Chapter 15b
Harlock
I should have expected that really
*
“This isn't working.” Captain Anderson ran the numbers with a chill. “Minbari ships are breaking through the second line, just ploughing through and ignoring losses.”
“Not like the Minbari to leave enemies at their back.” Admiral Tennant noted with concern. “He's going all out for Earth, ignoring every other consideration.”
“The fleet can't stop him, relief forces are bogged down.” Anderson noted.
“So it's our turn.” Tennant cracked his knuckles. “Like destiny isn't it?”
“I'd be happier if someone else had nuked them.” Anderson exhaled. “We're ready sir, all weapons and propulsion systems active. We have no fighter cover but it looks like most enemy craft are tied up anyway.”
“We'll intercept this group of vessels about to break through.” Tennant directed. “Catch them from the flank and light them up.”
Tennant's Dreadnought group moved toward the action, engines straining to shift the massive warships, gradually picking up speed as the Ion drives pressed them ahead. They formed into parallel lines, one above, one below, with Captain Black of the Warspite leading one group while the Nemesis led the other, Captain Hague's cruisers offering escort and support.
“Set target.” Tennant ordered. “Minbari warship group, red four zero.”
“Plotting firing solution.” Anderson reported. “Aligning now.”
“Turn to engage.”
In sequence the dreadnoughts made a sharp turn toward Earth matching course and speed with the Minbari ships. As they turned the massive gun turrets swung out, the warships aligning so the guns on the far side could fire over the hull and between the turrets on the near side.
“They've seen us, enemy targeting sensors are locking us!” Anderson warned.
“Too late Boney.” Tennant grinned widely. “Open fire.”
The broadsides were spectacular even for a Nova, the Nemesis and her group engaging with staggered salvoes of pulse and laser fire, the guns alternating for maximum effect on target. Even more vicious was the Warspite group that unleashed capital grade rail gun rounds accompanied by arcs of lightning and burning gas, the giant cannons slamming back into their mounts as the recoil mechanisms battled to stop the gun barrels smashing through the back of the turret.
The Minbari ships had no defence against that level of firepower, the entire flank crumbled in a growing pall of flame and light, the laser and pulse shots eating away the mass of their targets while the rail guns simply cored clean through literally eviscerating the blue warships.
“Heavy damage to initial targets.” Anderson reported. “Switching position for second set of hostiles.”
“More Minbari inbound, they're turning toward.”
“Hold steady, fire when you have a solution.”
“Incoming.” Anderson warned. “Deploying countermeasures.”
The dreadnoughts launched chaff and smoke from their hull mounts creating a sudden dense smokescreen that blinded Minbari sensors and helped diffuse energy weapons. It saved the battlegroup from the full force of the Minbari response but made their own laser weapons virtually useless until they moved clear.
Luckily it had no effect on rail guns.
“Captain Black is engaging again.”
“Good girl.” Tennant acknowledged. “Alter course, prepare for continuous fire as soon as we clear the smoke.”
The hard edged warships cruised through the black smoke like wraiths, wisps of particulate matter streaming behind them as they caught and disturbed the screen. They began firing at once, staggering their volleys this time to maintain a steady pressure on the Minbari vanguard.
The Minbari had been badly mauled but with the threat established they made their response, the formation flowing and altering to present a rapidly reinforced front to the human dreadnoughts. These were far from the finest ships in the Minbari fleet but they were still formidable and Branmer had prepared them well.
Green beams lanced into Tennants fleet, one of Hague's cruisers reeling out of formation belching atmosphere and debris. Earth force retaliated, smashing another half dozen Minbari cruisers that were replaced almost instantly as Branmer redirected as much firepower as he could spare to this clear threat.
A dreadnought fell to several well timed strikes, stripped to its inner hull and then ripped apart by internal detonations. Two more cruisers fell followed by one of the precious railgun armed battleships.
“Heavy fire incoming!” Anderson barked, the Nemesis rumbling as a fusion beam ran down its hull spraying molten armour into space. “Minbari forces moving to flank us!”
“Keep us close to Earth!” Tennant demanded. “Two points starboard, continuous fire all batteries!”
“We're not going to last long without support sir!”
“Continuous fire!” Tennant repeated through his teeth. “We've got nowhere else to run.”
The Nemesis responded, the veteran dreadnought rippling gunfire as she took on four enemy cruisers simultaneously. She survived the response, her hull standing up just barely to the Minbari fusion weapons that gouged and cut her flanks. The damage built moment by moment, her wounds grew, her allies fell aside in flame, but the Nemesis did not flinch in the face of the onslaught streaming smoke and debris behind her.
With the blue Earth behind them the Dreadnought group made their stand before the Tempest.
**
“Reinforcements are due any second!”
“Can we raise them?” Admiral Ferguson called, the entire ship shuddering as the Charlemagne pumped out salvo after salvo.
“Negative sir, comms are jammed!”
The Minbari had gotten smart, in addition to taking an unexpectedly aggressive stance and trying to pin his fleet away from Earth they were also jamming his signals making it impossible to coordinate his forces or link up with General Denisov and the main defence force.
Luckily his fleet knew their business well enough to act independently and fight back on their own, meeting the Minbari head on and pushing back hard. His officers knew that linking up with Earth was their goal and worked towards it, aiding their fellow ships and forming ad hoc battlegroups from any unit close enough to pick up close range communications.
It was working, slowly but surely his units were making progress, they were driving forward, but the Minbari were preventing him from massing his forces for a decisive break through.
The Charlemagne and her escorts hammered a pair of cruisers at short range, the Minbari ships taking a dreadnought with them before they dissolved in flames.
“Enemy forces shifting again, we're having a hard time keeping track of them with all the ECM.”
“Just focus on overwhelming the closest groups, we'll whittle them down one at a time if we have to.” Ferguson ordered. “Try and move us closer to the next group of ships.”
“Aye sir, cruiser group at...Minbari contacts! Dead ahead using debris for cover!”
“Number and type?”
“Capital ships, three, they're locking on!”
“Open fire, don't wait for a solution, barrage fire!”
*
“Enemy flagship has seen us. She's firing.”
“So noted.” Neroon replied icily. “Not soon enough.”
Neroon's command group made their final preparations, gunfire from the Charlemagne scattering around them. Even surprised a Nova was still an enemy not to be faced lightly and Neroon was quietly proud of his new crew as they kept their wits and laid their guns precisely before signalling ready.
“Target locked.”
“Destroy it.”
The Shargotti shrugged off the several pulses that struck it, the heavy armour superior to it's smaller Sharlin class cousins. She opened her gunports, the Charlemagne still turning hard to bring its maximum power to bear, the heavy guns stuttering orange bolts that hammered one of Neroon's escorts. It wasn't going to be fast enough, they both knew it, both knew how this was going to end.
The Heaven's Wrath fired her forward Neutron lances on behalf of every Star Rider that had fallen to human firepower. Her main gun speared the Charlemagne clean through her hull at a shallow angle, fire and molten metal erupting from either side. The veteran warship reeled but didn't instantly explode, the Charlemagne unbelievably absorbing the initial strike from the most powerful Minbari vessel ever created.
The dreadnought was doomed, its reactors were melting through their casings, reactant venting or igniting, the interior decks immolating as oxygen combusted. On the command deck power failed, the deck pitched amid shouts and screams, the thunder of snapping metal and the expanding hull drowning out most noise an instant later.
The Charlemagne and her crew were consumed in fire, but not before Ferguson emptied the capacitors one last time, a final full broadside blasting defiantly from the warship even as it melted away, the two dozen pulses gutting Neroon's nearest Sharlin escort. Ferguson's war ended that instant, but he did not depart without taking a final tribute with him to the gods of war.
The Minbari guns now spoke again, but this time their word was final.
“Human flagship destroyed Alyt.”
“That will hinder their efforts and buy Branmer time to end this.” Neroon nodded. “Well done, all of you, know we face a fierce enemy and you have conducted yourselves as warriors should.”
He took a moment to acknowledge his staff, he had known them mere hours but already he would trust them with his life.
“Now, find me another target.”
“You may have your wish Alyt, jump points forming.”
“The Earth reserves.” Neroon observed dispassionately. “Our duty is clear, prepare to engage.”
**
“Coordinates aligning, we have clear lock on Earth Beacon Prime.”
“Standby for immediate jump.” Sheridan pressed himself down in his chair, the muscles in his jaw contracting as he felt the deck shift momentarily as the destroyer made a final course correction.
“We only have the Athena on our flank, rest of the fleet will be jumping about seventy thousand clicks behind us.”
“We'll take the chance, we need to get these ships into action right now, every second counts.”
“Aye sir.” Commander Carol accepted without further comment. “Tachyon projectors online, initiating vortex.”
“We're jumping head first into hell people, all batteries weapons free, engage any target of opportunity as soon as the sights clear.”
The Agamemnon lunged forward as she made the transition swapping the swirling chaos of hyperspace for the swirling chaos of war. Almost instantly they found two Minbari capital ships dead ahead well within weapons range, A Sharlin accompanying a much larger battleship. Sheridan didn't even need to give the order.
Both the Agamemnon and Athena engaged with every forward weapon, the energy arrays walking red beams over the two targets while the chin mounted energy mine launchers belched their green projectiles at the reacting Minbari.
“Focus fire on the battleship! Take it out before it can return fire!”
Neroon remained upright as his vessel shuddered, the heavy forward armour deflecting most of the energy from the lasers. The holographic display showed two Earth capital ships, ugly machines that looked like they were powered by clockwork. Behind them more ships were arriving but outside effective range, for the moment it was just these two targets.
“Main batteries online, locking both targets.”
Neroon waited, the targeting data displaying on the holographic curtain draped around the flag deck. The Wrath had more than enough firepower to kill both Earth ships simultaneously.
“Incoming! Energy mines!”
