From: "Neil Collins" Subject: Complications Date: Mon, 5 Jan 1998 20:49:15 +1100 Earth Minbari War: (Part Ten of Twelve) Complications. By: Daniel Collins. * * * * * * * * * * Continuing From The First Victory. * * * * * * * * * * Senator Yedeki looked out of his window. It was night time and he looked out to the vast expanse of stars. Never Ending... Always something new out there... And Earth had to make a mistake in a place where mistakes are judged harshly. Knowing what he knew now, he wouldn't have been so * sympathetic * to Captain Skirami of the Prometheus when he was informed of the First Contact situation. In fact, knowing what he knew now, he would've ordered Skirami to stand down, or not to have gone at all. But then, he realised that the Prometheus' final report explained that the cruisers had their gun ports open. But it wasn't a hostile species, until now. The Minbari had the chance to pulverise the Prometheus if they truly were hostile, or maybe they were, and wanted the Alliance to start the war. All of this was pointless to Yedeki, he couldn't change what had happened three years ago near the 'Falcon's Reach' and now he had to focus on the work at hand. The fleet had been reduced to less than a quarter, and were stretched thin through what was left of Earth Alliance Territory. An uneasy alliance with the Narn did no good as the Narn Military, the kHa'Ri wouldn't lend any ships, only the technology of their weaponry, which did little better to the Earthforce weapons. Yedeki snapped out of it again, and studied a map of all Earthforce ships. He read to himself... "Agamemnon to stay in Earth Orbit until the Acura makes her report, Acura due to drop into normal space In-System in three hours, Proxima to maintain starmapping in the Alragor Sector, Vesuvius to patrol Adnama Nine for possibility of Minbari invasion, Fitzwilliam to maintain battle readiness near Pluto, Hercules to take over patrol near Mars..." he slowly, fell asleep. Tired from all the events that had occurred recently. Even after Captain Sheridan's victory in the Asteroid Belt, it was one of so many lost... * * * * * * * * * * * * * Io Transfer Station * * * "Jump Point Active" the computer said. "Identify incoming Vessel." "Earth Alliance Ship Acura, heading to Earth under orders of..." "Give clearance." The Acura, no sooner jumped out of Hyperspace and into Io's orbit moved off toward Earth. "ETA, Earth Orbit." Captain Johnson asked. "Two minutes, Sir." * * * * * * * * * * The Agamemnon hadn't been doing much lately. Since the victory in the Asteroid Belt, she had been ordered to stay in Earth Orbit. The Acura swung into orbit, just near the Agamemnon, and held position. Captain Johnson new that EarthForce would want to know exactly what happened out on the rim in Sector 15, and so he gathered all of his reports and boarded his shuttle for transport to Earth. * * * * * * * * * * Senator Yedeki recently awoke, and prepared for the meeting with Captain Johnson about the incident at Sector 15. He thought about something he read earlier, and wondered why the Proxima was starmapping in a state of war. He'd have to have a word with Senator Albado later. "Captain Johnson here to see you, Senator." "Good, send him in." Yedeki acknowledged. The Captain in full dress uniform walked in and stood there. "Captain Robert Johnson of the starship Acura." "Yes, Yes," Yedeki hated that kind of welcome, "please, sit down." Johnson took a seat. "Senator, would you like to see my report on Sector 15?" "What? Oh yes, I understand it was a * sneak * attack?" "It's all on file, Sir." "Very good, I shall examine this, er, I'll call you back if I need anything more." "Thank you." Johnson got up and moved towards the door, and left. Yedeki opened a channel through his computer, "Get me Senator Albado." * * * * * * * * * * The Agamemnon was ordered out of orbit and to set a course to investigate Sector 15, the Acura was also cleared for departure and to set a course near the Proxima's location. Yedeki wasn't pleased with the response from Albado, he said that the Proxima wasn't starmapping, but indeed mining the area for possible incursion. Yedeki knew it was all a load of bull, and so decided to leave the ship there anyway. * * * * * * * * * * The Agamemnon dropped out of Hyperspace in Sector 15, and