‘I thank you,’ he said to both Shaw and Tilanna. ‘I could not have moved that by myself
They both crouched down to inspect his injuries. ‘Are you hurt?’ Shaw asked.
‘Nothing major, I think. I believe, at least, I will live.’ He winced as he stood. ‘Help me with the others. I think they will live but a little light would help the diagnosis.’
Between them, Shaw and the two more able-bodied Minbari struggled to drag the wounded third to where Tilanna placed the others. She told Shaw some had perished while others might not recover without assistance, as she finally sat down to rest and let him tend her injuries.
He saw her left arm was bruised and a wide, nasty slash across her shin was quickly bound up. No lasting damage would result. He was far more concerned with her head wound but consoled himself that it might not be critical as she was still conscious. Shaw knew the Religious Caste were far more adept at some of the pain management meditations he had learned as one of the Anla’Shok, but even so, he was impressed by Tilanna’s strength of will. His task finished, he suddenly remembered his rendezvous with Badeau back in the bridge section.
‘We have to go--a shuttle should be coming for us. Sabine is setting up a commlink,’ he said to the two Minbari.
The male Minbari smiled at the news that his captain was still alive but refused to go with Shaw and Tilanna. ‘I have to stay here. They will need me,’ he said, indicating the prone Minbari.
Shaw shook his head. ‘You are in no state to survive the cold for long.’
‘They will survive a great deal shorter than that if I am not around. Besides, I’ll make a fire. It will keep us warm and serve as a beacon.’
‘What will you use for a flame?’ Shaw asked, looking around the immediate wreckage.
When he did not get an immediate answer, Shaw turned back to see both Minbari looking at him with serious faces.
‘Michael,’ Tilanna said slowly. ‘We Minbari had the capacity to make fire long before you humans did. He’ll manage.’
Shaw dropped his gaze and smiled. ‘Sorry.’
‘Now go, both of you,’ the Minbari said. ‘The captain will need you.’
Shaw put a hand on his shoulder and said, ‘I’ll get a shuttle sent down to you.’
‘I know you will. I have my duties here. Go and attend to yours.’
Nodding once, Shaw stood up and began the march back up the mountain with Tilanna.
As they approached the wrecked bridge section, Shaw saw Luchenko leaning over Badeau. The Ranger was lying very still now, and Luchenko looked up as Shaw and Tilanna approached.
‘Your friend managed to get through, eventually. A shuttle is on its way. I think she needs help very soon . . .’ said Luchenko.
Shaw and Tilanna both crouched by their captain, Luchenko stepping back to give them room. Badeau faded in and out of consciousness, probably from the strain of getting a communications link working and contacting EarthForce. Looking over his superior’s broken body, Shaw wondered what he should do next. He still had his duty to perform and a mission to accomplish--but without Sabine’s guidance and support? Surely the Anla’Shok would have to be informed of her injuries so a senior replacement could be sent to support the President and the Earth Alliance in this time of dire need. But what if no replacement was conveniently nearby? Shaw did not have the faintest clue how to advise a President. She had many years of political experience and was probably twice his age. What contribution could he possibly make?
Luchenko broke through his thoughts. ‘How did you get on?’ she asked.
This, at least, was something he could answer. ‘Didn’t find the main hull, if it is still in one piece. But there are injured Minbari down there,’ he said, pointing back to the wreckage.
‘Shuttles will be scouring the area soon. They’ll be okay.’ She turned to face Tilanna. ‘I carried a beacon outside to direct the shuttle. Make sure it keeps transmitting until they arrive. We cannot spare a second’s delay. I need to get to a secure location as quickly as possible.’
It slowly dawned on Shaw what that meant. ‘We can gather the survivors in the shuttle that’s coming now,’ he ventured. Luchenko shook her head and was about to respond when Shaw felt a hand on his leg. He looked down to see Badeau grasping him, an unwavering expression on her face, and he crouched to hear her words.
