Chapter 26

"Men instinctively know when a woman's had an orgasm, It's that look on their face when they get home."

Wolfhound Command Station

Wolf 359 system

Orion Sector

During the battle.

The Minbari war fleet was heavier than anticipated as a dozen more capital ships jumped from the depths of hyperspace into the system. Already half of the fighter squadrons had been destroyed by the massed fighter support and long range anti fighter weapons of the Minbari ships. The few that had gotten off their missile strikes had pulled back and away to defend the single picket ship trying to stay alive.

The single Hyperion class ship was the only hope for the massed ships of the Wolf 359 defensive force. The Minbari were closing in on them and only the long range tactical abilities of the Hyperion's SWACS would help them. Unfortunately the small cruiser was under constant attack from all sides as it tried to lock onto the incoming Minbari forces from the very limits of its range, something all but impossible as it was forced time and again to retreat from the incoming warships.

"General, the Agamemnon's under attack, its scanner systems are dropping off. The fleet's losing their locks on the Minbari ships."

"Dispatch the reserve Starfury wings and any available escort units – take down those Tinashis."

"Aye, Sir."

From the Station's own defensive wing, forty fighters and a handful of other ships broke ranks and sped off in an attempt to intercept the incoming Minbari ships heading after the Agamemnon. In return the Minbari launched against the remaining ships of the defence force, punching their way through the light units at the very fore of the Alliance warships. Fighters started to mix it up as Nials and Starfuries collided in swarms Fusion beams and Plasma pulses shattering or melting through armour on either side.

Dozens of fighters from the Minbari ranks pierced the massed ranks of fighters and warships and headed for the Station and its meagre, massively reduced defence systems. All around them Interceptors, Particle beams and large calibre railguns- a weapons system long thought to be an anachronism in this day and age that was still in use on the older stations of the Alliance, hit the enemy.

The railguns spat large calibre explosive shells equivalent to old style 'flak' batteries from centuries before in an attempt to stave off the incoming fighter waves. Energy and projectile fire crossed in mid space impacting on fighters from both sides and smashing into the thick armour of the Station's main hull.

"Armour damaged, no hull breaches detected, Sir."

"Continue firing, bring the missile bays online," ordered the Station's Commander.

"Aye, Sir."

"Commander Enemy ships are incoming they've broken through the fleet. Our ships are regrouping to attack."

"Missiles ready, Sir."

"Fire."

The remaining nuclear missiles in the Station's silos launched from their platforms as did a dozen smaller conventional missiles launch at the same time to confuse the Minbari tracking systems. The twelve explosive missiles and their two fifty megaton stablemates took only seconds to cross the gap between Wolfhound and the incoming Minbari ships. Several of the missiles were destroyed by the Minbari counter fire, but not enough to stop the dual nuclear warheads.

The two missiles detonated point blank with the forward units of the Minbari fleet. A half dozen already damaged ships and a pair of Minbari Sharlins was blown apart by the massive shockwaves that smashed into them. Several fighters from either side went out of control and exploded as the EMP overloaded their hardened systems and ignited their reactors.

"Seven enemy ships destroyed; the rest are still incoming."

"Numbers?"

"Twenty six Minbari vessels still approaching, our ships are engaging. Sir, the Agamemnon's been cleared, her attackers are downed."

"Good work. Have them rejoin the main fleet."

"Aye, Sir."

A third voice spoke up. "Sir the Minbari are pulling back."

The Minbari ships broke off their attack as plasma and laser fire started to erupt from the Station as they neared the perimeter. More fire poured from the ships of the defensive force some hits managing to do damage before the small ships were destroyed by neutron fire from the Minbari's main weapons arrays.

Shala Fi (Red Star)

Sharlin War Refit.

The massive refit Sharlin had been transferred from the sectors surrounding the Beta Durani battles to command the remnants of the fleet attacking the human outpost at Wolf 359. Already the fleet had been able to make inroads into the human space that the last commander had been unable to do. Human outposts and ships were being easily destroyed by their forces.