could immediately see the debris from the base that once existed here. Just destroyed in a matter of seconds. Only the Minbari knew why they decided to attack such a distant target. And then, not to conquer it. As it went, all previous Minbari attacks had resulted in them conquering the colony within a few hours. This one was just left alone. Or maybe the Minbari fleet was stretched thinner than the Earth Alliance thought. But it couldn't have been, John Sheridan had only scored three ships, out of the possible hundreds in a fleet, and in a race so large and powerful as the Minbari. They continued to examine the debris, but they weren't looking for anything. It was obvious the Minbari had been here... * * * * * * * * * It was well into three hours when Sheridan decided to consult with EarthForce, and the Agamemnon was ordered out of Sector 15. "Ensign, lay in a course back to Earth." it seemed that Earth was the number one destination. "Laid in." she replied. "Let's..." "Sir, Jump Point active bearing 330 mark 121!" "What?" Sheridan got up from his seat and looked on his sensor display. "My God." he said. The sight before them proved Sheridan's hypothesis that the Minbari conquer what they attack. An entire fleet of Minbari vessels was flying through that vortex, and the Agamemnon was an un invited guest... * * * * * * * * * Sheridan wasn't sure of whether the Agamemnon should return to Earth, or face the Minbari fleet. Of course he had more chance of surviving if he went to Earth, but he had a feeling that he had implanted fear into the Minbari with the destruction of their flagship. The Minbari feared Sheridan, and Sheridan didn't give a damn for the Minbari, no one in EarthForce did, so he cancelled his order to jump out of Sector 15, and to stay instead. "Open a channel to the lead ship." he ordered... * * * * * * * * * The Minbari fleet continued toward the now worthless planet that Sigma Outpost once orbited. The fleet almost completely ignored the Agamemnon, whether on purpose or not, they didn't respond to her hails. "They're not responding, Sir." "Keep trying." Sheridan said, now believing that the Minbari feared him more than anything the Alliance had. After a while, he gave in and said, "Then open a broad band channel, so they can hear it anyway." "I think they'll get this." the Ensign said, not sure of the frequencies or anything about Minbari. "This is Captain John Sheridan of the Earth Alliance Ship Agamemnon, if you do not withdraw from this region of space you will be fired upon." Just as Sheridan thought, the Minbari were ignoring him, but he still believed that they feared him, "Power up weapons, lock on to the lead ship." he ordered. "Aye, Sir." "Could we launch a mine at them?" "We could try, but I doubt it would have any efficiency, Sir." "Get to work on it then, we want another victory." Sheridan said. "Aye, Sir." * * * * * * * * * * The Minbari continued toward the planet that Sigma used to orbit, Sheridan looked on, impatience was getting the better of him, "Damn this, open fire, we've warned them already!" The Agamemnon moved in closer to the Minbari ships, the Minbari continued on their course, but were slowing down as they got closer to the planet, the Agamemnon in close pursuit opened fire on the vessels. Several fighters were in the vacinity of the beam, and manoeuvred away, one large cruiser was struck, but took no damage. The Agamemnon continued to pursue and attack the fleet... * * * * * * * * * * Senator Yedeki was too tired to worry about why the Agamemnon hadn't returned from her survey at Sigma Outpost, he was just over worked and highly stressed out. No one at EarthDome knew, or cared of the Agamemnon, things were highly stressful at the moment, too stressful. * * * * * * * * * * Whatever Sheridan did, he made the Minbari retreat from their territory, even though a small amount of fighters were taken out, it wasn't a victory for Earth, he ordered the Agamemnon back to Earth, and prepared his report of the attack. * * * * * * * * * * To Be Continued... The Continuation, The Final Stand is an updated version of the four part 'episode' in v001.n489 (on archive). There are some changes to the story, some additions, and the fact that all four parts are joined to one so they do not get out of order again, so stay tuned!