It's been forever, I know. But Ill will be making up for it. Sorry for the wait. Please enjoy.

Chapter Seven

“ISN reports: Ceti Gamma II complex destroyed. Reportedly, there have been no survivors found on the surface so far, which was attacked by unknown forces that used nuclear weapons fired from orbit. As of this time the attackers have not been identified but rumors…

Proxima Star system:

Earth Alliance’s mid-range military base located in the Proxima Centauri system had always been called Proxima instead of its full name. It was also once known as Alpha Centauri C located only four and a half light years from Earth. For obvious reasons, the modified name ‘Proxima’ stuck and for the first few years, every politician on Earth had gone out of their way to call it that, making it absolutely clear that the Centauri had no claims to the system. The name change also served to negate any possible claims that Humanity was related to the Centauri in any way. Despite superficial similarities, Humans and Centauri were definitely unrelated species and Humanity went out of their way to delineate that difference to the other races, many whom looked at the Centauri with suspicion for their actions in their previous generations. Initially, the Narns had been particularly hostile during first contact with Humanity, having to be assured on multiple occasions that Humans and Centauri weren’t species related.

It was also an important junction for Earth Alliance as a whole being not only a tachyon relay station which allowed communications between Earth and their colonies as well the military forces situation throughout several star systems, but it also functioned as a relay station. The jumpgate served as a major conduit between Earth and all of the colonies, also serving as a jumping off point for commerce and exploration.

Three of the planets had colonies, two domed and one colony hospitable enough for Humanity to survive without additional life support. Several million transplanted Earthers lived in the system protected by over one hundred Nova-class and Hyperion warships currently making it the largest and most heavily defended star system by Humans outside of the Sol system. Most were older ships that had served well in the Dilgar war but they still packed a lot of power.

***

None of those facts had crossed General Yamada’s mind. The fact that it was three o’clock in the morning had pushed those concerns away. “Oh-three hundred hours, three o’clock in the morning,” the fifty-five year-old grouched. He’d been waiting for the priority call to be completed for the last twenty minutes. He was tired and somewhat cranky this time. And the water splashing in his face didn’t help remove the tiredness from his eyes. “They always called at this time in the morning.

Always.

“Gold Channel open:

“General Yamada, authentication code,” a very stern-looking General Lefcourt ordered.

Something was up. His old warrior’s instinct had kicked in. “Ten-Seven-Seven-Eight- Beta-Niner-Tango,” the commander of the Proxima forces crispy responded.

“Authentication code confirmed. Good evening, Yamada. I have bad news. Eighteen hours ago the Ceti Gamma colony was wiped out. Everything in orbit was destroyed, the defense ships were wiped out and the colony was nuked from orbit.”

“The supplies…” began General Yamada aghast.

“Everything was completely destroyed,” replied Lefcourt grimly. “I don’t have to tell you what this means.”

“No, Sir.” Yamada was incensed. In one blow, just about every single colony minus Proxima was threatened with starvation. With the main food distribution center destroyed many of the smaller colonies had at best six weeks of supplies left. “Who were they?”

“They’re Scarrans. They apparently knew exactly how to cripple us and we don’t know where their bases are to hit back yet. As of now, all ships are on full alert. I want every ship we have prepared for a possible attack. Inform all patrols to challenge any Scarran ship they see. Do not confront either Minbari or Centauri ships. They’re in the same boat. I’m depending on you to hold Proxima and keep the lanes clear. Any sign of activity you inform let EarthDome immediately. We are at war.”

“Understood, sir,” respondedYamada said, his mind reeling with memories of the last war and horror that been Warmaster Death Walker. The last thing he expected was to be at war again so soon. Suddenly those older ships didn’t quite seem so comforting.

“I’m sending you everything we have on them. Good luck.”

Caliban Sector:

Most of the Scarran soldiers who knew War Minister Ahkna also knew when to avoid her during times like this when she stalked the halls of the forty percent completed Hunter-class space station. Her impatience was well known and any minor infraction could set her off. This made her a much feared commander, but on the other hand, it increased War Coordinator Rylack’s popularity among both Scarrans and Charrids who saw him as a tough but fair commander.

