakness continued their attack. Counter-fire was blocked by Whitestar Twos shields as it protected the Liandra from the worst of the attacks.

‘Oh, no. Their shields are faltering…’

Just then the Rantoul entered the battle. Its pulse phasers took the pressure off of the besieged Liandra and the fighters and corvettes suddenly found themselves on the defensive against starship. Both Whitestars, the second Liandra and the Peregrines began taking a terrible toll on the smaller fighters now going on the defensive as their shields were found not to be as protective as they thought.

The Enterprise, Ambassador, Yeager, the Sharlins and EarthForce ships were making their move now as the huge kilometers long enemy capital ships began their attacks.

Obviously Captain Picard had learned his lesson after their last encounter, mused Wesley. He wasn’t taking a chance with the Enterprise even with the new upgrades. The ship was moving using its speed and maneuverability to strike hard and stay out of the way of those plasma bursts and frighteningly powerful plasma beams. The captains of the Ambassador and Yeager followed Picard’s example. All of them targeted the closest ship with the upgraded photon torpedoes while Sharlin and EarthForce ships raked it with long distance weapons fire. The Sinhindrea ship’s shield glowed brightly trying to dissipate the tremendous energies being thrown against it. The Ambassador used two quantum torpedoes aiming for the massive plasma generator in the back of the ship. The ship went up like a small nova. The Sinhindrea were not pleased. With the loss of the first destroyer, again they switched tactics.

The Great Machine’s alarm systems went off, pulling Wesley’s attention away from the battle and back to its diagnostic systems. The systems had reset itself to level two, shocking the young man with the new found information being pushed into his consciousness. Anti-viral systems were activated, protecting not only the machines’ vital software but his brain as well. Quickly he contacted Draal to tell him what was happening.

The system increased to Level Three, pushing it far past what Wesley promised Draal he would not do. His awareness was magnified. And he saw-

-Eyes – Several pair of them, pupil-less and glistening brightly, glaring at him trying to invade his mind or the Great Machine.

At this moment, he wasn’t sure where his mind ended and the Great Machine’s artificial intelligence began. But the danger was apparent and he along with the computer system was responding accordingly. He didn’t know the true extent of the attack Draal experienced but the artificial Intelligence had recorded and analyzed the data and tried to defend itself and its charge. Inside the core of the machine, nuclear furnaces went to one hundred percent as energy shields and defenses powered up all of which did absolutely nothing to stop what was happening.

Wesley was not telepathic, but he like so many other Federation citizens exposed to telepaths like Betazoids and Ullian, had developed natural shields. Those shields flare up now augmented by the enhanced awareness granted to him by the Great Machine. Draal had used raw power to escape. Wesley fell back to what he knew, what he understood best to protect himself…

Mathematics.

Babylon Five:

A very frightened Draal paced his small room trying to aid the young boy as he could. He had the luxury to flee when he was attacked, something that Wesley couldn’t do. “You can't do this, my boy,” he literally screamed into the communications device. “They understand mathematical concepts beyond our imagining. You can't protect your mind with something so familiar to them. They will break through your defenses. Fight with your mind, not with logic!”

“I don’t understand what you mean!”

“The Great Machine amplifies your strength of will. Fight this invasion with your Human stubbornness and your heart. Fight with your will.”

In the command ship, the Clovien Lord simultaneously watched the battle even as she prepared for her first attack in earned on the artificially enhanced mind of her prey. She could taste her prey within her mind which naturally translated itself to her taste receptors. The creature salivated wising that she could feed on the flesh that contained the mind she was going to fragment.

The first probes sent by Csynzu to gauge the strength of the enemy were rebuffed in a most unique way. The sHp’kU youngling’s mind was strong, unusually strong. That meant nothing. The creatures mind was opened for a brief second, just long enough to understand the level of threat he represented. He was untrained, vulnerable to the sort of attack that she excelled at. Confident, she began to exert unrelenting pressure on the food sack. In a matter of minutes she would crush his mind.