“Switch priorities, intercept them!”
Beside the massed fire of Dreadnoughts, Energy mines were the only weapons he feared. Acquired from the Narn who in turn had crudely reverse engineered them from Centauri technology they were barely contained spheres of antimatter that would casually blast through the heaviest of armour and cause catastrophic internal damage. Even if the ship survived the shock of impact would likely rip up decks, crush bulkheads and destabilise reactors. Given how unexpectedly delicate the reactors on a Shargotti had proven to be that was a serious concern.
The range was much too close and the Earth ships managed no less than six mines between them, a saturation strike even his mighty ship could not survive. Neroon subconsciously braced, he had expected this end and did not flinch from it, a true warrior accepted death without hesitation in service of his duty. An instant before impact a blue shape ghosted ahead of his display, the elegant form of his escorting cruiser racing to put itself between the flagship and the barrage of human weapons.
In a final act of heroism the Sharlin took the full force of the Energy mines, simply dissolving in white light. It saved the Wrath but the explosion was still close enough to pelt the battleship with debris and radiation flash boiling the outer armour and shattering its prow cannons.
“Hard to starboard! Clear the debris!” Neroon snarled. “Damage report!”
“Main guns down, targeting sensors fused!”
“Heavy damage to forward armour, multiple breaches!”
“Secondary guns?” He demanded.
“Available, but tracking is down!”
“Switch to manual targeting, return fire!”
The Wrath turned lazily, her flank mounted propulsion fins perforated by pieces of the broken Sharlin. Her forward hull was still glowing in places, white streams of oxygen leaking from a thousand fractures and freezing in the vacuum. Never the less she still had power and she still had teeth. By the time the fireball engulfing her escort dissipated she was ready to make her reply.
“She's still moving!” Carol warned sharply. “Enemy battleship, powering up! Energy spike!”
“Evasive port!” Sheridan barked. “Fire at will!”
Both destroyers turned as hard as they could in opposite directions spitting fire from their secondary guns as they came about. The Minbari replied with a lattice of green energy. While the Wrath had lost her Neutron weapons her secondary Fusion beams were still extremely formidable, each beam gouging deep into the Earth Force armour.
The Athena took the brunt, pitching upwards at the bow as if she'd received an uppercut from a prize fighter. More hits hammered her engines and ripper up her flanks leaving the ship to roll away wreathed in burning atmosphere and molten metal, her crew furiously working to restore control.
The Agamemnon also took damage, her hangar bays collapsing inward and crumpling in a gust of fire.
“Taking heavy fire!”
“Bring us about! Standby time on target!”
“Aye sir, brace for emergency turn!”
With the Athena out of the fight it was now a duel between the two damaged capital ships and the two most celebrated Captains on either side. The Wrath of Heaven was the better ship but she was damaged and her crew rank amateurs compared to the experienced veterans Sheridan commanded. The Agamemnon responded faster, her flank guns peppering the Wrath with particle pulses, each hit gradually attriting the hull.
“Energy spike!”
The Agamemnon threw herself about, the Minbari gun crews slightly behind the curve without their advanced sensors. Even so several hits struck the Destroyer cutting deep into the hull and slicing away a pair of gun turrets.
“Bring us about! Continue firing all batteries!” Sheridan roared over the din of collapsing bulkheads deep in the ship.
“We can't take much more of this Captain!”
“Continue firing!” Sheridan repeated furiously. “Time on target, fire everything we've got!”
The wounded destroyer slewed sharply about to face her enemy, driving hard for the Minbari battleship. Her forward guns engaged in overload capacity, staggering fire between pulse and beam mode, crack and burn as the crews called it. On her flanks the missile silos popped open and launched in sequence, the grey darts ejected in clouds of frozen glittering gas before their engines engaged and looped them in at point blank range. Finally were the energy mines, the massive projectors devouring the last of the magazines with a steady thump.
Space around the Agamemnon glowed, her engines blazing, her flanks streaming burning atmosphere from a dozen hits, every available gun unloading on the Minbari warship as the missiles billowed about the vehement warship a vision of fury unleashed.
Neroon suppressed his awe at the image of retribution bearing down on him, he knew Earth ships were well armed, knew how dangerous they were at close range, and he knew that losing his calm would send them all to the next incarnation before they completed their duty.
“Point defences, final barrier fire! Engage! Prioritise energy mines!”
The Wrath retaliated, pulse guns hammering the mines and the cloud of missiles. Some would get through, it was inevitable, but he trusted his crews to do enough to keep them alive. The ship vibrated as the Agamemnon carved into her already weakened armour, the Earth weapons now cutting deep into the hull blasting through to the inner heart of the battleship. Systems were failing, weapons going off line, power was fluctuating. He had mere seconds to save his command.
“Standby missile batteries.” Neroon ordered, the rarely used weapons hopefully coming as a surprise to their opponent. “Coordinate with remaining Fusion cannons, plot solution and fire.”
“Incoming! Missiles inbound!”
“Interceptors, now!” Sheridan snapped. “This is going to be close!”
The point defences changed targets rotating sharply and spitting fire. The Minbari missiles were incredibly dangerous, a contact hit from the multi megaton devices would end their fight in an instant even if at this range they might just end up taking the Minbari ship with them. It was a desperate move, a daring one, Sheridan had to respect the nerve of his opponent.
The interceptors proved their worth knocking the missiles down despite the incredibly close range. Most were brought down a few miles away but one penetrated the defences, the interceptors grazing it, sending it spinning wildly out of control. It passed just metres from the ship, passing over the stern where it was thrown backwards by the wash from the engines. That was where it detonated.
The pulse of hard radiation killed the Agamemnon's engines, tearing up the propulsion chambers and pushing the ship sharply off course, angling it directly toward the Wrath.
“Evasive action!” Neroon commanded. “Maintain fire!”
“Helm barely responding, our manoeuvring systems are too heavily damaged!”
“Then I suggest we all brace for impact.”
It was a fascinating image, the torn up burning mass of grey metal barrelling down on him, the holographic display making it look like it was aimed directly at him personally rather than the ship surrounding him. The Wrath was turning but too slow, her damage catching up with her. This was not going to be pleasant.
“Emergency power to thrusters! Blow the airlocks, jettison everything!” Sheridan yelled.
The helm officer did what he could, the manoeuvring and docking thrusters melting themselves open and emptying their fuel in a couple of seconds. It tilted the ship a few degrees, enough to turn a direct hit into a glancing blow, but it wasn't going to be enough to stop the collision.
“Sound collision alert, all hands brace!”
Both vessels were moving at a high velocity but the sheer size of the vehicles made the impact look much slower than it really was. The Agamemnon buried its forward port quarter into the Minbari ship, ploughing along its side in a fountain of bent metal and fragmented crystal. Both ships scraped alongside each other absorbing the massive forces involved, distorting and twisting as they snagged and snapped free.
The rotating section on the Agamemnon slammed into the Wrath's main drive fin, crumpling the thinly made propulsion system which in turn dislodged the gravity section from its bearings causing it to grind to a halt. After six eternal seconds the two warships separated and drifted slowly apart, shredded, powerless, connected by a glittering string of debris and frozen atmosphere but still determined to win their vicious duel.
The entire right side of Sheridan's body was numb, he couldn't move his arm and had to physically check in order to make sure it was still attached. Emergency lighting filtered through electrical smoke, the stink of ozone and burnt plastics assailing his senses, the crackle of shorting systems mingling with coughs as his screw scrambled back to their stations.
“Damage report?” He called. “Tell me we hit them as hard as they hit us?”
“Main power down, we're zero gravity.” Carol squinted to make out the details on his partially destroyed console. “No weapons, no propulsion, minimal life support.”
“And that big son of a bitch out there?”
“Hard to say but I have minimal power readings from hostile warship. No sensor locks, no apparent power to weapons.”
“He's dead in space too?”
“Yes sir, but still partially operational.”
“You can bet whoever is in command over there is yelling at his people to restore power so he can finish us. Well like hell I'm going to give that bonehead the satisfaction. We've started this job and we're gonna damn well finish it! Do we have any chance to restore partial main power?”
“Unlikely sir, and even if we did main gun turrets are destroyed.”
“Missiles? Energy mines?”
“Missiles expended but we do have two energy mines remaining, number one launcher looks intact but we have no power to reload.”
“Then load manually.” Sheridan ordered. “You get as many men as you need and you damn well push that mine into the launcher if you have to.”
“Yes sir.”
“Then find a way to turn us around, use the airlocks as thrusters, we need to point that launcher at that ship before he does the same.”
“At this range sir an energy mine detonation is probably going to kill us too.”
“If it takes out a Minbari battleship it'll be worth it. I know I'm asking the impossible but it isn't the first time and I hope it won't be the last. Give me a weapon and point it at the target. We're going to finish this fight.”
*
While the Agamemnon struggled in its own life or death battle the rest of the fleet emerged in force, hundreds of warships hungry for retribution and unflinching in their determination to defend Earth. Defence fleets drawn from Proxima and Mars took station with Admiral Hamato's battle worn elite, brand new ships and crews mixing with twenty year veterans and vessels that had seen combat back in the earliest of humanity's skirmishes. They were a cross section of mankind, every race, creed, background and belief united in this single simple task.
They began to immediately bite into the Minbari line, chewing up Branmer's rearguard and driving the Minbari steadily back, the sheer weight and volume of gunfire hammering the blue lines of alien ships. It took only a few minutes to break through and link up with General Denisov's hard worn defence fleet, the exhausted and battered crews raising a cheer as reinforcements flooded the system.
The tide was turning, Hamato applying immense pressure, but Branmer had predicted this, he knew it was coming and contracted his forces, brought them in closer to support each other and continue to hold against the mass of Earth ships. He had just minutes until his rear guard broke under the offensive, and for Branmer that was going to be just about enough.