These small but vitally important facts were missed by an increasingly hostile Ahkna. His increasing popularity and respect among her own forces caused her to constantly reassess his threat to her power and the more she asserted her authority, the more the Scarrans moved towards her adversary. The reasons why eluded her and her only conclusion she was able to draw was that she was somehow remiss in instilling enough fear to those under her command.

War Coordinator Rylack’s probing expedition to the edge of Minbari territory had, despite her wish that he would have conveniently laid down and died, been useful in determining their offensive capability. In short, the Minbari were dangerous in the extreme. Their weapons were more effective than Peacekeepers and they possessed a stealth system that so far her people hadn’t been able to yet fully counter. Preliminary reports being sent back to the Emperor stressed the need to remove them as a threat if the Empire was going to establish a solid foothold in this part of space.

The female Scarran entered the command room and everyone tensed a reaction that always pleased her as it gave indications of her authority over her betters. She moved directly to one of the communications technicians, standing behind him saying nothing just long enough to make the seven foot tall alien nervous. He really wasn’t nervous as she did this all of the time, but he was a good actor and it kept unnecessary punishments from being inflicted by his crazed commander.

“Establish communications with the War Coordinator,” she ordered.

The technician said nothing as he began his work. A few minutes later he turned and half hissed, half said, “contact established. “War Coordinator Rylack is responding.” It never did any good to show unnecessary weakness in front of Ahkna.

“You wished to speak to me?” he asked quietly.

She hated when he was respectful. She could never tell if he were serious or being sarcastic and he stood there arrogantly facing her as if he were the Emperor himself. “Yes,” she announced. “Your evaluation of the Minbari has been useful for our long-term plans. But the mission is moving too slowly and I wish to advance the Emperor’s cause. That’s something we can't do from here. We’re too far from Earth to pursue an effective campaign.”

“Agreed.”

“I have a proposal,” she stated. “We have a map of the territories of the Earth Alliance provided by our captives. We have an accurate assessment of their capabilities and their resources. I am of the opinion that we can establish a beachhead in their territory close enough to Earth so that we can achieve our primary objective with little interference from the Centauri or Minbari.”

“You’re forgetting about their wormhole weapons.”

“I don’t think they have them, whatever they may be” she answered. “John Crichton has the knowledge with him and it may not be privy to his people. Consider than none of our interrogations of the local species have any hint of such a weapon. He and he alone have access to this information and have yet to return home with it. If this is true then we have little to fear.”

“It is a possibility, but if they have such weapons then we will be destroyed.”

“If they don’t have such weapons then we control Earth.”

“Agreed,” he repeated. “Your idea is audacious. What are your orders?”

She couldn’t help it. She smiled smugly. “We move our entire force and take Beta Durani VII, the star system next to Sol. We take over the colony and crush their military base and establish our presence there. We then take Earth.”

“A bold plan. You are aware that towing the station will require two mothens to get to the coordinates. The Trentran can travel no faster than hetch three carrying such an object of that mass.”

“That is why I propose we send my command and the ships under yours there first to establish claim. The Trentran construction ships can bring the station and remaining personnel as soon as they can get there.”

“I hesitate to wait for such a valuable and necessary resource while we are in the middle of hostile territory without immediate re-enforcements. Maybe we should handicap Crichton’s people further before we strike,” the War Coordinator suggested as his plan began to form.

“What do you mean?” she half growled. She felt her idea was sound and particularly didn’t like anyone modifying them.

“The station is not yet fully operational and final construction will be hampered as we move the station. If someone such as me were to act as an ambassador to Earth Alliance, I might be able to convince them that these attacks are a result of malcontents operating in this area of space, committing atrocities in the Emperor’s name. The ruse would only have to last long enough to allow enough time for our station to be completed and ready when we acquire the Beta Durani system.