”He has very little time, Kosh,” said Lorien still looking out into space. The Great Machine can't help him. I can't reveal myself now without tipping our hand. What will you do?”

Kosh did something unusual. He squirmed. Direct intervention now would ensure his detection and guarantee an attack and the eventual destruction of the station and all on board, not that that wasn’t what the enemy was planning in the first place. He turned to Barkesh who shrank from his gaze already knowing what he would ask of her. “Will you help?”

“The mountain does not sacrifice itself for the pebble, even if the pebble may one day become a cornerstone.”

“A mountain that does nothing will be reduced to rubble.”

“But not yet,” she responded.

The room grew darker as the anger of the male Vorlon’s energy spilled out into the room. Both First Ones felt the raw power of Kosh unleashed. Afraid, Barkesh moved back away from him, wondering if she should defend herself from her male counterpart. The power gathered into himself and he spoke one word. “Lyta.”

He felt her stumble as she felt his mind transmit the greetings.

‘Ambassador, what’s wrong?’

‘It is time for the weapon to be used. The boy Wesley is connected to the Great Machine.’

‘I know.’

‘The hunt lord has discovered him. He can't defend against such an attack. His mind is being destroyed. You must intervene. You will save him.’

‘I’m on LaBarre,’ Lyta answered, not even considering her answer. ‘I need line of sight.’

‘I will provide that for you,’ Lorien said adding his mind into the joining. ‘Are you willing to do this?’

‘Where is the Sinhindrea that’s attacking him?’

Lorien looked up. ‘There.’ He smiled as the full power of the Vorlon-made mind weapon slashed deeply into the mind of She-Who-Commanded. Hurt and surprised, the creature fought back with grim determination, stabbing back with a focus and determination that surprised Lorien and staggered Lyta Alexander.

The Vorlons designed her to fight Shadows, not the Sinhindrea.

-+-

She-Who-Commanded increased her rotation as she fought the psychic invasion of the sHp’kU telepath. Again those meat creatures had presented themselves to her people. So strong, the strength of a warrior. So be it. Warriors died as well as prey. Csynzu drew into her mind and power focusing on the destruction of that which dared to fight her for her quarry. The Sinhindrea released control of the fleet to her Second-in-command, something she was loathed to do during the battle. The enemy fought back with more ferocity than had been anticipated. The battle should have been over and it wasn’t. Too many ships had been destroyed by the inferior beings; however this primary threat had to be dealt with.

She exerted pressure on this new threat concentrating on nervous system attempting to overload it with stimuli. With the neural synapses burned out, the threat would be removed. To succeed, extra energy would be required. Bio-luminescence from her body ceased as she used the energy to smash through the shields of the she-creature. Only her multiple pairs of eyes glowed at her effort.

-+-

Lyta Alexander’s eyes were glowing, a physical manifestation, and a result of her augmentation by the Vorlons years ago. The Vorlons, beings responsible for genetically tampering with hundreds of races, had modified her, used her to become the ultimate telepathic weapon of last resort. She was designed to fight against telepathic agents of the Shadows, and the Shadows themselves. She was stronger than any human telepath in existence. The now defunct Psi-Corps wanted her for study even offering to buy her body for an undisclosed amount of credits after she died to get the secrets inside her. They had done more than just increase her telepathy far beyond that of a P12.

They had given her gills, so that she could breathe atmospheres that would kill any normal human, and had also given her a correspondingly modified respiratory-circulatory system to purify those poisons. None of those changes had shown up on any examination performed by Earth Alliance doctors. Or, perhaps they did and Earth Alliance Humans and any others tampered with by the Vorlons simply dismissed those differences in the same manner that they saw the Vorlons as angels of light cast in the image of the aliens that looked on their true forms.

Fed medical however was a different story.