‘We have to get the President to a safe location. That’s our priority.’ The effort of this clearly pained her and she closed her eyes, relaxing her grip on him.
Badeau slowly opened her eyes to look straight at Shaw, and he saw the determined set of her jaw.
‘What do you think is happening, right now?’ she asked, looking to press her point. When he did not answer immediately, she grabbed him again and forced him to look at her once more. ‘Think!’
Taking a breath, Shaw considered the situation. ‘Well, there will be those in EarthForce who want to retaliate. They’ll want to attack the Centauri. But they won’t do that without orders.’
‘Until I contacted EarthForce, they were presuming the President was dead, along with the Joint Chiefs. The news she is still alive has not reached every part of EarthForce yet. The senators, those who survived, have been scattered during the evacuation and so, right now, no one knows who is in charge. It will only take one lone admiral or even captain to get the idea that retaliation must take place quickly--and we then have a war on our hands.’
He nodded but Badeau did not let him go. ‘Do you understand?’ she said through her pain.
‘Yes,’ he finally said, though he thought of the brave Minbari just a little distance away who might have to survive a night in these mountains. ‘Where are we taking the President?’
‘A shuttle is being sent down from the Alexander, a destroyer in orbit. From there, I imagine she will want to go to a command post, either here on Earth or perhaps Mars. I’m betting Mars. They may fear further attacks.’
‘We need to report back as well,’ he said.
‘Now you are thinking. Yes, damn straight we have to report to Sheridan. Or, rather, you do.’ The whine of a craft’s engines caused her to glance up as a shuttle bearing EarthForce markings began a landing cycle just a few yards away from them. ‘Listen to me, Michael,’ Badeau said, ensuring his attention was focussed only on her. ‘I don’t know how long I can stay conscious, and I think I am going to be out of things for a while. Everything rides on what happens next; I cannot overstate that enough. You are now the conduit between Luchenko and Sheridan. You are also going to have to take a lot of tough decisions on your own. Remember what you have been taught. Be true to the Anla’Shok.’
As she closed her eyes once more, Shaw noticed that Badeau’s breathing was becoming ragged. He had to strain to hear her next words over the noise of the settling shuttle. ‘I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.’
Shaw did not have the chance to ask Badeau what she meant, as his captain lapsed into unconsciousness. The area began swarming with people in EarthForce uniforms, first taking President Luchenko aboard the shuttle, then bringing a stretcher for Badeau. He followed Tilanna to the small craft, turning to look once more at the strewn wreckage of the Intrepide below them before ducking inside.
Chapter Eight
July 6th 2263, The EAS Alexander, Sol
Lacking the advanced gravitic systems of the White Star, the EarthForce shuttle was uncomfortable, even for those who were not injured. Shaw and Tilanna endured the short voyage well enough as the shuttle closed distance with its mother ship, the Alexander, but he was thankful that Badeau had slipped into unconsciousness earlier. Though they remained alert, both he and Tilanna were engaged in their own silent meditative techniques, taught to them by the Minbari, as paramedics on board the shuttle tended them. Though forced to inaction, Shaw tried to marshal his mental reserves, preparing himself for the next challenge however out of depth he personally felt. Despite holding the title a short time, Shaw was Anla’Shok, and he was determined not
to fail.
President Luchenko had no such training and she chomped at the bit, impatient at wasting more time before she could resume her role as leader of a free Earth. Frustrated, she ordered the shuttle’s pilot to hook a communications link into the EarthForce emergency bands and, from the flood of chatter, she began to piece together what had happened in Geneva and the extent of the damage. At first glance, it looked to be total.
The Alexander, an Omega-class destroyer and one of the largest and most powerful vessels in the EarthForce fleet, loomed in the shuttle’s forward viewport where all the passengers could see it. The long, square shape of the Omega, common to many vessels built by Earth, had earned the entire fleet the nickname ‘flying bricks.’ However, whereas many EarthForce ships still had zero-gravity throughout their superstructures, the Omega had a rotating crew section where variable artificial gravity was permanently available. As well as granting military crews a measure of dignity, it allowed ships such as the Alexander to stay on patrol for extended periods of time without incurring unnecessary crew fatigue.