"Alyt we are in range of the Earther's station, we are taking damage and heavy losses from their weapons systems."

"Very well, have all ships ready heavy cannons."

"Yes Alyt."

Energy ratings from the twelve ships that could be seen by the EarthForce ships went through the roof as the forward most areas of the Sharlins started to glow slightly. The ships were armed with a heavy weapon that could be of immense damage to any ship of station undefended by energy shielding.

"Accelerators are Ready, Alyt."

"All ships forward, escorts are to clear the path immediately. Once in range all ships will fire."

"Yes, Alyt."

The Minbari Phalanx returned to the battle as their smaller ships and fighter wings attacked time and again stripping the station of its defences. The Earther fighters went down hard and fast as the more advanced Nials ripped them apart. The smaller ships were hit by multiple flanks as the Minbari escorts slammed into them.

The Earth ships responded in anger as they entered their own range, the two SWACS ships giving them perfect targeting at this range allowing their heaviest weapons to cripple enemy ships and rip holes into intact ships.

The Sharlins however responded showing the humans why they were still seen as the most feared warship in the known galaxy. Fusion cannon and neutron fire reach out and gutted a trio of Novas that had peppered them with heavy plasma fire. Six smaller ships were cut into pieces as they approached firing their own weapons- ineffectual against the thick crystalline armour.

Starfury Alpha One.

Defence force Squadron Alpha

"Alpha one to all fighters, pull out and regroup with the Hyperion. Anyone with missiles, ready them for full launch ASAP."

Acknowledgements came from the squadron leaders as their depleted ranks broke from the melee and headed to the defence perimeter of the station. Dozens of small fighters had already been destroyed with many more crippled or disabled all across the battlefield. Only a few dozen fighters made it to the rendezvous, some giving up their lives to allow the intact and armed Starfuries time to get to the station. In the process they often took at least one Nial with them.

"Alpha one this is Gamma Three, Sir we're reading more Minbari fighters coming in. They've seen us."

"Understood. All fighters ready missile launch, fire everything you've got people we need to take those fighters down."

"Alpha One, Mu Three. My squadron are still armed with anti-ship missiles. They won't be of use against these fighters."

"Hold in reserve then, if we need to be ready to hit anything that comes our way."

"Aye, Sir."

"We have incoming."

"Alpha One to Hyperion."

"We read you Alpha one. We've been listening in. All scans are being transferred. We have the entire wing on our screens. Fire when ready."

"Thank you Hyperion – all fighters lock in and fire."

As a reply seventy fighters launched what missiles they had remaining as an equivalent of an Alpha strike. In all over one hundred twenty missiles were mass fired at the Minbari fighters. Most fighters took two or three missiles strikes each blowing them apart, their sensor sheaths now compromised by the Hyperion's powerful scanner systems.

The surviving Minbari fighters made it through the conflagration and concentrated their own fire on the rapidly moving Starfuries taking down more of their number from longer ranges than the Furies could. Fusion fire raked the fighters and defence posts in the area moving out the way of much or the incoming fire. Interceptors and pulse cannons were ripped apart all around them as the Nial squadrons attacked the station again and again, the slower and less powerful human weapons all but useless compared to the weapons aboard the fighters.

In amongst all this the human ships while outgunned still outnumbered the dwindling numbers of Minbari capital ships. However the losses taken by the humans massively outweighed those taken by the Minbari. Dozens of ships off all configurations were burning or shredded by the Minbari beams or missiles. More were cut down as the massive blue coloured ships fired again and again into the thick armour of the human ships.

The ships attacked again from behind and from the left flank but it was by now too late. Even though the Minbari ships were in range of the station's weapons the fire from the damaged station was just not enough to stop the vessels from encroaching. With more and more weapons stripped by Minbari fighter cover the twelve ships of the core fleet entered killing range.

Almost as one twelve antimatter cannons on the very fore of the Sharlins opened fire from the very limits of their range. The range was much less than that of the longer ranged neutron weapons but this meant little to the humans aboard the station and the numerous ships around it.