They discovered a several small organ-like structures attached to her adrenal glands. The medics weren’t sure what function they performed but they did have their suspicions having seen similar organs in some telepathic species and bio-energy producing species. But she knew because she was using them right now. They were essentially energy pumps, supplying the power she needed to fight the creature for control.

It, or rather the she, was trying to hammer through her re-enforced screens trying to get to her memories. The alien’s power was immense, backed but an almost overwhelming emotion Lyta could only describe as pure hatred combined with intense animosity. The creature was angry because Lyta wouldn’t lie down and die like it expected her to.

Too bad.

-+-

Power flowed through her as she proceeded to counterattack. She grunted and a spike of power flashed past the Sinhindrea’s psychic walls and fragmented memories. She was horrified by the joy that flushed throughout her mind at the success of the offensive attacks.

It, or rather the feminine, was trying to break through her shields to get to her memories. Her power was immense as to be expected from a dominant feminine of the species but rather astounding coming from such a primitive, young species.

Csynzu lost focus as the feminine stabbed and crushed precious memories. Surprisingly, it had gotten past her defensive shields. Furious, it stabbed back, trying to use its own strength to batter down the wall and destroy the offending feminine sHp’kU’s defenses. She slammed at them again…twice more, and was rewarded with a psychic cream of pain. The shields had cracked but still held and the creature was preparing another counterattack. A cavernous mouth filled with pyramid-shaped teeth opened in defiance and concern for a battle she wasn’t expecting to fight. Csynzu didn’t have time for this.

‘Assistance,’ flashed the Ancient. Immediately, two other subordinate adult females swam to her. Aligning themselves on either side they began to rotate next to her, matching her own movements. Extending one appendage each, the two touched their leader. Within moments all three First Ones began glowing, their chromatophores flashing in perfect unity as they joined minds. Together, the sum of their telepathic fusion more than tripled their power. Secured in her power the Clovien Lord renewed her own attack. The feminine’s telepathic walls crumbled and Csynzu used that power to fragment the mind of her foe.

The feminine screamed her defenses completely shattered. Satisfied, Sinhindrea energy began to break apart neural synapses as she sought to burn out the autonomic system pathways as quickly as possible. All in all it had been an interesting test of the capabilities of these creatures. Understanding the nature of the prey made killing them more efficient.

A sudden shock when through her as the connection was severed before the triad could complete their objective. A flash, something different something more; a higher value target was nearby. It had inadvertently revealed itself. Looking through the memories of others, the taste was found to be familiar.

Vorlon.

– And something else…

Babylon Five:

Kosh: “break the connection.”

Lorien had already done so but it was already too late. “They are aware of my presence.”

“Then we must leave this place,” Barkesh announced as her fear begin to lead to panic.

“No,” Kosh said. His voice was laced with power enough to shake the room. “I will stay. The others have left,” he said as the memory of the shame of the Vorlons threatened to overwhelm him. “I have always been here. No more running.”

“Then I will stay and help as I can.” Lorien smiled. “When The Federation vessel Voyager assisted in my escape, the enemy had detected my presence. I have managed to mask it but, they know I am here,” he sighed and turned to Kosh, completely ignoring his female counterpart. “You please me with your decision.”

Barkesh was inside her suit now. The powerful Vorlon looked somehow diminished. “Why did you go with the young ones? You didn’t need them to escape the Sinhindrea.”

“We were both going in the same direction,” he smirked. “I wanted to see something new and they provided that.”

“That was no excuse,” she huffed.

From the small view area the three of them saw a flash of light as two Minbari Sharlins unleashed heavy beams at an advancing Sinhindrea capital warship. The enemy shields held, glowing like a miniature sun as it dissipated the energy. The huge globe dominating more than half the ship glowed brightly as it prepared to counterattack with an attack of its own.

“Barkesh, I am the oldest living being in this universe,” Lorien told her as the energy plasma turned one of the Minbari ships into little more than stray atoms. “I am not the strongest. I am not what I was. Time holds me as captive as it does the shortest living life form.”