The station did require another week to be completed, two if it was transported while being worked on. With any luck her rival might even be killed and his demise couldn't be placed on her. The War Minister thought about it for a few moments. She admitted that his plan did have merit and as ambassador he might be able to determine if the extremely valuable Crystherium Utilia or some form of it was located on the planet. Crichton had called the Strelitzia, the ‘bird of paradise flower’. No Scarran living knew of the flower’s origin even after covertly searching hundreds of worlds for thousands of cycles. The fact that Crichton had recognized and identified the flower with barely a passing thought sent shockwaves throughout the Empire. The irony that it may have its origins on his world was not lost to her or her husband. “It seems to be a valid modification of the plan,” she said long after she had mentally approved of it. “Any delay would be advantageous to our preparations. You have my permission to implement it.”

“Then it is agreed. The locals can’t detect us in hetch. I calculate that we can rendezvous at the intended system in two weeks before we establish our presence in Earth Alliance territory. The colony is of no importance. The base must be destroyed, but we will not render the planet uninhabitable for our own people. The Earthers will of course, be compelled to defend their territory.”

“Then we will show them the meaning of fear when we crush their forces and take their world from them.”

“May it be as easy as you think it will be,” he intoned in a way he knew she’d hate. “The majority of the fleet will be under your tender care, War Minister. I head to Earth with one cruiser and a frigate as escort.”

“That’s not enough to ensure your safety if the Earthers throw their full might against you. I don’t want valuable resources destroyed uselessly.”

“Fear not,” he responded. “This is the idea I have in mind.”

As he relayed the plan, the War Minister’s respect for her competitor raised a small notch. The link closed and the War Minister suppressed the sigh of relief. The fear bearing down on her lifted somewhat. Her husband was an unforgiving master and unnecessary delays had consequences she didn’t want to contemplate. Now she would be able to do something useful. Quickly she relayed the plan and sent a message packet to her husband the Emperor along with a request for an update on the Scarran Taxan fleet he promised because she was sure they’d be needed when the Earthers and surrounding powers went ballistic.

Earth Alliance, Earth:

Minbari ambassador’s quarters:

“Again, I assure you that we had nothing to do with the attack on your vessels!” screamed Ambassador G’Kar of the Narn Regime. “As much as we hate you and wish that your whole race would succumb to a convenient explosive supernova, it wasn’t us. We are a peace-loving society, who suffered from the injustices of a war-mongering species.”

“Peace-loving?” exclaimed Ambassador Londo Mollari of the Centauri Republic. “So you claim! You Narns are always behind things that go bump in the night. That is the expression, yes? You are always trying to start a war.”

“You attacked us first!”

“It is a shame that we didn’t wipe you out when we had a chance. The universe would be a better place.”

“You see, Ambassador Calir? You see! That’s what I mean! They are savage and vicious creatures. Earth’s alliance with them will only cause suffering in the long run. Your alliance would openly serve to make them more aggressive towards the peace-loving people of the galaxy!”

If this wasn’t an example of why the Minbari should have stayed isolated, the new ambassador to Earth would be hard pressed to find a better example. Calir was a Minbari Council elder, a rank equivalent a high ranking senator, respected by the whole world as one of those who ‘watches with wisdom’. Right now he wanted to shoot these two aliens and end all of their mutual miseries. Never had he seen two such contumacious, opinionative, intractable, crotchety, obdurate excuses for sentient beings in his life. Their hatred for one another was undeniable and the worst part was their incredible intensity to get the representative of the Minbari Federation to side with them. The entire thing was a headache. He was still trying to understand exactly whom the Earth Alliance was really allied with.

“Ambassadors, you’re more than obvious hatred for one another does not inspire faith from the Minbari,” he said diplomatically. “Ambassador Mollari, given these uncertain times, I can’t not see taking the offer of increased security patrols along the space lanes by the Narn seriously. It will benefit everyone.”

“Except us!” roared the Centauri. “We know nothing of this new threat, but we do know of the threat that the Narns represent to the people of the Centauri republic. They would not lift a finger to help if one of our ships were in need of assistance.”

