From: "Neil Collins" Subject: The Battle To End All Battles Special Release Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 11:21:29 +1100 The Earth Minbari War: (Finale) The Battle To End All Battles By: Daniel Collins * * * * * * * * * * Continuing From The Final Stand * * * * * * * * * * The Agamemnon was supposed to stop the Minbari invasion, but it didn't. It's entire fleet was disabled or destroyed. All remaining Starfuries were ordered to circle Earth, and now, it begins... The year is 2248, Prepare for The Battle, The Battle that will end All Battles... * * * * * * * * * * Madison was shocked to hear that the Agamemnon and the fleet had failed in their mission to stop the Minbari advancing. Now it was up to them. Sinclair was in command of Alpha Wing, but the fleet was referred to more as 'The Line'. A Line that would stop the Minbari from reaching Earth. A Line that would, if successful be remembered. And, probably, even when it wasn't successful, it would still be remembered as Earth's Final Stand against the Minbari. The time was near to end what Earth had begun... * * * * * * * * * * The Agamemnon and her crew watched helplessly as the Minbari fleet broke through. Several Starfuries pursued them, but there was no chance for them. The crew attempted to get power back and at least try to return to Earth, but the Minbari had damaged them too much. And they weren't going anywhere... * * * * * * * * * * There were seven Starfuries that were in pursuit of the Minbari fleet. They were determined to stop the Minbari before they reached Earth, but their confidence was fading as the Minbari continued advancing. They were approaching Mars, and the Minbari slowed down, giving the fighter wing a chance to get in front of them... * * * * * * * * * * The Line was ready, or as ready as it could ever have been. They had just received word that the Minbari were approaching Mars. So Sinclair ordered all ships to leave orbit and intercept them. They'd take no offensive action. Just hold a line to keep the Minbari away. Senator Yedeki had his speech prepared to give to the pilots. "Channel open Senator." "Thank you," if Senator Albado hadn't been killed aboard the Bougainville two days ago, he would be doing this instead of Yedeki. "Pilots of The Line, you are about to engage in what will probably be the last battle in this war. Many of you may lose your lives in this mission. But remember, you are fighting for humanity. If we do not put up this fight, then all humanity may well die on this day. We can't let that happen, we will survive. Good Luck to you all." The Senator's words filled the pilots with a great feeling of hope and they were determined, to start of with. There were at least thirteen Stafuries in the Line, and the all held an impressive formation as they left Earth's orbit. Possibly for the last time... * * * * * * * * * * Lieutenant Corron, one of the pilots of the Starfuries that had advanced the Minbari fleet looked into space and saw the many Minbari cruisers close in again. Their little fleet had no orders whatsoever and so, he didn't care what he did. He opened fire on the Minbari cruiser. But no damage could be seen. Some of the other Starfuries flew past and attacked the same cruiser. There were several large cruisers in the fleet, and millions of Fighters. Millions was his description of what he saw. It was only a few seconds later that he realized that there were only two Starfuries left, and they had no chance of winning. The war was nearing the end, but victory would fall on the Minbari side... * * * * * * * * * * Madison followed suit as The Line approached Luna, The Moon. Their great formation that continued onward to the Minbari fleet. Up ahead, she saw a sparkle, and then another. She realized that the Minbari would have to show up some time soon, but it seemed too soon for her. After all, she had only just left the fleet and she hoped they would have kept the Minbari at bay for quite some time. Then she remembered the state of the fleet as she left, the Proxima, Acura, Agamemnon, Buran, Fitzwilliam, Newton, Vesuvius, Sarajevo, Hercules, Merrimac all were part of a fleet to keep the Minbari out of the Terran System. Obviously, they didn't... * * * * * * * * * * Corron swung round again as a laser flashed past his cockpit, "Anyone else out there?" he heard his communicator call. "I'm right here," he said as another beam flew past "Shit, that was too close!" "Where?" "Bearing 171 Mark 115" Corron said "You?" "Bearing.......21....85.........can't..........damn you.........go...." "What, what's happening you're breaking up!" "Can't.........Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" An explosion lit the sky behind him and his ship spun around in the aftermath of his friends explosion. "Damn, he was the only other...." Now he was All Alone In The Night... * * * * * * * * * * The Line continued in toward the Minbari, and some shapes could be made out. None of them were Earth Alliance, but the small specs grew larger and turned out to be Minbari Heavy Cruisers... "Everyone stay in formation, report in." Sinclair said. "Mitchell here Alpha Leader, 'A' Okay!" "Boson here, all systems go!" "Hereford here, ready when you are!" "Karenoi here, go!" They continued checking in, Madison thought she'd wait till last, the sight in front was scaring her more than ever and she reassured herself that even though the Proxima weren't there, she'd have the fleet to rely on if needed. "Madison checking in, I'm ready" everyone knew she was bluffing, and everyone knew that everyone else was too, but it didn't matter. They were all trembling and could hardly wait for it to end. "We're going in, stay with it!" Sinclair replied. * * * * * * * * * * Corron ran for dear life as three Minbari fighters came up from behind in an equilateral triangle formation. "Stuff you and your triangle!" Corron said. "I'm coming in!" He turned his Starfury again and darted around their continuous laser fire. "Warning, Minbari weapon systems have locked on." The Computer informed him. "Then they can go shove it where the sun doesn't shine!" His ship was getting closer and closer, he fired several times before turning away at full speed. One ship was hit, but continued pursuit. He recharged his weapons and prepared for another pass. Another volley of Minbari weapons blazed past. His Starfury spun out of control as though he were in free fall. "Oh Shit" was all he thought. He regained control and prepared himself for full velocity. * * * * * * * * * * The Line moved in and saw one Starfury dodging some Minbari Fighters, Sinclair opened a channel. "Pilot, are you alright?" "I've been better." came the reply. "What's your status?" Sinclair asked. "This is Alpha Seven, do you require assistance?" Corron heard the message and replied "No, I'm fine, just give me a few more..." His ship took a near miss, but it was soon seen that he was hit, "Alpha Seven, Alpha Leader I'm hit!" he said as he attempted to come about and group up with the fleet. Sinclair replied "Pull up, pull up!" His ship was destroyed by the Minbari weapons fire, and debris flew past the spearhead of the fleet. "He's gone," said one of them "Picking up enemy transmissions..." Madison got them too. But couldn't care what they said. "Stay in formation," Sinclair repeated "Hold the Line, no one gets through no matter what." The Line moved toward the Minbari forces. They were dwarfed. The Minbari had the leading hand, but the Line had to win... * * * * * * * * * * The Line proceeded in. The Minbari weren't slowing, and one of the enemy fighters that had Corron before, now was behind Sinclair. "Alpha Leader you have a Minbari on your tail." Mitchell reported. The Minbari Fighter fired it's weapons that just missed Sinclair's fighter. Madison watched as one of the fighters broke formation. "I'm on him, targeting fighter." It was Mitchell. "No Mitchell, stay in formation. It might be a ....." Sinclair said. They all looked as Mitchells Starfury moved on toward a Minbari Cruiser. "My God it's a trap, Mitchell!" Sinclair cried. "I can take him" Mitchell replied "I can take him!" His Starfury fired at the cruiser, but it returned fire at his fighter. "I'm hit, hang on!" Several more lasers lashed out at the Starfury. "I'm ejecting," It was too late "Aaaaaaaaaah!" his ship and his Escape Pod were destroyed in less than a second. Sinclair stood in his ship, looking at where Mitchell's Starfury used to be, and he caught a glimpse of an object that floated past his cockpit. It was Mitchell's helmet. * * * * * * * * * * Now the Line was one ship down, and still closing in on the Minbari. More lasers lashed out from the Minbari weapons, striking several Earthforce Starfury's. They were gone in seconds. One, Two, Three, Four. Madison held her course. Five, Six, Seven... Then a massive green glow filled her cockpit, and suddenly there was nothing. She felt so different, as she saw her ship explode and she continued to * rise * away from The Line. She saw every ship as it exploded, and the full size of the Minbari. Earth couldn't win, there wasn't a hope, but as she continued onward, she lost all feeling, and then... She Was Gone... * * * * * * * * * * Sinclair looked around helplessly as his fleet was destroyed. All ships that were behind him were going so fast he'd lost count. * * He Looked Out To The Vacuum Of Space, The Black Sky, And The Sky Full Of Stars, And Each Star, An Exploding Ship. One Of Theirs. * * He kept his heading, and then he realized everyone else was gone. There was no one there, and there was no turning back. He had to stop them, but he alone couldn't. But he could try. His ship was hit and he spun in free fall. He regained control. The computer said. "Main power offline, life support at zero, weapon systems at zero, power plant nearing critical mass, Minbari weapons have locked..." "Not like this, not like this." Sinclair was fuming "If I'm going, I'm taking you bastards with me!" He maneuvered his ship into a position against a heavy cruiser. "Target main cruiser, set for full velocity ram, Afterburners on my mark!" he waited. "Mark!" His ship's engines kicked in, and he was thrown forward toward the cruiser. It grew larger and larger so quickly, and then there was a flash in front of him... And then...Nothing. * * * * * * * * * * 24 hours later, Sinclair had checked in. He didn't know what had happened in the last few hours, but the Minbari had withdrawn. The war was over... * * * * * * * * * * The End, but there is no end is there? "There is a hole in your mind..." That ends the Earth Minbari War, and so, I hope it was a series of stories that were worth while. Daniel Collins