The pilot exchanged call signs and approach vectors with the Alexander’s fighter controllers and then lined the shuttle up with the massive warship. Flying around the front superstructure of the Alexander in a long sweeping manoeuvre, the shuttle began the slow approach to the red-lit docking bay in the nose of the ship. Flashing guide lights mounted on pylons extending from the sheer face of the prow gave visual aid to the pilot as he gently coaxed the shuttle forward to the open port.
Unbuckling herself before the shuttle had finished its docking sequence, President Luchenko impatiently waited for the co-pilot to lead them through the forward zero-gravity section of the Alexander. She only gained a measure of self-control when they reached the bridge and were able to put their feet down solidly on the deck. The transition was disorientating for the President, Tilanna and Shaw, as none of them had spent any time on an Omega, but they quickly recovered.
Captain James, a tall, dark-skinned man with severe features but a calm and friendly voice, strode up to the group as soon as they entered the ship’s bridge.
‘Madam President, are you alright?’ he asked with genuine concern.
‘I’m alive but a lot of good people died today,’ she answered briskly. ‘You must take me to Mars. I need to get to the EarthForce Support Centre there. Best speed, Captain.’
‘Of course.’ He turned to face his crew. ‘You heard the President. Maximum burn to leave Earth orbit. Then open a jump point for Mars.’
‘Jump point, aye,’ came the automatic response.
He turned back to Luchenko. ‘One more thing, Captain,’ she said. ‘I need access to Gold Channel communications. I presume they are still up?’
‘A little scrambled but that should diminish as we move away from Earth,’ he said. ‘Here, Madam President. You can use my office.’ The Captain ushered her to an alcove towards the rear of the bridge which housed all the systems the captain of an Omega needed. Settling herself down, the President began to tap into the high priority Gold Channel communications network.
Still standing by the entrance of the bridge, Tilanna leaned over to Shaw and whispered, ‘What do we do?’
Shaw was not completely certain of the answer himself. ‘We wait,’ he said quietly after a moment’s thought. ‘We desperately need to contact President Sheridan, but I think it would be well if we do so when he can give us orders in private. We also need to watch, very carefully, what Earth does next. Keep your eyes and ears open.’
Shaw nodded as the captain walked back to them. ‘Rangers,’ he said, addressing both. ‘Is there anything I can do for you?’
‘Just get us to Mars, Captain,’ Shaw said. ‘Fast. The fate of billions rests on this.’
If Captain James thought Shaw was overstating things, he did not show it. For his part, Shaw found himself impressed with the way the whole crew of the Alexander were coping with the virtual decapitation of not only their military command, but the entire Earth government. Though he could sense a deep shock within the crew, they attended their duties with a renewed diligence.
Under full thrust, the Alexander left the shadow of Earth’s gravity well and opened a stable jump point that would get them to Mars in minutes instead of hours. They all felt the lurch as the ship approached the inter-dimensional vortex, accelerating to match the velocities of shock waves and currents in hyperspace.
As the light-minutes of realspace flashed past, Tilanna leaned towards Shaw and quietly spoke. ‘Do you recognise the name of this ship?’
‘I know of it. It was named after an ancient Earth leader who conquered much of his known world.’
‘No, that is not what I meant,’ said Tilanna. ‘This is the Alexander. The same ship that fought against Clark’s forces at Epsilon Eridani, when Babylon 5 seceded from the Earth Alliance. The commander at the time was a Major Ryan but it was under the overall leadership of Sheridan.’ She smiled. ‘As Earth ships go, it is quite famous among the Religious Caste.’
Shaw raised his brow as he considered this. ‘A good omen, perhaps?’ he said.
‘If it is, it will be the first one today.’