“The Minbari are pulling back, setting up a final line.” Jha'dur observed. “A last barrier to protect their bombardment ships and it might work, there's nothing much between Branmer and Earth.”
The Dilgar dreadnought had emerged at the edge of the far flank not far from Sheridan detached from Hamato's main reinforcements. While Hamato and Denisov now faced Branmer the remains of Neroon's forces still battled what was left of Ferguson's still substantial but leaderless fleet.
“Branmer will break the satellite line before Earth Force can stop him. He can do a lot of damage to Earth.” Shai'jhur reviewed grimly. “Antimatter weapons.”
“And if Earth is heavily damaged it robs us of a useful ally and diminishes our influence in the galaxy.” Jha'dur grumbled. “I think we're going to have to do something. The two main human fleets are fully committed to the attack, what about this fleet? Who is in command?”
“Communications show no single commander, the fleet is operating in several independent task forces.”
“The Charlemagne?”
“Destroyed.”
“Admiral Ferguson.” Jha'dur pursed her lips. “Pity, but his death will motivate the Drazi. He was a personal friend of Warleader Stro'kath and you haven't seen fury until you've seen a Drazi avenging a friend. Still, we're in a good position here, we can bypass the main battle and try to reach Earth before Branmer does.”
“When you say 'we' Warmaster...”
“I mean Ferguson's fleet. Do we still have the Earth frequencies?”
“Yes Warmaster.”
“Open a channel, this is going to be an interesting experiment.”
Shai'jhur didn't question the orders, the anticipation electric as tapped a few controls then nodded to her senior officer.
“Earth Forces, sensors show your Admiral and the next three flagships in the chain of command have been destroyed. As senior officer present I am assuming command of this fleet. This is not a request, it is a necessity. I am sure your sensors are telling you who I am and most of you are dismissing these words.
I am Deathwalker, I was once your enemy but today I am here to fight for your world. I hate the Minbari as much as you do, I have my reasons for being here and I will fight with all my ability to drive the enemy away and save your home. You know me, you know my reputation for winning battles, for success despite overwhelming odds. I can lead you to victory as I led others to victory if you will trust me!
I am going to attack the Minbari flank and break through to Earth and I will do it alone if I have to. This is my fight and I will give my life in this battle if that is needed. All I ask is that you follow me, fight with me, I will not ask you to take risks I will not take. This is your home and only by uniting as one force can we save it. I am the best fleet commander in this system, I believe that and I need you to believe it too.
A lot of you will die, I will not lie, but we will succeed, we will save Earth, and your sacrifice will not be wasted. I can win this fight, many of you have seen what I can do in battle, let me lead you now and show the Minbari that old enemies can become new friends! All I ask is for you to follow me.”
She cut the channel with a huge grin.
“That felt good, I always preferred the old scary speech but that really wasn't bad. Did it work?”
“I think so, we're linking into the fleet battlenet, receiving status reports.” Shai'jhur raised a surprised eyebrow. “Earth Force fleet awaiting orders.”
“This is going to be delicious.” Jha'dur steepled her fingers, mind swiftly mapping out a plan. “We need to disengage from these forces, Star Riders by the look. They will try to follow us, leave four groups to keep them busy, buy us time to move.”
“Those four groups won't last long Warmaster. It's suicide.”
“But their sacrifice will let the rest of us drive for Earth.” Jha'dur noted. “It's a Dilgar tactic, perhaps a little ruthless for humanity, but these are desperate times. Give the orders.”
On her word the fleet began to reform, the bulk disengaging while several battlegroups held back the Star Riders. Without Neroon to command them they failed to respond to the sudden change in Earth Force strategy letting Jha'dur gather her force.
“Set course for Earth, maximum speed.” She ordered. “With Branmer busy fighting Hamato we should have no problem breaking through to orbit.”
“I can't believe we're leading an attack to save Earth.” Shai'jhur shook her head. “No one is going to believe this.”
“I've wanted to command an Earth Force fleet for a long time, today wishes come true.” Jha'dur adjusted their angle of approach, vectoring them in on the Minbari flank. “Now I have one of the finest fleets in history at my command waging war with Akira Hamato on one side and Branmer on the other. This is just my perfect day, so let’s try not to spoil it by dying.”
*
“Ferguson's fleet is back on the move, they're disengaging and moving toward orbit.”
Lefcourt diverted his gaze up to the massive display screen looming over the darkly lit room, ranks of consoles manned by grimly focused officers arrayed before it like pews in a temple. From this post deep below Geneva Lefcourt had taken responsibility for the planetary defence grid, the network of satellites, missiles and cannons defending Earth itself along with the warships and atmospheric fighters supporting them.
“Still a lot of Minbari ships up there.” He observed. Denisov's fleet had held its position well, funnelling the Minbari into a single region of space which was now being assaulted by Hamato's newly arrived ships. Even so the Minbari had carved through every defence line despite heavy casualties and were now dangerously close to Earth itself.
“Range to Minbari fleet?”
“Enemy forward elements coming into firing range, satellite platforms ready to fire, ground based railguns ready to fire, ballistic missiles ready to fire.”
“All stations confirm readiness, planetary defence grid fully operational and ready to engage.”
On paper the defences were formidable, the sheer volume of destruction they could unload on an enemy prodigious, but against an enemy like the Minbari there were never guarantees. All Lefcourt could do was his duty and hope the defences could halt the Minbari long enough for Hamato to finish them.
“Activate defence grid, prioritise enemy capital ships, weapons free.”
“Aye sir, weapons free, all systems responding.”
“Begin firing sequence, coordinate strikes for maximum effect.”
“Firing solutions plotted, time on target set.”
The large display screens began lighting up with status symbols showing the cluster of incoming ships being locked onto by dozens of separate weapons systems, the various officers rapidly coordinating the immense variety of weapons.
“Defence grid armed and firing.”
Everything erupted, on sensors across the system a massive surge of energy and fresh contacts and warnings heralded the last barrier between Earth and the Minbari. An entire sky full of satellites started dumping missiles by the thousand into orbit, a growing river of ordnance flowing out from the planet fed by the satellites as they ripple fired missile after missile.
Many of the older satellites had only missiles, old nuclear tipped devices dating back to the era after First Contact, but mixed in where newer constructs armed with pulse cannons, plasma weapons and a handful mounting Narn derived heavy lasers. These added a more direct power to the fight working in conjunction with the missile salvoes to saturate and overwhelm the formidable Minbari defences.
The Minbari were not surprised, they had anticipated this and deployed accordingly. Escorts and heavy warships took point forming a wall ahead of the bombardment units and began systematically erasing the incoming missiles. While vast in numbers the missiles were relatively slow large targets which the Minbari guns cut down in droves, effortlessly sweeping dozens away with each slice of their beams.
The energy weapons were harder to handle, with the long range guns busy dealing with the missiles they couldn't task them with picking off the satellites themselves, the warships had to go full defensive until the immediate threat was passed. To counter those the Minbari released their fighter squadrons, the Nials more than capable of destroying the weakly armoured satellites and clearing the way to orbit for the attack fleet.
Once again though Earth had anticipated this and had its own countermeasures.
“Alpha Wing, all remaining units, move to intercept enemy fighters.”
Sinclair was tired, even under the adrenalin he was tired. A Starfury wasn't the most comfortable experience on a good day but the constant jinking and evasion, the pummeling of gravity and acceleration, the strain of always being alert, always moving, his body was on the edge of exhaustion.
“This is Sun leader, fuel at eight percent.” Warned Shiro, his decorated Fury falling in a hundred metres off Sinclair's wing.
“Six percent here.” Mitchell called in from the other wing. “Most of the other guys are about the same.”
That wouldn't give them long in combat, the constant use of the thrusters would burn through that in ten minutes or so of all out combat and they didn't have the time to dock and refuel. If they couldn't finish the job in ten minutes they'd be dead.
“Understood, try to keep the Minbari away from the satellites and watch their firing lanes. Don't think they'll hold fire just because you drift into the way.”
“Copy that, I have enemy craft inbound, fifty plus.”
“We'll make a start there. Follow me in, maximum thrust.”
The depleted squadrons turned back into the cauldron, scorched and scarred but still unbroken. Facing them was the last wave of the Minbari fighter wings and arguably the best, the units Branmer had held back specifically for this final push. The Earth defence grid was formidable barrier but it had it's weaknesses, it was designed to be used as long range artillery firing past a more mobile defence of ships and fighters. It was lethal against warships but vulnerable to massed fighter strikes, something Branmer had deduced and now exploited.
The strongest parts of the defence grid were underpinned by the six Orion class battlestations at key points in orbit, the ring type stations pumping out prodigious amounts of firepower and making any approach suicidal. The Minbari avoided them and instead threw their fighters at thinner parts of the grid to create a breach follow up units could exploit.
“Fresh contacts burning for the satellite nodes!” Sakai called out the warning as she rolled the heavy Starfury, the cockpit illuminating blue with each flare of the engines.
“Move to intercept!” Sinclair hastily disengaged. “Raptors watch our back, Suns and Ghosts with me!”
The fighters plunged into the thick of the fighting mixing with Starfuries and Minbari craft from hundreds of different units. This was a titanic duel where the usual rules of the dogfight were slipping away. Space was too choked, ECM blinding sensors as the pilots on both sides fought to keep their awareness in the heart of the melee. It was an assault on every sense with attacks appearing from nowhere, confusion reigned as both sides upped the pressure.
Sinclair's unit blew past the closest group of satellites, the grey and blue structures spitting out nukes and pulse cannon shots against the approaching Minbari ships barely visible from the cockpit of a Fury. Several waves of Minbari fighters were closing, tearing through the nearest Starfury wing with surprising coordination and opening a path for a run on the satellites.
