From nmazzuca@esu3.esu3.k12.ne.usMon Aug 14 20:07:11 1995 Date: Sat, 12 Aug 1995 21:21:15 -0500 (CDT) From: Nick Mazzuca Reply to: b5-creative@best.com To: b5-creative@best.com Subject: Dukhat's Legacy: The Earth-Minbari War(pt1) This is a story about the Earth-Minbari War. It uses my knowledge on up to "Divided Loyalties." A little spoo space, JIC. I warned you:) The quick, luminescant Vorlon scampered like a... white, mealy spoo. Dukhat's Legacy: The Earth-Minbari War By Nick Mazzuca A ship glides slowly through the vastness of space. She is an exploratory craft, searching for the unknown. Inside, a brave band of explorers mill about in an orderly fasion. Her name is the Outward Bound, EA Registry 28736. "Leftenant, status report?" Captain Gentry inquired of the Chief of Operations, Sherman Thomas. "All systems functional, standard cruising speed. Sensors on wide scan, but so far we've come up empty. The star charts we received from the League aren't very detailed, though," Thomas responded. "Good. Keep me apprised of the situation." Gentry looked about the bridge of the Outward Bound. His crew had performed well, despite the lack of discovery. He himself wished for a break in monotony. "Captain, I'm picking a large object up on sensors. It's bearing on vector 259.150, distance 100,000 kilometers." "Helm, set course to intercept. Let's get a better look at this thing," Gentry commanded, hiding the pleasure in his voice. On the other ship, this oddity was discussed. "...We are grey; we stand between the darkness and the light.." "What is this craft that has been detected?" asked the leader, Dukhat. "It is an enigma, totally foreign to our experience. A new race," responded one of the grey, hooded figures. "And is it worth our intervention?" another asked. "Yes," a delicate yet strong female voice replied. "I agree," Dukhat said."We shall monitor it in the command center." All lifted their hoods to look at the viewscreen as they entered a large room with tactical displays. The EA ship was prominantly displayed. "A primitive design," One of the nine remarked. The female, Delenn felt a pulsating in her bald forehead. She felt it with her hand, a triangular shape. She became agitated. "This is... of great signifigance," she said. She quickly covered her forehead to hide the trianglular impression and walked out of the command center, much to the surprise of the other Council members. Dukhat took note, as did another. "How long until we reach the alien vessel?" asked Keddonn, a member of the Wind Swords. He had a thought in his head. "One standard time unit," was the reply. "Good. I will be in my chamber, meditating," he said and left. He entered his quarters and went over to a viewscreen. He then activated it. "Delta 5 Research post, link 5. Security clearance: Satai." A harried, almost feline humanoid was milling about. "Keddonn, cease these interuptions! How can I complete this poison you seem to hold so important if I have to time to do so?" "Jhadur, you have the time. Right now, I need only your memory. We have encountered an unknown vessel. Do you recognize it?" he asked as he fed the image to her. "Yes," she said, hate dripping from her words, "it is a Terran ship. Humans, they destroyed my people. Kill them if you like. They are weak compared to the power of the Minbari." He said with a slight smile, "Thank you, you have been of great use to us again." "Remember it, Keddonn," she said ominously. Then she closed the link. Keddonn's smile grew a little wider. In her quarters, Delenn was uncertain. she felt that a great, shattering firestorm was about to erupt. She kneeled down near her simple table and grasped a book, a record of Valen's prophecies. She opened it and read, each word confirming and disquieting her. ....And in the night, so shall there be a quake fire shall cloak, and the one who shall precede the One shall become with the stars. Walkers in the night shall die, before the darkness comes, fire that shall forge life from death.......... She arose. And to herself she said, "As Valen has said will come to pass. May this darkness be followed by light." A tear was in her eye. On the Outward Bound, Captain Gentry studied his console. The Minbari ship began to take shape. "Thomas, any idea on that ship?" Gentry asked. "No, sir. But from what the sensors are telling me, they're way ahead of us, by centuries. Power output alone is staggering," Lieutenant Thomas responded. "Keep an eye on them," Gentry commanded. The two ships came closer to each other. On the Grey Council ship, the Nine waited, peering at their monitors. On all of their heads, a triangular indentation mysteriously appeared. Delenn was clearly agitated. Dukhat walked beside her. He said, "Delenn, have no fear. It shall all unravel as it should." It was as if he foresaw what was to come. The two ships finally were at a stand still. On the bridge of the Outward Bound, the atmosphere was tense. "Sir!" Lieutenant Thomas called out, "I'm showing weapons on a scale that we can't match!" He paused. "Their gunports are open!" The captain spun and looked at Thomas. He was pale. "We're under attack! Arm weapons! Fire at will!" Gentry ordered. He sat down in his command chair as the Outward Bound's meek weapons opened up on the Minbari. The mood on the Council ship was utter shock. The opening volley knocked all in the command center to the floor. "No!" Delenn cried. "What has happened? Why have they attacked?" asked another Council member frantically. "Destroy them!" ordered Keddonn. He climbed to his feet and took command of the ship. The captain was dead. And so it began. The Minbari ship commenced firing. To all on the Outward Bound, it was a barrage welled up from hell. Piping and conduits burst on both ships, setting sections ablaze. "Make a run for it!" ordered Captain Gentry. The ship labored under the massive damaged it was taking from the horrifyingly powerful Minbari weapons. "Not sure we can make a jump point," an officer called out. "Do it!" shouted Gentry. The Outward Bound strained as it created the jump point under fire. The great hole in space opened, and the Outward Bound fought its way in, jump point closing behind it. The Minbari ship was in shambles. The surprise attack had severely damaged it, but it was still functioning. As soon as the battle was over, warriors rushed to the command center to rescue the survivors. The sight that they beheld was a pile of wreakage and beams. They pulled it away hurriedly, plucking the survivors and dead one by one. They found the last two, Delenn and Dukhat beside each other. Delenn comforted him as he slowly died from under a fallen support beam. Dukhat whispered painfully to Delenn. Sorrow and fear washed over her. "Darkness, Delenn, soon. Remember," he said as he began to fade away. A small ship appeared out of nowhere and attached itself to the hull, cutting a small hole to the inside. A mysterious figure entered the ship and walked deliberately through the corridors, toward the command center. The figure was seen and reported to the bridge, where realization swept over the room. "Soul hunter. He must not reach Dukhat," Delenn said. The warriors fanned out, barricading the room with their fallen dead, the egressing souls distracting the soul hunter, and fought him to their deaths. He finally reached the command center and stared at Dukhat's body being cradled in Delenn's arms, a body with no soul to collect. He was too late. He went back to his ship and left, feeling empty and shattered. And then the Grey Council healed its injured and mourned the fallen. The ship was soon underway to Minbar, honoring the body of Dukhat in death as it had in life. And the Minbari people began to gear up for war, a war which avenge Dukhat and wipe out those who had caused this. The war had begun. Nick Mazzuca Send me comments&criticism, this is my first large-scale net writing. Part 2 will be along in not too long a time. Be seeing you:) E-mail at: nmazzuca@esu3.esu3.k12.ne.us WWW site: http://esu3.esu3.k12.ne.us/~nmazzuca "How will this end?" "In fire..." -J. Michael Straczynski "To hell with pleasure that's haunted by fear" -Jean de la Fontaine "What do you want?" "To scamper..." -J. Michael Straczynski