The time is the United Global Year 205. Two years after the last Radam invasion was turned back by the new Space Knights.
Captain Rainer commanding officer of the Solar Wind, quietly watched the bridge crew of his ship run through their operations. Captain Rainer’s ship was unique among the Uranus Battle Group, for his ship was the designated transport for the Vaking Unit of the Battle Group. The Vaking Units were the elite of the Earth Military forces, the Sol-Tekkamen. The Sol-Tekkamen in their Sol-Tekka Armor were arguably the strongest fighting force in the Earth Military, next to the true Tekkamen of Space Knights of course. Each Sol-Tekkaman had the equivalent firepower of a large cruiser and a squadron of them had the firepower that could rival an entire Battle Group alone. At this time Captain Rainer was overseeing the training of the Vaking Unit in preparation for the first human mission to reach outside of the Solar System.
The technologies that Earth had acquired and developed, including the Tekkaman Creation Process and Sol-Tekka Armor, from the war with the Radam, the ability to create FTL travel was only cracked just a short three months ago. The achievement was met with caution because after that the question of what to do next was asked. The answer came rather quickly, go out and explore, colonize, and create forward bases incase the Radam returned.
For a month after that there was a large debate among Earth’s leaders on who to send out on the exploratory mission first. Some argued that it should be the Military as they had the ships for the long duration that space exploration required. Others argued that the Space Knights should be sent as they not only would be best to handle the Radam incase Earth ran into them, not to mention any other threat, but also had some of the best scientist on Earth. The solution came from the leader of the Space Knights, Tekkaman Blade; he advised that Earth send the Military and the Space Knights, just not all the Space Knights. The Space Knights would be split up, three Tekkamen; Tekkaman Dead End, Tekkaman Sommer and Tekkaman Hiver, and their pilots would be sent with the Exploration Fleet as well as some of their scientists. The remaining Tekkamen would remain on Earth to protect it in case of another Radam Evasion. The suggestion was a compromise everyone could agree to and the plan was put into motion.
So now was the last training mission the Vaking Unit would undergo before joining the rest of the fleet on Titania, Uranus’ largest moon. “Captain all Sol-Tekkamen have returned to the ship,” the Communications Officer said.
“That’s good,” Captain Rainer said. “Let’s get back to Base then.”
“Captain!” the Sensor Officer suddenly spoke up. “I’m detecting a strange energy reading! It’s similar to a Radam Portal!”
“Where!?” Captain Rainer demanded.
“Five Thousand Kilometers, Starboard side!” the Sensor Officer answered.
“Let me see it!” the Captain ordered.
“I’m putting the view on the main screen!” the Officer replied.
For a second the main screen showed nothing but an area of empty space, then a bright flash of light, followed by a swirling blue vortex appeared. “What is that?” Captain Rainer asked. “That doesn’t look like a Radam Portal.”
“It’s not Sir,” the Sensor Officer replied. “It’s similar but still has differing properties.”
“So it might not be the Radam,” the Captain muttered now relaxing just a little. The blue vortex remained unchanged for a few seconds then a large object came out and the vortex collapsed and local area of space returned to normal. “What is that?”
“It appears to be a ship,” the First Officer answered. “A First Contact situation and we did not even leave the Solar System.” She looked at the ship taking not that it was even more utilitarian in design then their ships. She also noted that there were several burn marks along it’s haul. “Looks like they’ve had some trouble.”
“I can confirm that,” the Sensor Officer spoke up again. “Sensors show a lot of damage from something.”
“Weapons fire?” the Captain asked.
“Possibly,” the Sensor Officer answered.
“Captain I’m receiving a transmission…” the Communications Officer stated. “In English. Audio only”
“English?” Captain asked. “Put it through.”
“Yes Sir,” the Communication Officer said.
“To the Unknown Vessel, if you can understand me, this is the Earth Transport Ship Jasper!” came a panicked voice over the intercom. “We are being hunted! Please help us! We’re just a civilian transport, we can’t fight back. Please respond!”
“Earth?” several people on the Solar Wind’s bridge asked.
“Sir there is no ship of that design among Earth built ships, not even the few civilian built ships,” the First Officer stated. “Do you think it could be some kind of trap?”
“Maybe,” Captain Rainer said. “Have the Sol-Tekkamen ready to go.”
“Yes Sir,” the First Officer said and then relayed the orders.
“Open all transmission channels,” the Captain. “This is Captain Rainer of the Solar Wind; Uranus Battle Group. We read and understand you, Jasper.”
“You’re an Earth ship?” the voice of the communications line asked. “Oh thank God! I am Alexander Storencho acting Captain of the Jasper. Please help us, we are on the run from a Minbari Tinashi and have over two thousand civilians onboard. They are trying to destroy us.”
‘Minbari?’ the First Officer mouthed as they communications channel were still open.
Captain Rainer just waver her off. “Understood Storencho, we’ll escort you to a safe location.”
“Thank you Captain!” the voice replied.
“Sir,” the First Officer whispered. “This could be a trap. I don’t think it is wise to take them back to Base.”
“I’m not,” the Captain replied. “Helm set a course for Portia and relay it to the Jasper.”
“Yes Sir,” the Helmsmen replied.
“Portia is close enough to, and yet far enough from Base so that help can get here quickly but not endanger the Base,” the Captain said.