“Let us leave now.”

“I can’t. They know I am here.” He could feel their probing. Their minds were strong attempting to bind him and actually succeeding. They are blocking me from escaping. It would require too much energy to successfully escape this place even if that was I wanted to do.”

“I hate this place!”

“Barkesh, you are not the first one to say so,” uttered Lorien. He turned once more to Kosh. “Let us prepare.”

-+-

The enemy was pushing hard, trying to tip the balance in their favor. Plasma pulses, heavy lasers, neutron cannon, missiles, and pulse cannon fire crisscrossed the area.

Susan’s fired the phasers in her advanced fighter splashed against the protected shields for all of a second and a half before the shields and the fighter collapsed. She and her two wingmen reversed thrusters making a one hundred eighty degree turn to target several other of the smaller fighters who were trying their best to stay out of their way.

The smaller Sinhindrea weren’t able to take down or defend against the Babylon fighters and had opted to let the larger gunboats deal with them.

“Commander, one of the big ones…”

“I got it,” she said. “Evade, evade. Follow me. we’ll get behind him and take him out.”

“Copy that.”

“Copy.”

Scores of ships were close in dog fighting, neither side giving no quarter. The Fury Twos and Threes and the Linnials were able to handle themselves against their Sinhindrea counterparts.

The original Thunderbolts and Aurora class were having a much tougher time trying to survive. Sinhindrea shrugged off repeated hits from pulse cannon fire fired at almost point blank range as all too many of the EarthForce and Minbari pilots discovered at the beginning of the battle.

The enemy fighters were fast but their maneuverability left a lot to be desired, something that Susan loved. ‘Every little advantage’ she thought. “Gold leader to Gold two and three, we’re on its tail. Fire on my mark.”

Now it was the Sinhindrea’s turn to try to evade as the three Babylon Five fighters locked on to its six. Power was shunted to its defensive shield in anticipation of the attack.

“Target acquired,” the targeting computer told Susan. “Weapons locked on.”

“Fire!” Ivanova ordered.

Phased cannons from both wingmen stressed and then collapsed the field protecting the rear engines. The engines blew and ship began to drift in the same trajectory. Susan fired and the wounded ship turned into shrapnel.

Satisfied, she targeted another fighter group swarming a damaged Sharlin up until recently considered one of the premier ships in the galaxy. An Omega, the Juno with its compliment of Starfuries and supported by several Nials dedicated itself to defending the ship against two dozen Sinhindrea fighters supported by two of the larger variants and suffered for it.

“All squadron members, we need to take the heat off of those ships. Follow me in...”

USS Evanston:

“Captain…”

“I see it, Lieutenant. To all ships, we have incoming. Main cruiser, twelve thousand klicks, heading zero-zero-two-zero. Thirty seconds…”

“Fusion reactors at one hundred ten percent, Sir. All particle and heavy pulse cannons ready to fire.”

“We’re receiving targeting updates from B5, Captain. We’re in the target kill zone. Sparta, Agamemnon and the Revere are signaling ready.”

“Strike package hellion enabling. Target is Tango-Alpha-Babylon-Delta three four seven two….fifteen seconds. Target acquisition confirmed and tracking. Combat intelligence has optimal firing solution. Prepare to engage.”

The wounded Juno was starting to list. Huge holes could be seen all throughout the ship’s hull. Older EF fighters and Nials weren’t a match for the large number of Sinhindrea warships. B5’s fighters were vectoring in fast to relieve the pressure but one of the huge destroyers was positioning itself for an alpha strike that would take out both the Sharlin and Omega unless he could stop them fast. Captain Drake had quickly proposed a combined strike against the fast-charging destroyer. Its power sphere increased in intensity as it prepared to fire.