“Yes, we would,” G’Kar smirked. “What better way to prove ourselves against a people who turned our beautiful world into a near barren wasteland because of their boundless greed and pathological need to destroy everything they touch? My people would make sure that they would survive whatever happened to them.” He turned and stared at the Minbari ambassador. “We’d do this, if only to prove that we are better than those certain individuals who I shall not mention in this room, to prove our sincerity to the Minbari and Earth Alliance in these troubled times.”

“Narn interests haven't been attacked!” Londo yelled. “It was Centauri, Minbari and Human blood that was spilled. For all we know, you are in cahoots with these Scarrans or whoever they are.”

G’Kar was aghast at the very idea. “How dare you imply that we are somehow to blame for these events,” he announced, yelling back in righteous indignation. He turned back to glare at the Minbari ambassador with the every growing headache. “These are the kind of people you are trying to deal with!”

Ambassador Calir did his best to remain impassive during the whole debate. The first time this occurred between the two ambassadors, he was at a complete loss. The Humans had a saying ‘being out of ones depth’ that adequately described the situation here. The last thing he expected to be doing here was to act as a mediator between two squabbling governments. He barely knew how to be an ambassador when Dukhat had shoved this job right up his – what was the Earth word for that? Ah, yes – and told him that the experience would be for the good of him and of the Minbari people. As relative isolationists, they had little experience dealing with interplanetary politics and his time here had been a horrendous learning experience. His Prime aide Draal was even less happy dealing with the intricacies of Human and alien political culture. That arrogantly amused laugh had been Draal’s downfall. Semi-retired or not, Calir had on a whim, asked Dukhat that the teacher become his aide when he was assigned to Earth. Dukhat agreed and Draal spent three weeks in the foulest mood that Calir had ever been blessed to see. ‘All because of a smirk,” Calir mused. Then the ambassador had sobered as his thoughts flowed along the same path. What had ‘he’ done to deserve such a fate he wondered?

Punishment or not, he was here for the duration. Young Delenn had arrived late yesterday and had spent the evening with he and Draal catching up on both old and new business. After the last attack on Minbari shipping almost three weeks ago, things had been quiet, almost too much so and still there had been no hints of where this enemy was. Ships from several governments were participating in the search but so far there had been nothing, not even rumors. The fact that the Scarrans used a completely different form of undetectable FTL travel had made the entire sector tense. Hence the offer by the somewhat dubious Narn was being taken seriously by Earth Alliance and the Minbari. However, the Centauri Republic in the form of one Londo Mollari had rejected the idea of aid coming from the Narns. Their hostility towards one another was forcing his hand. But as a member of an elder younger race, he felt it was his duty to make Minbari wishes known.

“The Minbari government agrees and appreciates the help of the Narn Regime,” he said over the screaming protests of the Centauri representative. “I am sure the Narns will do their utmost to protect and provide the safety every ship in their patrol sectors. However,” he added darkly, “if there are any incidents in any form, if there are any hints of misconduct involving the protection of any ship including Centauri, then the Minbari will examine that incident thoroughly and take decisive action. We are a peaceful nation but we will not hesitate to punish those who would break their promise with us concerning this matter. Do you agree to this, Ambassador G’Kar?”

The Narn was about to yell ‘yes!’ when he stopped. His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the old Minbari’s face. What he saw disturbed him. “Yes, my people will agree,” he answered finally. “We will not break our oath provided that the Centauri make the same agreement and be held equally responsible if they break it.”

“The Centauri always keep their agreements,” Londo huffed.

“Hahahahaha. Do you agree, Ambassador Mollari?” G’Kar dared.

Now it was Londo’s turn to really think about the consequences. Whatever else was known about the Minbari, one thing was clear. They were a dangerous people to cross and his Emperor had ordered him to establish a solid political agreement with them to the exclusion of just about anything else. If this was the price, then he would swallow and go ahead with it. “Yes, it is agreed. We, the Centauri people will do our best protect even the Narn trash hullers,” he mumbled under his breath. “If they’re in trouble. But if they are found to be in bed with these aliens, all bets are off.”