“There's our target, stay loose and try to break them up.” Sinclair accelerated, the nearest Minbari craft altering to meet him. “These guys aren't fools, get in close and take them!”
Green beams lashed out to meet him but too far away, he had already anticipated and positioned himself to avoid them, the lights flashing past with a comfortable five or six metres to spare. He held fire, waited until there was no chance of missing, until the Minbari fighter was so close he could see the controls illuminating the face of his opponent, the Minbari looking right at him as he flung his Fury into a sideways pivot to slide past within arms reach. Only then did he fire, so close that evasion was impossible.
“Ghost Leader, Break right!”
Sinclair didn't hesitate, he heard Mitchell's warning and moved at once rolling and dropping as several beams converged on his former position. It was damn close, their current enemy working as a team showing they were clearly professionals.
“Ghost Squad regroup, watch your buddies!” Sinclair threw his fighter about. “Watch the gun satellites!”
The Minbari were doing all they could to reach orbit, their fighter squadrons pushing slowly through the concentrated Earth Force ranks to clear the way for units of Minbari Flyers to exploit any opportunities. The Flyers were strictly utility craft, armed shuttles and transports mainly, but they packed respectable firepower into their frames making them a serious threat to anything to slow to dodge. Like Satellites.
Despite their full efforts the Earth pilots just weren't able to put enough steel between the Minbari and the defence grid, the blue fighters falling in droves but with barely any effect. Starfuries darted across the attack, elderly Belt Alliance fighters and armed shuttles joining in as they could and all taking their toll. The Minbari continued their advance, a mix of brand new Nial and older Tishat fighters striving to keep the Furies back whatever the cost.
Both units were giving all they had, none were holding back, this was building to the critical moment and it was inching toward the Minbari.
“Enemy fighters are inside the Grid!” Sakai spotted blue shapes darting past behind them, a few flashes of green reaching out to smash the closest satellite rupturing it in a burst of red and orange.
“Switch targets, get in closer!” Sinclair responded. “We have to keep those satellites firing!”
They accelerated hard, acutely aware of their fuel situation but having no choice. The weary craft dove in on the nearest Minbari dodging past the flaming wreckage of a missile satellite to fall in behind the enemy. Minbari fighters were fast but not faster than a barrage of pulse cannon shots.
“More coming through!” Mitchell spotted. “They're all around us!”
The Line was fracturing, Minbari fighters pouring through the gaps in coverage. Starfuries did all they could to push back but by this time they were virtually spent. The Minbari were also on the edge of exhaustion but thanks to their superior craft they didn't have to fight g-forces like their human counterparts. They still had the strength to fight on while Earth Force wavered.
“Where's our support?” Sinclair scanned the sensors. “What happened to Raptor Squadron?”
“They're gone! Minbari on all sides!” Mitchell turned hard. “They're locking on!”
“Break!”
The remaining Ghosts and Suns split and scattered before a swarm of Minbari fighters, the smaller Tishat class banking after them. Smaller and lighter than Nial's the Tishat class didn't hit as hard but they were terrifyingly agile. Three Furies vanished in a heartbeat, Sinclair turning with a snarl but only able to claim one Minbari back in vengeance.
“We need to get out of here!” Hanji yelled. “They're everywhere!”
“We've got nowhere left to go.” Shiro replied flatly, his voice calm and resigned. “Rising Suns, pick your targets and I'll meet you again under the blossoms.”
Each fighter made its own attempts to stay alive, each pilot desperate to grab a few more seconds from the Reaper, to try and bring down another Minbari fighter, to lessen the odds for whoever might follow them. Sinclair's unit was the best in the Force but even they couldn't manage odds like this. One by one they met their end, cut down or shredded by neutron and fusion weapons. Around them the satellites fell, rolling out of orbit as each in turn succumbed to attack. The cost was high for the Minbari but they were opening a breach, the gunfire lessened, the remaining bombardment ships reactivated their drives and began to approach again closing the last few thousand miles.
“Ghost Leader, enemies at six, nine and three!”
Mitchell was still calling warnings but it wasn't going to help, Sinclair was frantically throwing the fighter into evasive moves, he was almost fully defensive, his fuel almost gone and cannons at the point of melting shut. All he could see was explosions, every blast a Starfury going up, one of his. People he'd known for years, friends, personalities. The prankster notorious for once filling the toilets with fast foaming soap, sliced to pieces by three Nials simultaneously. The quiet woman who barely spoke off duty but swore like a demon in battle, rammed by a crippled Tishat. The pair who were maybe lovers but nobody ever pried, killed side by side within a few metres of one another.
Their lives and stories were ending and it was so fast, so many years, so much history, joys and sorrows and companionship lost in seconds. His world was ending one life at a time, one second at a time, and he knew, he knew more than anything the one he cared about most was going to be next.
“Sun Four taking heavy fire!” Sakai rolled aside, her wing flickering flame as the wiring burned and crackled from a glancing hit. “I'm losing thrust!”
“Turn right and dive!” Yumi Hanji shouted from somewhere behind her. “You've got eight on you! Trying for a shot!”
“No, get clear!” Sakai twisted. “Three coming in dead ahead, take evasive...!”
There was a nearby explosion and then a fizz of static.
“Yumi, Yumi?” Sakai screamed down the silent radio. There was no answer from her wingman, just an increasing blare of warning signals. She cut the sounds, muted them, like hell that was going to be the last sound she heard. The Minbari were still vectoring in on her, each evasive turn and roll an act of faith, any tactics or plan long since forgotten as her brain just worked on pure instinct.
Her engines spluttered, fuel dried up, her controls becoming unresponsive as the thrusters stopped burning. She rammed the controls in frustration harder and harder, her every emotion welling up as a scream against the injustice of it, against the helplessness, against the enemy who now looked down on her victorious.
It was a final personal moment of defiance, and when she finished and inhaled she had no choice but to make her peace. There was no more fighting, no chance to avenge her friends. Nothing at all. She had just enough fuel to point the nose toward Earth for a last look at the glorious blue of the Pacific ocean below. If that was the last thing she saw then it was fine, that was enough. She exhaled, relaxed, and waited for fate.
Instead her vision was blocked by a battered Starfury, the ugly warplane racing past spluttering gunfire in irregular bursts, its weapons barely functional. The man within flew like a demon, every restriction on him now gone, no more hesitation, no thoughts of preservation or conserving strength. He had only seconds of fuel left and he was going to use every last instant of that time fighting.
The Minbari were not expecting him, not expecting such control from something moving so wildly. Sinclair was burning at full throttle while slinging around in tight turns and hard rolls, the g-forces crushing his body and pushing him toward blackout. He fought it, battled physics as he battled the Minbari, teeth bared and breath forced through his lungs. Raw adrenaline and natural skill were all he had now, that and his final wish to give Catherine a few more moments of life, a final chance for a miracle.
This wasn't a duel, it was a brawl. His guns spluttered, just enough energy was left to pierce a final Tishat that crumpled ahead of him, cracking his canopy with debris. It didn't matter, the Minbari were on him now and ignoring Catherine's powerless Fury. He drew them away, Mitchell somewhere claiming another kill before he too lost energy and began falling toward the planet, still calling warnings to Sinclair who was deaf to everything now. He banked past a lumbering Flyer and snatched it with his Fury's grappling hook as he whizzed by, the cable dragging the enemy off course and fracturing his lower ribs as its mass jolted the Fury.
He threw his plane around still attached to the Flyer and used his captured target to slam into a pursuing Nial destroying both of the surprised pilots. Debris from the collision hammered his fighter cutting the safety features keeping his reactor intact, coolant spraying from a dozen ruptures and freezing in streams behind his wings. Warnings blared but he didn't care, dropping a wing as a Tishat raced by grazing him with green lances before snapping back up at the perfect moment to ram his forward thruster through the clear crystal canopy of the small enemy fighter. He tore his upper left engine off but it didn't matter, one more kill was worth it.
The reactor initiated an emergency shut down, his backups failed, it was over. Around him were five more kills but he wasn't keeping count anymore. All that mattered was Catherine had drifted away from the fighting. She had a chance
The satellites were burning, debris falling past him, Minbari craft slashing past as they widened the gap in the defences. The main Earth fleet was close but not close enough, the battle had turned. He had failed, but he had taken more than his fair share of the Minbari elite with him and for that he found some comfort. He watched a squadron heading his way, setting up to descend on Earth itself, and as they passed by his warning system detected a lock. One peeled aside and turned toward him, a brief distraction for it's pilot and an easy kill for his tally. It was irritating but Sinclair had nothing left. Maybe if it got closer he'd eject and try hit it with his cockpit.
He didn't get the chance. That instant the Minbari fighter exploded, the rest of the squadron soon after in a sudden confused blur of fire. He snapped his head around to see a black and red fighter cruise past, the distinctive tri-engine design of a Dilgar Dart fighter. He'd seen them before but this one caught his full attention, on it's hull it wore a pattern of red triangles. The same markings Sinclair's father had worn on his old Fury during the war with the Dilgar.
“Ghost Leader, Knight Leader.” A voice called him. “Hold position, recovery shuttles on the way. We'll take it from here.”
“Who are you?” Sinclair didn't bother with formality. “Where did you come from?”
“Just repaying a debt to an old friend.” The voice answered. “Knight Squadron will hold here for as long as we can, stay alive Commander Sinclair. I have no intention of losing a second man of your clan.”
“What do you mean? Who are you talking about?”
There was no answer, the black fighter already accelerating hard back into the fray. He watched it's engine glow, followed it as it pulled manouevres he could barely follow with skill only a handful of people possessed. He knew who this pilot was, who it had to be. The Dilgar ace who had killed his father and now for some reason had saved him.
His mind whirled as confusion and exhaustion beset it. The battle moved away leaving him floating among the debris of a thousand lives, some dead, some trapped like him as spectators to the final act of the battle.