He risked a quick situational scan on the Starfleeters. Enterprise and the Ambassador were in the middle of a wicked weapons exchange with one of the battleships. They were using some type of new missile. Instead of the yellowish blur, these new ones were bluish in color. The enemy battleship had switch from plasma bursts to sustained beam weapons. The plasma weapons were too slow to hit either Fed ship at the speeds they were moving and were therefore useless against them. The Ambassador fired sustained energy blast directly at what everyone assumed was the bridge while Enterprise concentrated on the portside plasma globe. The attack had lasted only seconds before both ships veered off. Two more of the destroyers and a half dozen of the larger fighters had come to the aid of their besieged sister. Those larger frigates were as tough as Minbari Whites Stars and just as hard to kill with their shields. But they were apparently too late. One of the globes was flickering wildly and the ship slowed almost to a stop. If he were a betting man, he would wager that the ship’s shields were at their edge of containment. If they failed, the whole ship would go and take everything around her with it.

The vessel did something that he hadn’t expected. They jettisoned the damage globe. It when flying off into the distance and then exploded creating a temporary new star in the solar system.

“Fighters are bogeying line of fire. Captain?”

‘Enough of this’. “All ships hot! Engage hellion strike!”

As one, the EarthForce ships Evanston, Agamemnon, Charon, Revere and Sparta fired their primary particle laser and pulse cannons at a single incoming Bane-of-Life destroyer. Glare emanating from the combined strikeall but blinded fighter pilots racing away from the unleashed energies heading towards the enemy warship. Those who could see saw the Omegas shuttering to remain on station as they blasted the enemy.

Two escorting enemy frigates were incinerated by the energy blasts, their shields failing against the firepower slamming against their barriers. The Sinhindrea capital ship, hit with the combined might of five Omegas, staggered at the blow, the beams of energy cascading off from the circular shield surrounding the ship. The EarthForce ships continued their attack as the enemy warship continued its turn making slight adjustments as it brought its main gun to bear.

Drake muttered a quick curse. “Evasive, evasive, evasive! All defensive batteries prepare for incoming!”

“ECM is at max,” Sanchez yelled. “Military thrust achieved. Vectoring three seven four. B5 has weapons locked and will cover our retreat.”

The energy reading from the Sinhindrea destroyer was off the scale.

“We have to move or we’re dead! Come on, people!”

“It’s firing, Sir!”

“Oh, jeez!”

A bright blue spheroid of plasma energy hit the Sparta, blowing through the new dual banked Mark III defense grid energy projectors as if they weren’t there. The Sparta exploded the instant the plasma touched the ship’s armor. Plasma energy continued on unabated, vaporizing and consuming every bit of the remaining pieces of the Sparta it touched. Nothing of the ship survived.

One of the fast attack Valantu heavy cruisers and Sharlin and two Tinashis hit the offending Sinhindrea with everything it had combining their firepower with the Charon and Juno’s second alpha strike. Again the destroyer shook even as it powered up for another attack. Particle beams, lasers and even neutron energy weapons were minimally effective against those enemy capital shields.

“We’re being painted!”

The ships lights flickered and nearly died a characteristic of a power sensor sweep, something that many of the older EA ships were sensitive to.

“Fed and B5 fighters inbound, eight seconds!

A part of Drake was terrified especially after seeing what happened to the now non-existent Omega. The other part of him, the part that wanted to live, was too busy giving orders. The Sparta’s destruction was a near miss for the Evanston and the energy wash had damaged secondary offensive cannons and long-ranged communications. Suddenly, warning sirens started screaming.

“They have a solution on us, weapon’s fire imminent!”

“All power to the projectors,” Drake ordered. “Fire as she bears!”

“Rantoul is coming to assist!”

“Sheridan’s online, Sir.”

“Put him through!”

“This is Whitestar One,” Sheridan answered. “Get behind us. We’re gonna take the heat. Shields to full.”

Your shields can't handle that kind of fire,” Drake quickly responded. “Get out of the way!”

“They’ve fired!”

“Interceptors, fire!”