“We reserve the same right,” G’Kar countered quickly.

“Good, as do we,” Calir said. “We’re not a happy people now and treachery of that sort would indeed have terrible consequences.”

The warning had been made clear and both Ambassadors left a lot quieter than they had entered.

***

“You should have seen their faces,” Calir droned. Both Draal and Delenn sat, looking horrified and amused at the same time. “They couldn’t have been more morose if I had pronounced a death sentence upon the both of them.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you did just that,” Draal casually mentioned.

“I guess I did,” Calir answered after thinking about it for a moment.

With a start, the Satai understood that he ‘hadn’t’ realized the portent of his words. “Ambassador, are you trying to start a war?” asked Delenn.

“Dukhat hasn’t given me instructions to do so.” Draal and Delenn smiled at the joke as they bowed. She had been fooled for a moment. “However these younger races should be reminded from time to time who they are dealing with.”

Dinner had been served and now they were sipping an Earth tea blend, one that had been suggested by the Earther ambassador a week earlier. It was strong and flavorful bearing a passing resemblance to a few Minbari blends. It was soothing and presented a pleasant counterpoint to the next topic of discussion.

“Members of the warrior caste are starting to express their displeasure with Dukhat and his decisions concerning Earth Alliance and its people,” she started. “Some of them have openly stated that the concerns of the Earthers are not our problem. They share the concern about these Scarrans but the alliances and ties being established by Dukhat among the younger races are making them uncomfortable.” She frowned as she thought about the mystery surrounding the Scarrans. “It must be a reason for their attacks. They mentioned a John Crichton; a Human Earth Alliance has claimed to have no knowledge of. Then there are those that have suggested that we use Earth Alliance as bait to pull the Scarrans out of hiding since they were the subject of the initial attack. Others have suggested that we offer Earth our protection.”

Draal was shocked but not surprised. “They want to turn Earth into a protectorate? I imagine this is Shakiri’s suggestion.”

“Yes,” confirmed Delenn. “He is having a difficult time adjusting to the truth.”

“I understand,” Draal answered. “This is new to all of us. A thousand years of waiting for the darkness and all of it for nothing. Then this revelation about Humanity… It’s frightening and I wish for the comfort of fighting the Shadows. Sometimes I have trouble sleeping at night knowing this unsettling truth. When I look at them, I become confused at what I’m supposed to feel.”

Calir nodded. “I feel the same, as do we all. Delenn, how many know the truth?”

“Less than ten of our people,” She answered. “Shakiri knows and it hurts him. I saw it in his eyes. He hates the truth but at the same time wants to protect Earth. His indecision has confused many of the warriors. Many of them are assuming that their leader either he wants protectorate status or complete isolation from Earth and the other races. His silences only serve to heighten the tension. The people are uncomfortable with this new openness but they trust Dukhat and he is very serious about tying our two people together.” She looked worried as she spoke.

“He’s asking that President Levy come to Minbar to visit. That’s the real reason why I’m here, to formally present the request.”

Draal looked at his favorite, formal pupil. She was a great liar, he knew that but after so many years being one of her mentors and friend he also understood her body language and right now it telling him to be concerned. “Future Satai Delenn, is there something we should know?”

The young female Minbari looked worried. “There is a device gifted to us from the Vorlons during the time of Valen.”

“What device?” Draal asked. Calir was curious, too.

“There are nine of us who have been blessed by the triluminary,” she whispered. “Each one of us has a touch of Valen, including Shakiri. Dukhat said that once one sees a Vorlon, things are never the same again,” she said. “He has seen several of them.”

“No!” shouted Draal as he gleaned the truth. “He can’t be thinking of that!”

“As intermediaries to Earth there will be one Religious, one Worker and one Warrior caste. The question is who?”

“Not me,” grumbled a deadly serious Draal. “I’m too old for this kind of adventure. Besides with my temperament, I’d make an ugly Human.” It was meant to be tension releaser.

It was anything but.