“This isn't working.” Captain Anderson ran the numbers with a chill. “Minbari ships are breaking through the second line, just ploughing through and ignoring losses.”
“Not like the Minbari to leave enemies at their back.” Admiral Tennant noted with concern. “He's going all out for Earth, ignoring every other consideration.”
“The fleet can't stop him, relief forces are bogged down.” Anderson noted.
“So it's our turn.” Tennant cracked his knuckles. “Like destiny isn't it?”
“I'd be happier if someone else had nuked them.” Anderson exhaled. “We're ready sir, all weapons and propulsion systems active. We have no fighter cover but it looks like most enemy craft are tied up anyway.”
“We'll intercept this group of vessels about to break through.” Tennant directed. “Catch them from the flank and light them up.”
Tennant's Dreadnought group moved toward the action, engines straining to shift the massive warships, gradually picking up speed as the Ion drives pressed them ahead. They formed into parallel lines, one above, one below, with Captain Black of the Warspite leading one group while the Nemesis led the other, Captain Hague's cruisers offering escort and support.
“Set target.” Tennant ordered. “Minbari warship group, red four zero.”
“Plotting firing solution.” Anderson reported. “Aligning now.”
“Turn to engage.”
In sequence the dreadnoughts made a sharp turn toward Earth matching course and speed with the Minbari ships. As they turned the massive gun turrets swung out, the warships aligning so the guns on the far side could fire over the hull and between the turrets on the near side.
“They've seen us, enemy targeting sensors are locking us!” Anderson warned.
“Too late Boney.” Tennant grinned widely. “Open fire.”
The broadsides were spectacular even for a Nova, the Nemesis and her group engaging with staggered salvoes of pulse and laser fire, the guns alternating for maximum effect on target. Even more vicious was the Warspite group that unleashed capital grade rail gun rounds accompanied by arcs of lightning and burning gas, the giant cannons slamming back into their mounts as the recoil mechanisms battled to stop the gun barrels smashing through the back of the turret.
The Minbari ships had no defence against that level of firepower, the entire flank crumbled in a growing pall of flame and light, the laser and pulse shots eating away the mass of their targets while the rail guns simply cored clean through literally eviscerating the blue warships.
“Heavy damage to initial targets.” Anderson reported. “Switching position for second set of hostiles.”
“More Minbari inbound, they're turning toward.”
“Hold steady, fire when you have a solution.”
“Incoming.” Anderson warned. “Deploying countermeasures.”
The dreadnoughts launched chaff and smoke from their hull mounts creating a sudden dense smokescreen that blinded Minbari sensors and helped diffuse energy weapons. It saved the battlegroup from the full force of the Minbari response but made their own laser weapons virtually useless until they moved clear.
Luckily it had no effect on rail guns.
“Captain Black is engaging again.”
“Good girl.” Tennant acknowledged. “Alter course, prepare for continuous fire as soon as we clear the smoke.”
The hard edged warships cruised through the black smoke like wraiths, wisps of particulate matter streaming behind them as they caught and disturbed the screen. They began firing at once, staggering their volleys this time to maintain a steady pressure on the Minbari vanguard.
The Minbari had been badly mauled but with the threat established they made their response, the formation flowing and altering to present a rapidly reinforced front to the human dreadnoughts. These were far from the finest ships in the Minbari fleet but they were still formidable and Branmer had prepared them well.
Green beams lanced into Tennants fleet, one of Hague's cruisers reeling out of formation belching atmosphere and debris. Earth force retaliated, smashing another half dozen Minbari cruisers that were replaced almost instantly as Branmer redirected as much firepower as he could spare to this clear threat.
A dreadnought fell to several well timed strikes, stripped to its inner hull and then ripped apart by internal detonations. Two more cruisers fell followed by one of the precious railgun armed battleships.
“Heavy fire incoming!” Anderson barked, the Nemesis rumbling as a fusion beam ran down its hull spraying molten armour into space. “Minbari forces moving to flank us!”
“Keep us close to Earth!” Tennant demanded. “Two points starboard, continuous fire all batteries!”
“We're not going to last long without support sir!”
“Continuous fire!” Tennant repeated through his teeth. “We've got nowhere else to run.”
The Nemesis responded, the veteran dreadnought rippling gunfire as she took on four enemy cruisers simultaneously. She survived the response, her hull standing up just barely to the Minbari fusion weapons that gouged and cut her flanks. The damage built moment by moment, her wounds grew, her allies fell aside in flame, but the Nemesis did not flinch in the face of the onslaught streaming smoke and debris behind her.
With the blue Earth behind them the Dreadnought group made their stand before the Tempest.
**
“Reinforcements are due any second!”
“Can we raise them?” Admiral Ferguson called, the entire ship shuddering as the Charlemagne pumped out salvo after salvo.
“Negative sir, comms are jammed!”
The Minbari had gotten smart, in addition to taking an unexpectedly aggressive stance and trying to pin his fleet away from Earth they were also jamming his signals making it impossible to coordinate his forces or link up with General Denisov and the main defence force.
Luckily his fleet knew their business well enough to act independently and fight back on their own, meeting the Minbari head on and pushing back hard. His officers knew that linking up with Earth was their goal and worked towards it, aiding their fellow ships and forming ad hoc battlegroups from any unit close enough to pick up close range communications.
It was working, slowly but surely his units were making progress, they were driving forward, but the Minbari were preventing him from massing his forces for a decisive break through.
The Charlemagne and her escorts hammered a pair of cruisers at short range, the Minbari ships taking a dreadnought with them before they dissolved in flames.
“Enemy forces shifting again, we're having a hard time keeping track of them with all the ECM.”
“Just focus on overwhelming the closest groups, we'll whittle them down one at a time if we have to.” Ferguson ordered. “Try and move us closer to the next group of ships.”
“Aye sir, cruiser group at...Minbari contacts! Dead ahead using debris for cover!”
“Number and type?”
“Capital ships, three, they're locking on!”
“Open fire, don't wait for a solution, barrage fire!”
*
“Enemy flagship has seen us. She's firing.”
“So noted.” Neroon replied icily. “Not soon enough.”
Neroon's command group made their final preparations, gunfire from the Charlemagne scattering around them. Even surprised a Nova was still an enemy not to be faced lightly and Neroon was quietly proud of his new crew as they kept their wits and laid their guns precisely before signalling ready.
“Target locked.”
“Destroy it.”
The Shargotti shrugged off the several pulses that struck it, the heavy armour superior to it's smaller Sharlin class cousins. She opened her gunports, the Charlemagne still turning hard to bring its maximum power to bear, the heavy guns stuttering orange bolts that hammered one of Neroon's escorts. It wasn't going to be fast enough, they both knew it, both knew how this was going to end.
The Heaven's Wrath fired her forward Neutron lances on behalf of every Star Rider that had fallen to human firepower. Her main gun speared the Charlemagne clean through her hull at a shallow angle, fire and molten metal erupting from either side. The veteran warship reeled but didn't instantly explode, the Charlemagne unbelievably absorbing the initial strike from the most powerful Minbari vessel ever created.
The dreadnought was doomed, its reactors were melting through their casings, reactant venting or igniting, the interior decks immolating as oxygen combusted. On the command deck power failed, the deck pitched amid shouts and screams, the thunder of snapping metal and the expanding hull drowning out most noise an instant later.
The Charlemagne and her crew were consumed in fire, but not before Ferguson emptied the capacitors one last time, a final full broadside blasting defiantly from the warship even as it melted away, the two dozen pulses gutting Neroon's nearest Sharlin escort. Ferguson's war ended that instant, but he did not depart without taking a final tribute with him to the gods of war.
The Minbari guns now spoke again, but this time their word was final.
“Human flagship destroyed Alyt.”
“That will hinder their efforts and buy Branmer time to end this.” Neroon nodded. “Well done, all of you, know we face a fierce enemy and you have conducted yourselves as warriors should.”
He took a moment to acknowledge his staff, he had known them mere hours but already he would trust them with his life.
“Now, find me another target.”
“You may have your wish Alyt, jump points forming.”
“The Earth reserves.” Neroon observed dispassionately. “Our duty is clear, prepare to engage.”
**
“Coordinates aligning, we have clear lock on Earth Beacon Prime.”
“Standby for immediate jump.” Sheridan pressed himself down in his chair, the muscles in his jaw contracting as he felt the deck shift momentarily as the destroyer made a final course correction.
“We only have the Athena on our flank, rest of the fleet will be jumping about seventy thousand clicks behind us.”
“We'll take the chance, we need to get these ships into action right now, every second counts.”
“Aye sir.” Commander Carol accepted without further comment. “Tachyon projectors online, initiating vortex.”
“We're jumping head first into hell people, all batteries weapons free, engage any target of opportunity as soon as the sights clear.”
The Agamemnon lunged forward as she made the transition swapping the swirling chaos of hyperspace for the swirling chaos of war. Almost instantly they found two Minbari capital ships dead ahead well within weapons range, A Sharlin accompanying a much larger battleship. Sheridan didn't even need to give the order.
Both the Agamemnon and Athena engaged with every forward weapon, the energy arrays walking red beams over the two targets while the chin mounted energy mine launchers belched their green projectiles at the reacting Minbari.
“Focus fire on the battleship! Take it out before it can return fire!”
Neroon remained upright as his vessel shuddered, the heavy forward armour deflecting most of the energy from the lasers. The holographic display showed two Earth capital ships, ugly machines that looked like they were powered by clockwork. Behind them more ships were arriving but outside effective range, for the moment it was just these two targets.
“Main batteries online, locking both targets.”
Neroon waited, the targeting data displaying on the holographic curtain draped around the flag deck. The Wrath had more than enough firepower to kill both Earth ships simultaneously.
“Incoming! Energy mines!”