“Captain! Another Portal is opening, it’s just like the one that the Jasper came through!” the Sensor Officer exclaimed. Another blue vortex opened up in space and another ship came through.
“Looks kind of like a fish,” the First Officer stated. “Could this be that ‘Tinashi’ the Jasper was talking about?”
“Storencho has confirmed that is the ‘Tinashi’ that is hunting them Captain,” the Communications Officer said.
“Move us in between the ‘Tinashi’ and the Jasper and open a communication with the new arrival,” the Captain Ordered. “Commander Yoshiro, are the Sol-Tekkamen ready? This could get ugly real fast.”
“They never took off their equipment,” the First Officer answered.
“Good,” the Captain answered.
“Chanel open Captain,” the Communication Officer spoke up.
“This is the Solar Wind to unknown vessel please respond,” the Captain spoke up.
“Transmission coming in, audio only,” the Communications Officer spoke up. “Can’t understand them. They are using an unknown language. But they don’t sound too friendly.”
“Great a language barrier,” the Captain muttered.
“Sir the new arrival is now sending a visual transmission!” the Communications Officer announced.
“Main screen,” the Captain ordered. “At least we can see what they look like.”
The image of the Tinashi ship changed and it was replaced by an image of a man that looked very human, if one ignored the large bone plate on the back of the man’s head. The alien looked at the bridge crew of the Solar Wind the scowled, “Humans.” The transmission was cut after that.
“I’m detecting an Energy buildup in what I think are their weapon’s system, also smaller craft are exiting the ship,” the Sensor Officer said. “My guess is fighters.” No sooner then when he finished a sudden flash from the Tinashi’s front and an energy beam struck the Solar Wind.
“All hands to Battle Stations!” the Captain ordered. “Launch the Sol-Tekkamen and order them that they are to fire at will.”
On board the Tinashi, Aylt Vashear had just cut transmissions to the strange human vessel and ordered Nials to be launched and to fire on the Human warship. He like every Minbari on his ship was surprised to see that while it was damaged, the Human warship survived the initial barrage. “Must be a new Human Ship. No matter, they will not survive. Continue to the attack. Nial squadrons attack the Human transport the new ship is guarding.”
“Aylt the new Human Vessel appears to be launching…” the Minbari Warrior in charge of the Tinashi’s sensors began to speak but stopped. He looked confused for a moment then rechecked his readings. “It appears to be space suits.”
“What?” Vashear asked.
“And they are moving at a high velocity, faster then any Human fighter in our records,” the Minbari Warrior continued.
“Show me,” Vashear ordered. The holographic image zoomed in on one of the person-sized objects and is showed some form of armor with a large weapon in its hands. Before the Aylt could say anything the entire Tinashi shook violently as it was impacted by energy fire from three of the armored beings on the screen. “What in Valen’s name was that!?”
“Weapon’s fire from the space suits!” another Minbari Warrior yelled. “Each blast went right through the haul! Jump Engines Offline! Gravity Drive down to twenty five percent. Life support on seven decks has failed.”
“How did those Primitives do this!? How can they even see through our Stealth!?” Vashear yelled.
“I don’t know how they were able to target us!” the Warrior answered. “But the analysis of the blast from space suit fighters appears to be…in Valen’s name. The energy appears to be a quantum based energy blast!”
“That’s impossible!” Vashear yelled. “Even we do not have such weapons!” the ship shook again this time the holographic images that surrounded the Tinashi’s bridge failed leaving it in complete darkness for a few seconds until the back up lighting was engaged.
“Aylt all Nials have been destroyed!” a Warrior reported. “Haul breeches on multiple decks. Gravity control is failing!”
As Vashear felt his body start to float in zero gravity several questions sped through his mind. How could this be happening? Where had the human’s gained such an incredible advance in technology? Were they being supplied from a race older then the Mimbari? Were the Human’s in league with the Ancient Enemy? As his head collided with the roof of the bridge of the Tinashi, Vashear brought himself out of his daze. “Is the Tachyon Transmitter still functioning?”
“One moment Aylt,” a Warrior said. “Yes it is still working.”
“Have all data on this battle recorded and sent back to Minbar,” Vashear ordered. “The Grey Council must hear of this!”
“Yes Aylt,” the Warrior obeyed. A few seconds later the Warrior was finished. “Transmission sent. What are your orders?”
“Activate an overload in the singularity reactor,” Vashear said with a grim face. “I will not allow us to be take prisoner by those filthy Humans!”
The Warrior nodded and sent the necessary orders for the reactor to overload, “Thirty seconds until overload Aylt,” she reported. “It has been an honor Aylt.” Vashear just nodded and waited for the end to come.
Out in space the Solar Wind detected the overload in the singularity reactor and ordered all the Sol-Tekkamen to retreat as it too fled trying to escape the estimated blast radius. The Jasper having fled from the moment the Tinashi arrived, was already several hundred kilometers away. The crew of the Earth Transport Ship had watched in shock and awe as the Solar Wind and its strange space suit fighters easily defeated the Tinashi and now showed incredible speed as it caught up to them just before the Minbari ship exploded. When the excitement was over one question was racing through every person’s mind on the Jasper, ‘Just who are these people?’
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(Posted Thu, 14 Dec 2006 01:14)
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