July 6th 2263, Mars Dome One, Sol
Officially, Mars had gained its independence from the Earth Alliance after the civil war provoked by the actions of President Clark. Unofficially, the bureaucracy of EarthGov had done everything it could to hinder the progress of Mars’ citizens in finding their own way in the galaxy. Many senators found the independence of a colony within their own home system something of an embarrassment, and still more believed that Mars would return to the fold within a year or two. Both groups failed to comprehend that the more barriers they put up against the Martians, the harder Martians would fight for their right to self-determination. Too much blood had been spilt in the past during the riots and rebellions for it to be any other way.
President Luchenko, if she were candid, would admit to being in the latter group. With so few natural resources of its own, she failed to appreciate the trade links the provisional Mars government would create via their membership to the Interstellar Alliance. Truth be told, Mars had done proportionally better within the ISA than Earth itself had. She had turned a blind eye to the refusals Mars citizens met when they tried to use their own passports, she delayed the withdrawal of EarthForce personnel from the red sands and did absolutely nothing to further the trade links between Earth and its former colony. Far more important issues existed with her existing colony worlds. Today, however, she was secretly glad for her past reticence, as it meant there was still a fully functioning EarthForce command centre within Mars Dome One, complete with a communications network that could span the galaxy if necessary.
The Support Centre was a small and unobtrusive, though well defended, building on the outskirts of Mars Dome One. Its meek presence, however, belied the extensive network that lay beneath it, turning the facility into a virtual bunker. In the past, the throughway outside had been the scene of violence and bloodshed, as much of the Martian aggression against Earth had been concentrated here when tempers flared.
Inside the communications hub of the centre, many EarthForce staff were going about their duties on autopilot, shocked at the news of the sneak attack, disbelieving that they could be going to war again so soon. Little more than a year had passed since the civil war. Shaw watched them talk in subdued tones and it reminded him of the sudden death of President Santiago some years before, on board EarthForce One around Io. Even on Mars, people had been stunned into silence at the tragedy of losing a popular leader.
Tilanna stood, alert, as Shaw sat down at a communications relay behind her. He had instructed her to make sure no one was eavesdropping. No doubt someone, somewhere, would be monitoring his communications with the ISA, but Shaw hoped the Ranger security protocols he used would at least slow them down. Badeau had been taken to the emergency centre of the largest hospital in Mars Dome One. That comforted him, as he knew it contained some of the best
doctors on Mars, and its medical advances could rival the finest hospitals on Earth. Her condition was deemed critical from the one communication Shaw received from the staff there, and though they had promised to give him regular updates, he had doubts about receiving them promptly while in the high security command centre. Though concerned about his captain, Shaw also knew she would want him focussed on the situation at hand. Given its magnitude, he felt lost and desperately wished Badeau could be there, as he was certain she would know what to do. For all his Anla’Shok training at the hands of the best human and Minbari tutors, he simply did not feel prepared for this moment. Tilanna’s presence, however, was some comfort and infinitely better than being alone.
As it turned out, Shaw’s worries about eavesdroppers were made moot by Luchenko’s elevated voice rising from the main computer desk on the other side of the hub. Her commands, questions, and general shouting would drown out anything he said or heard. The communications staff had managed to put the President in contact with a few senators who had either escaped the destruction of EarthDome or who were not present. She also had direct links to fleets across Earth space.
‘I am not ordering a war, Senator,’ she said. ‘Yes, I know I need the approval of the Senate. . . Damn it man, who do you think you are talking to?’ There was another pause as she listened to the private channel. ‘It doesn’t matter. I am hereby giving the order to EarthForce for full mobilisation. All colonies, all fleets. . . Senator, don’t try me on this. EarthDome has been destroyed, and I damn well got blasted out of the sky myself. If this is a prelude to further action, our people need to be ready.’
He knew Luchenko was a moderate, but Shaw also knew the Earth Alliance had been dealt a grievous blow this day. Listening to the President, he knew she would not escalate things without further provocation, but she was still a target and was now on his homeworld. Might she inadvertently draw attention to Mars? Would she care about the Martians if another attack were made here rather than on Earth?
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