“Switch priorities, intercept them!”
Beside the massed fire of Dreadnoughts, Energy mines were the only weapons he feared. Acquired from the Narn who in turn had crudely reverse engineered them from Centauri technology they were barely contained spheres of antimatter that would casually blast through the heaviest of armour and cause catastrophic internal damage. Even if the ship survived the shock of impact would likely rip up decks, crush bulkheads and destabilise reactors. Given how unexpectedly delicate the reactors on a Shargotti had proven to be that was a serious concern.
The range was much too close and the Earth ships managed no less than six mines between them, a saturation strike even his mighty ship could not survive. Neroon subconsciously braced, he had expected this end and did not flinch from it, a true warrior accepted death without hesitation in service of his duty. An instant before impact a blue shape ghosted ahead of his display, the elegant form of his escorting cruiser racing to put itself between the flagship and the barrage of human weapons.
In a final act of heroism the Sharlin took the full force of the Energy mines, simply dissolving in white light. It saved the Wrath but the explosion was still close enough to pelt the battleship with debris and radiation flash boiling the outer armour and shattering its prow cannons.
“Hard to starboard! Clear the debris!” Neroon snarled. “Damage report!”
“Main guns down, targeting sensors fused!”
“Heavy damage to forward armour, multiple breaches!”
“Secondary guns?” He demanded.
“Available, but tracking is down!”
“Switch to manual targeting, return fire!”
The Wrath turned lazily, her flank mounted propulsion fins perforated by pieces of the broken Sharlin. Her forward hull was still glowing in places, white streams of oxygen leaking from a thousand fractures and freezing in the vacuum. Never the less she still had power and she still had teeth. By the time the fireball engulfing her escort dissipated she was ready to make her reply.
“She's still moving!” Carol warned sharply. “Enemy battleship, powering up! Energy spike!”
“Evasive port!” Sheridan barked. “Fire at will!”
Both destroyers turned as hard as they could in opposite directions spitting fire from their secondary guns as they came about. The Minbari replied with a lattice of green energy. While the Wrath had lost her Neutron weapons her secondary Fusion beams were still extremely formidable, each beam gouging deep into the Earth Force armour.
The Athena took the brunt, pitching upwards at the bow as if she'd received an uppercut from a prize fighter. More hits hammered her engines and ripper up her flanks leaving the ship to roll away wreathed in burning atmosphere and molten metal, her crew furiously working to restore control.
The Agamemnon also took damage, her hangar bays collapsing inward and crumpling in a gust of fire.
“Taking heavy fire!”
“Bring us about! Standby time on target!”
“Aye sir, brace for emergency turn!”
With the Athena out of the fight it was now a duel between the two damaged capital ships and the two most celebrated Captains on either side. The Wrath of Heaven was the better ship but she was damaged and her crew rank amateurs compared to the experienced veterans Sheridan commanded. The Agamemnon responded faster, her flank guns peppering the Wrath with particle pulses, each hit gradually attriting the hull.
“Energy spike!”
The Agamemnon threw herself about, the Minbari gun crews slightly behind the curve without their advanced sensors. Even so several hits struck the Destroyer cutting deep into the hull and slicing away a pair of gun turrets.
“Bring us about! Continue firing all batteries!” Sheridan roared over the din of collapsing bulkheads deep in the ship.
“We can't take much more of this Captain!”
“Continue firing!” Sheridan repeated furiously. “Time on target, fire everything we've got!”
The wounded destroyer slewed sharply about to face her enemy, driving hard for the Minbari battleship. Her forward guns engaged in overload capacity, staggering fire between pulse and beam mode, crack and burn as the crews called it. On her flanks the missile silos popped open and launched in sequence, the grey darts ejected in clouds of frozen glittering gas before their engines engaged and looped them in at point blank range. Finally were the energy mines, the massive projectors devouring the last of the magazines with a steady thump.
Space around the Agamemnon glowed, her engines blazing, her flanks streaming burning atmosphere from a dozen hits, every available gun unloading on the Minbari warship as the missiles billowed about the vehement warship a vision of fury unleashed.
Neroon suppressed his awe at the image of retribution bearing down on him, he knew Earth ships were well armed, knew how dangerous they were at close range, and he knew that losing his calm would send them all to the next incarnation before they completed their duty.
“Point defences, final barrier fire! Engage! Prioritise energy mines!”
The Wrath retaliated, pulse guns hammering the mines and the cloud of missiles. Some would get through, it was inevitable, but he trusted his crews to do enough to keep them alive. The ship vibrated as the Agamemnon carved into her already weakened armour, the Earth weapons now cutting deep into the hull blasting through to the inner heart of the battleship. Systems were failing, weapons going off line, power was fluctuating. He had mere seconds to save his command.
“Standby missile batteries.” Neroon ordered, the rarely used weapons hopefully coming as a surprise to their opponent. “Coordinate with remaining Fusion cannons, plot solution and fire.”
“Incoming! Missiles inbound!”
“Interceptors, now!” Sheridan snapped. “This is going to be close!”
The point defences changed targets rotating sharply and spitting fire. The Minbari missiles were incredibly dangerous, a contact hit from the multi megaton devices would end their fight in an instant even if at this range they might just end up taking the Minbari ship with them. It was a desperate move, a daring one, Sheridan had to respect the nerve of his opponent.
The interceptors proved their worth knocking the missiles down despite the incredibly close range. Most were brought down a few miles away but one penetrated the defences, the interceptors grazing it, sending it spinning wildly out of control. It passed just metres from the ship, passing over the stern where it was thrown backwards by the wash from the engines. That was where it detonated.
The pulse of hard radiation killed the Agamemnon's engines, tearing up the propulsion chambers and pushing the ship sharply off course, angling it directly toward the Wrath.
“Evasive action!” Neroon commanded. “Maintain fire!”
“Helm barely responding, our manoeuvring systems are too heavily damaged!”
“Then I suggest we all brace for impact.”
It was a fascinating image, the torn up burning mass of grey metal barrelling down on him, the holographic display making it look like it was aimed directly at him personally rather than the ship surrounding him. The Wrath was turning but too slow, her damage catching up with her. This was not going to be pleasant.
“Emergency power to thrusters! Blow the airlocks, jettison everything!” Sheridan yelled.
The helm officer did what he could, the manoeuvring and docking thrusters melting themselves open and emptying their fuel in a couple of seconds. It tilted the ship a few degrees, enough to turn a direct hit into a glancing blow, but it wasn't going to be enough to stop the collision.
“Sound collision alert, all hands brace!”
Both vessels were moving at a high velocity but the sheer size of the vehicles made the impact look much slower than it really was. The Agamemnon buried its forward port quarter into the Minbari ship, ploughing along its side in a fountain of bent metal and fragmented crystal. Both ships scraped alongside each other absorbing the massive forces involved, distorting and twisting as they snagged and snapped free.
The rotating section on the Agamemnon slammed into the Wrath's main drive fin, crumpling the thinly made propulsion system which in turn dislodged the gravity section from its bearings causing it to grind to a halt. After six eternal seconds the two warships separated and drifted slowly apart, shredded, powerless, connected by a glittering string of debris and frozen atmosphere but still determined to win their vicious duel.
The entire right side of Sheridan's body was numb, he couldn't move his arm and had to physically check in order to make sure it was still attached. Emergency lighting filtered through electrical smoke, the stink of ozone and burnt plastics assailing his senses, the crackle of shorting systems mingling with coughs as his screw scrambled back to their stations.
“Damage report?” He called. “Tell me we hit them as hard as they hit us?”
“Main power down, we're zero gravity.” Carol squinted to make out the details on his partially destroyed console. “No weapons, no propulsion, minimal life support.”
“And that big son of a bitch out there?”
“Hard to say but I have minimal power readings from hostile warship. No sensor locks, no apparent power to weapons.”
“He's dead in space too?”
“Yes sir, but still partially operational.”
“You can bet whoever is in command over there is yelling at his people to restore power so he can finish us. Well like hell I'm going to give that bonehead the satisfaction. We've started this job and we're gonna damn well finish it! Do we have any chance to restore partial main power?”
“Unlikely sir, and even if we did main gun turrets are destroyed.”
“Missiles? Energy mines?”
“Missiles expended but we do have two energy mines remaining, number one launcher looks intact but we have no power to reload.”
“Then load manually.” Sheridan ordered. “You get as many men as you need and you damn well push that mine into the launcher if you have to.”
“Yes sir.”
“Then find a way to turn us around, use the airlocks as thrusters, we need to point that launcher at that ship before he does the same.”
“At this range sir an energy mine detonation is probably going to kill us too.”
“If it takes out a Minbari battleship it'll be worth it. I know I'm asking the impossible but it isn't the first time and I hope it won't be the last. Give me a weapon and point it at the target. We're going to finish this fight.”
*
While the Agamemnon struggled in its own life or death battle the rest of the fleet emerged in force, hundreds of warships hungry for retribution and unflinching in their determination to defend Earth. Defence fleets drawn from Proxima and Mars took station with Admiral Hamato's battle worn elite, brand new ships and crews mixing with twenty year veterans and vessels that had seen combat back in the earliest of humanity's skirmishes. They were a cross section of mankind, every race, creed, background and belief united in this single simple task.
They began to immediately bite into the Minbari line, chewing up Branmer's rearguard and driving the Minbari steadily back, the sheer weight and volume of gunfire hammering the blue lines of alien ships. It took only a few minutes to break through and link up with General Denisov's hard worn defence fleet, the exhausted and battered crews raising a cheer as reinforcements flooded the system.
The tide was turning, Hamato applying immense pressure, but Branmer had predicted this, he knew it was coming and contracted his forces, brought them in closer to support each other and continue to hold against the mass of Earth ships. He had just minutes until his rear guard broke under the offensive, and for Branmer that was going to be just about enough.
“The Minbari are pulling back, setting up a final line.” Jha'dur observed. “A last barrier to protect their bombardment ships and it might work, there's nothing much between Branmer and Earth.”
The Dilgar dreadnought had emerged at the edge of the far flank not far from Sheridan detached from Hamato's main reinforcements. While Hamato and Denisov now faced Branmer the remains of Neroon's forces still battled what was left of Ferguson's still substantial but leaderless fleet.
“Branmer will break the satellite line before Earth Force can stop him. He can do a lot of damage to Earth.” Shai'jhur reviewed grimly. “Antimatter weapons.”
“And if Earth is heavily damaged it robs us of a useful ally and diminishes our influence in the galaxy.” Jha'dur grumbled. “I think we're going to have to do something. The two main human fleets are fully committed to the attack, what about this fleet? Who is in command?”
“Communications show no single commander, the fleet is operating in several independent task forces.”
“The Charlemagne?”
“Destroyed.”
“Admiral Ferguson.” Jha'dur pursed her lips. “Pity, but his death will motivate the Drazi. He was a personal friend of Warleader Stro'kath and you haven't seen fury until you've seen a Drazi avenging a friend. Still, we're in a good position here, we can bypass the main battle and try to reach Earth before Branmer does.”
“When you say 'we' Warmaster...”
“I mean Ferguson's fleet. Do we still have the Earth frequencies?”
“Yes Warmaster.”
“Open a channel, this is going to be an interesting experiment.”
Shai'jhur didn't question the orders, the anticipation electric as tapped a few controls then nodded to her senior officer.
“Earth Forces, sensors show your Admiral and the next three flagships in the chain of command have been destroyed. As senior officer present I am assuming command of this fleet. This is not a request, it is a necessity. I am sure your sensors are telling you who I am and most of you are dismissing these words.
I am Deathwalker, I was once your enemy but today I am here to fight for your world. I hate the Minbari as much as you do, I have my reasons for being here and I will fight with all my ability to drive the enemy away and save your home. You know me, you know my reputation for winning battles, for success despite overwhelming odds. I can lead you to victory as I led others to victory if you will trust me!
I am going to attack the Minbari flank and break through to Earth and I will do it alone if I have to. This is my fight and I will give my life in this battle if that is needed. All I ask is that you follow me, fight with me, I will not ask you to take risks I will not take. This is your home and only by uniting as one force can we save it. I am the best fleet commander in this system, I believe that and I need you to believe it too.
A lot of you will die, I will not lie, but we will succeed, we will save Earth, and your sacrifice will not be wasted. I can win this fight, many of you have seen what I can do in battle, let me lead you now and show the Minbari that old enemies can become new friends! All I ask is for you to follow me.”
She cut the channel with a huge grin.
“That felt good, I always preferred the old scary speech but that really wasn't bad. Did it work?”
“I think so, we're linking into the fleet battlenet, receiving status reports.” Shai'jhur raised a surprised eyebrow. “Earth Force fleet awaiting orders.”
“This is going to be delicious.” Jha'dur steepled her fingers, mind swiftly mapping out a plan. “We need to disengage from these forces, Star Riders by the look. They will try to follow us, leave four groups to keep them busy, buy us time to move.”
“Those four groups won't last long Warmaster. It's suicide.”
“But their sacrifice will let the rest of us drive for Earth.” Jha'dur noted. “It's a Dilgar tactic, perhaps a little ruthless for humanity, but these are desperate times. Give the orders.”
On her word the fleet began to reform, the bulk disengaging while several battlegroups held back the Star Riders. Without Neroon to command them they failed to respond to the sudden change in Earth Force strategy letting Jha'dur gather her force.
“Set course for Earth, maximum speed.” She ordered. “With Branmer busy fighting Hamato we should have no problem breaking through to orbit.”
“I can't believe we're leading an attack to save Earth.” Shai'jhur shook her head. “No one is going to believe this.”
“I've wanted to command an Earth Force fleet for a long time, today wishes come true.” Jha'dur adjusted their angle of approach, vectoring them in on the Minbari flank. “Now I have one of the finest fleets in history at my command waging war with Akira Hamato on one side and Branmer on the other. This is just my perfect day, so let’s try not to spoil it by dying.”
*
“Ferguson's fleet is back on the move, they're disengaging and moving toward orbit.”
Lefcourt diverted his gaze up to the massive display screen looming over the darkly lit room, ranks of consoles manned by grimly focused officers arrayed before it like pews in a temple. From this post deep below Geneva Lefcourt had taken responsibility for the planetary defence grid, the network of satellites, missiles and cannons defending Earth itself along with the warships and atmospheric fighters supporting them.
“Still a lot of Minbari ships up there.” He observed. Denisov's fleet had held its position well, funnelling the Minbari into a single region of space which was now being assaulted by Hamato's newly arrived ships. Even so the Minbari had carved through every defence line despite heavy casualties and were now dangerously close to Earth itself.
“Range to Minbari fleet?”
“Enemy forward elements coming into firing range, satellite platforms ready to fire, ground based railguns ready to fire, ballistic missiles ready to fire.”
“All stations confirm readiness, planetary defence grid fully operational and ready to engage.”
On paper the defences were formidable, the sheer volume of destruction they could unload on an enemy prodigious, but against an enemy like the Minbari there were never guarantees. All Lefcourt could do was his duty and hope the defences could halt the Minbari long enough for Hamato to finish them.
“Activate defence grid, prioritise enemy capital ships, weapons free.”
“Aye sir, weapons free, all systems responding.”
“Begin firing sequence, coordinate strikes for maximum effect.”
“Firing solutions plotted, time on target set.”
The large display screens began lighting up with status symbols showing the cluster of incoming ships being locked onto by dozens of separate weapons systems, the various officers rapidly coordinating the immense variety of weapons.
“Defence grid armed and firing.”
Everything erupted, on sensors across the system a massive surge of energy and fresh contacts and warnings heralded the last barrier between Earth and the Minbari. An entire sky full of satellites started dumping missiles by the thousand into orbit, a growing river of ordnance flowing out from the planet fed by the satellites as they ripple fired missile after missile.
Many of the older satellites had only missiles, old nuclear tipped devices dating back to the era after First Contact, but mixed in where newer constructs armed with pulse cannons, plasma weapons and a handful mounting Narn derived heavy lasers. These added a more direct power to the fight working in conjunction with the missile salvoes to saturate and overwhelm the formidable Minbari defences.
The Minbari were not surprised, they had anticipated this and deployed accordingly. Escorts and heavy warships took point forming a wall ahead of the bombardment units and began systematically erasing the incoming missiles. While vast in numbers the missiles were relatively slow large targets which the Minbari guns cut down in droves, effortlessly sweeping dozens away with each slice of their beams.
The energy weapons were harder to handle, with the long range guns busy dealing with the missiles they couldn't task them with picking off the satellites themselves, the warships had to go full defensive until the immediate threat was passed. To counter those the Minbari released their fighter squadrons, the Nials more than capable of destroying the weakly armoured satellites and clearing the way to orbit for the attack fleet.
Once again though Earth had anticipated this and had its own countermeasures.
“Alpha Wing, all remaining units, move to intercept enemy fighters.”
Sinclair was tired, even under the adrenalin he was tired. A Starfury wasn't the most comfortable experience on a good day but the constant jinking and evasion, the pummeling of gravity and acceleration, the strain of always being alert, always moving, his body was on the edge of exhaustion.
“This is Sun leader, fuel at eight percent.” Warned Shiro, his decorated Fury falling in a hundred metres off Sinclair's wing.
“Six percent here.” Mitchell called in from the other wing. “Most of the other guys are about the same.”
That wouldn't give them long in combat, the constant use of the thrusters would burn through that in ten minutes or so of all out combat and they didn't have the time to dock and refuel. If they couldn't finish the job in ten minutes they'd be dead.
“Understood, try to keep the Minbari away from the satellites and watch their firing lanes. Don't think they'll hold fire just because you drift into the way.”
“Copy that, I have enemy craft inbound, fifty plus.”
“We'll make a start there. Follow me in, maximum thrust.”
The depleted squadrons turned back into the cauldron, scorched and scarred but still unbroken. Facing them was the last wave of the Minbari fighter wings and arguably the best, the units Branmer had held back specifically for this final push. The Earth defence grid was formidable barrier but it had it's weaknesses, it was designed to be used as long range artillery firing past a more mobile defence of ships and fighters. It was lethal against warships but vulnerable to massed fighter strikes, something Branmer had deduced and now exploited.
The strongest parts of the defence grid were underpinned by the six Orion class battlestations at key points in orbit, the ring type stations pumping out prodigious amounts of firepower and making any approach suicidal. The Minbari avoided them and instead threw their fighters at thinner parts of the grid to create a breach follow up units could exploit.
“Fresh contacts burning for the satellite nodes!” Sakai called out the warning as she rolled the heavy Starfury, the cockpit illuminating blue with each flare of the engines.
“Move to intercept!” Sinclair hastily disengaged. “Raptors watch our back, Suns and Ghosts with me!”
The fighters plunged into the thick of the fighting mixing with Starfuries and Minbari craft from hundreds of different units. This was a titanic duel where the usual rules of the dogfight were slipping away. Space was too choked, ECM blinding sensors as the pilots on both sides fought to keep their awareness in the heart of the melee. It was an assault on every sense with attacks appearing from nowhere, confusion reigned as both sides upped the pressure.
Sinclair's unit blew past the closest group of satellites, the grey and blue structures spitting out nukes and pulse cannon shots against the approaching Minbari ships barely visible from the cockpit of a Fury. Several waves of Minbari fighters were closing, tearing through the nearest Starfury wing with surprising coordination and opening a path for a run on the satellites.
“There's our target, stay loose and try to break them up.” Sinclair accelerated, the nearest Minbari craft altering to meet him. “These guys aren't fools, get in close and take them!”
Green beams lashed out to meet him but too far away, he had already anticipated and positioned himself to avoid them, the lights flashing past with a comfortable five or six metres to spare. He held fire, waited until there was no chance of missing, until the Minbari fighter was so close he could see the controls illuminating the face of his opponent, the Minbari looking right at him as he flung his Fury into a sideways pivot to slide past within arms reach. Only then did he fire, so close that evasion was impossible.
“Ghost Leader, Break right!”
Sinclair didn't hesitate, he heard Mitchell's warning and moved at once rolling and dropping as several beams converged on his former position. It was damn close, their current enemy working as a team showing they were clearly professionals.
“Ghost Squad regroup, watch your buddies!” Sinclair threw his fighter about. “Watch the gun satellites!”
The Minbari were doing all they could to reach orbit, their fighter squadrons pushing slowly through the concentrated Earth Force ranks to clear the way for units of Minbari Flyers to exploit any opportunities. The Flyers were strictly utility craft, armed shuttles and transports mainly, but they packed respectable firepower into their frames making them a serious threat to anything to slow to dodge. Like Satellites.
Despite their full efforts the Earth pilots just weren't able to put enough steel between the Minbari and the defence grid, the blue fighters falling in droves but with barely any effect. Starfuries darted across the attack, elderly Belt Alliance fighters and armed shuttles joining in as they could and all taking their toll. The Minbari continued their advance, a mix of brand new Nial and older Tishat fighters striving to keep the Furies back whatever the cost.
Both units were giving all they had, none were holding back, this was building to the critical moment and it was inching toward the Minbari.
“Enemy fighters are inside the Grid!” Sakai spotted blue shapes darting past behind them, a few flashes of green reaching out to smash the closest satellite rupturing it in a burst of red and orange.
“Switch targets, get in closer!” Sinclair responded. “We have to keep those satellites firing!”
They accelerated hard, acutely aware of their fuel situation but having no choice. The weary craft dove in on the nearest Minbari dodging past the flaming wreckage of a missile satellite to fall in behind the enemy. Minbari fighters were fast but not faster than a barrage of pulse cannon shots.
“More coming through!” Mitchell spotted. “They're all around us!”
The Line was fracturing, Minbari fighters pouring through the gaps in coverage. Starfuries did all they could to push back but by this time they were virtually spent. The Minbari were also on the edge of exhaustion but thanks to their superior craft they didn't have to fight g-forces like their human counterparts. They still had the strength to fight on while Earth Force wavered.
“Where's our support?” Sinclair scanned the sensors. “What happened to Raptor Squadron?”
“They're gone! Minbari on all sides!” Mitchell turned hard. “They're locking on!”
“Break!”
The remaining Ghosts and Suns split and scattered before a swarm of Minbari fighters, the smaller Tishat class banking after them. Smaller and lighter than Nial's the Tishat class didn't hit as hard but they were terrifyingly agile. Three Furies vanished in a heartbeat, Sinclair turning with a snarl but only able to claim one Minbari back in vengeance.
“We need to get out of here!” Hanji yelled. “They're everywhere!”
“We've got nowhere left to go.” Shiro replied flatly, his voice calm and resigned. “Rising Suns, pick your targets and I'll meet you again under the blossoms.”
Each fighter made its own attempts to stay alive, each pilot desperate to grab a few more seconds from the Reaper, to try and bring down another Minbari fighter, to lessen the odds for whoever might follow them. Sinclair's unit was the best in the Force but even they couldn't manage odds like this. One by one they met their end, cut down or shredded by neutron and fusion weapons. Around them the satellites fell, rolling out of orbit as each in turn succumbed to attack. The cost was high for the Minbari but they were opening a breach, the gunfire lessened, the remaining bombardment ships reactivated their drives and began to approach again closing the last few thousand miles.
“Ghost Leader, enemies at six, nine and three!”
Mitchell was still calling warnings but it wasn't going to help, Sinclair was frantically throwing the fighter into evasive moves, he was almost fully defensive, his fuel almost gone and cannons at the point of melting shut. All he could see was explosions, every blast a Starfury going up, one of his. People he'd known for years, friends, personalities. The prankster notorious for once filling the toilets with fast foaming soap, sliced to pieces by three Nials simultaneously. The quiet woman who barely spoke off duty but swore like a demon in battle, rammed by a crippled Tishat. The pair who were maybe lovers but nobody ever pried, killed side by side within a few metres of one another.
Their lives and stories were ending and it was so fast, so many years, so much history, joys and sorrows and companionship lost in seconds. His world was ending one life at a time, one second at a time, and he knew, he knew more than anything the one he cared about most was going to be next.
“Sun Four taking heavy fire!” Sakai rolled aside, her wing flickering flame as the wiring burned and crackled from a glancing hit. “I'm losing thrust!”
“Turn right and dive!” Yumi Hanji shouted from somewhere behind her. “You've got eight on you! Trying for a shot!”
“No, get clear!” Sakai twisted. “Three coming in dead ahead, take evasive...!”
There was a nearby explosion and then a fizz of static.
“Yumi, Yumi?” Sakai screamed down the silent radio. There was no answer from her wingman, just an increasing blare of warning signals. She cut the sounds, muted them, like hell that was going to be the last sound she heard. The Minbari were still vectoring in on her, each evasive turn and roll an act of faith, any tactics or plan long since forgotten as her brain just worked on pure instinct.
Her engines spluttered, fuel dried up, her controls becoming unresponsive as the thrusters stopped burning. She rammed the controls in frustration harder and harder, her every emotion welling up as a scream against the injustice of it, against the helplessness, against the enemy who now looked down on her victorious.
It was a final personal moment of defiance, and when she finished and inhaled she had no choice but to make her peace. There was no more fighting, no chance to avenge her friends. Nothing at all. She had just enough fuel to point the nose toward Earth for a last look at the glorious blue of the Pacific ocean below. If that was the last thing she saw then it was fine, that was enough. She exhaled, relaxed, and waited for fate.
Instead her vision was blocked by a battered Starfury, the ugly warplane racing past spluttering gunfire in irregular bursts, its weapons barely functional. The man within flew like a demon, every restriction on him now gone, no more hesitation, no thoughts of preservation or conserving strength. He had only seconds of fuel left and he was going to use every last instant of that time fighting.
The Minbari were not expecting him, not expecting such control from something moving so wildly. Sinclair was burning at full throttle while slinging around in tight turns and hard rolls, the g-forces crushing his body and pushing him toward blackout. He fought it, battled physics as he battled the Minbari, teeth bared and breath forced through his lungs. Raw adrenaline and natural skill were all he had now, that and his final wish to give Catherine a few more moments of life, a final chance for a miracle.
This wasn't a duel, it was a brawl. His guns spluttered, just enough energy was left to pierce a final Tishat that crumpled ahead of him, cracking his canopy with debris. It didn't matter, the Minbari were on him now and ignoring Catherine's powerless Fury. He drew them away, Mitchell somewhere claiming another kill before he too lost energy and began falling toward the planet, still calling warnings to Sinclair who was deaf to everything now. He banked past a lumbering Flyer and snatched it with his Fury's grappling hook as he whizzed by, the cable dragging the enemy off course and fracturing his lower ribs as its mass jolted the Fury.
He threw his plane around still attached to the Flyer and used his captured target to slam into a pursuing Nial destroying both of the surprised pilots. Debris from the collision hammered his fighter cutting the safety features keeping his reactor intact, coolant spraying from a dozen ruptures and freezing in streams behind his wings. Warnings blared but he didn't care, dropping a wing as a Tishat raced by grazing him with green lances before snapping back up at the perfect moment to ram his forward thruster through the clear crystal canopy of the small enemy fighter. He tore his upper left engine off but it didn't matter, one more kill was worth it.
The reactor initiated an emergency shut down, his backups failed, it was over. Around him were five more kills but he wasn't keeping count anymore. All that mattered was Catherine had drifted away from the fighting. She had a chance
The satellites were burning, debris falling past him, Minbari craft slashing past as they widened the gap in the defences. The main Earth fleet was close but not close enough, the battle had turned. He had failed, but he had taken more than his fair share of the Minbari elite with him and for that he found some comfort. He watched a squadron heading his way, setting up to descend on Earth itself, and as they passed by his warning system detected a lock. One peeled aside and turned toward him, a brief distraction for it's pilot and an easy kill for his tally. It was irritating but Sinclair had nothing left. Maybe if it got closer he'd eject and try hit it with his cockpit.
He didn't get the chance. That instant the Minbari fighter exploded, the rest of the squadron soon after in a sudden confused blur of fire. He snapped his head around to see a black and red fighter cruise past, the distinctive tri-engine design of a Dilgar Dart fighter. He'd seen them before but this one caught his full attention, on it's hull it wore a pattern of red triangles. The same markings Sinclair's father had worn on his old Fury during the war with the Dilgar.
“Ghost Leader, Knight Leader.” A voice called him. “Hold position, recovery shuttles on the way. We'll take it from here.”
“Who are you?” Sinclair didn't bother with formality. “Where did you come from?”
“Just repaying a debt to an old friend.” The voice answered. “Knight Squadron will hold here for as long as we can, stay alive Commander Sinclair. I have no intention of losing a second man of your clan.”
“What do you mean? Who are you talking about?”
There was no answer, the black fighter already accelerating hard back into the fray. He watched it's engine glow, followed it as it pulled manouevres he could barely follow with skill only a handful of people possessed. He knew who this pilot was, who it had to be. The Dilgar ace who had killed his father and now for some reason had saved him.
His mind whirled as confusion and exhaustion beset it. The battle moved away leaving him floating among the debris of a thousand lives, some dead, some trapped like him as spectators to the final act of the battle.