Twelve charges of pure antimatter impacted upon the twin constructs that made up the EarthForce station, the impacts were massive as the pure antimatter annihilated the matter that it came into contact with. Hundreds of megatons exploded outwards from every impact on the station causing energy grids to rupture and the station itself to splinter as the spinning motion pulled it apart. The explosions of the energy grid, the weapons systems and the atmospheric systems blew the rest of the station apart before the antimatter was even finished annihilating itself against the human outpost.

Chunks of the station flew off from the explosions, one massive section cutting through the rear end of the Hyperion disabling the ship and causing it to turn in space. The Minbari took advantage of the chaos of the explosion to turn on the outnumbering Earth ships of which many had lost the ability to even see the Minbari ships with the Loss of the Hyperion.

The Agamemnon was the only remaining ship capable of seeing the Minbari ships but for them this made them much more of a target than the other ships were. The other ships around them were the few that could see the Minbari coming down on them hard. The remaining enemy ships could be seen cutting the EarthForce ships apart while their crews attempted to reacquire the Agamemnon's signals from the mass of comm. Signals, jamming and EM were scrambled from the antimatter explosions.

On the bridge of the Agamemnon the crew could see another three of their biggest Novas blown apart within seconds of each other, the third managing to ram their persecutor and send them tumbling out of control into the remains of several EarthForce cruisers, causing the Sharlin to explode taking a few shuttles and their escorting fighters.

"Communication, send to all ships." The Agamemnon's Commander ordered. "All ships evacuate, head for the inner colonies as fast as possible repeat all ships retreat."

"Aye Sir," the Communications officer said. "Sir Message from Hephestion coming in."

"To my station," the Russian man responded.

"Captain, the Hephestion will stay behind and try to…"

"Negative, Captain. I know what you're thinking and we need every ship if we're going to return to the Inner Colonies." The ship rocked as another burst of fire narrowly missed the twisting Hyperion cruiser. "All ships are to retreat."

The scene outside the ship turned to immense brightness as the Nova Dreadnaught Miranda exploded, its fuel cells exploding as a dual blast from a Llindra escort pierced its engine block and ignited it. The ship's structure coming apart as the explosion consumed the rest of the ship leaving no survivors.

The escort took a half dozen hits from the surrounding Starfuries breaking it into pieces as the pulse weapons shattered it's armour and pierced into it's interior. The fighters veered off before the closest fight of Nials could find them.

"Sir, the Colony on the planet?"

"The Minbari haven't been killing the civilians on the major planets as of yet. We'll be back Captain. It'll just take time."

"Aye Sir."

The screen changed to its usual blank state.

"Sir, all ships are pulling out. I'm reading jump points opening."

"Get us out of here."

"Aye Sir, jumping."

The Agamemnon formed up with the Hephestion and the remnants of its escorts for the jump. All around them other cruisers and Escorts escaped from the oncoming Minbari assisted by the forces that had been guarding the back side of the station.

A little under half of the system's personnel and ships had survived the attack and the evacuation. The planet's personnel and civilians hunkered down and awaited the inevitable arrival of the Minbari troops to their homes. Military Groundpounders, Colony Defence systems and civilian volunteers all armed to the teeth stood by and waited. However, unnoticed by the Minbari scans, a midnight black ship had been observing the whole time and with a slight flutter phased out of space and left the system.

Anla'Shok Vessel Sha'mak

Sharlin Class Battle Refit

T – 3:00:00

The personnel from the three closest ships had finally managed to stabilise the critically damaged Minbari ship, the crew much like the Centauri had to a man been injured in some way. Entire areas of the ship had been vented to space, mainly those close to the damaged hull fins. The ship itself was dark and it seemed that only the very basic of the Minbari ships back up systems were active.

The Jaffa and human cohorts had scattered throughout the mile long ship looking for survivors. Unlike the Centauri ship the Minbari's stronger construction had helped keep their crew alive and it didn't take long to find the first of the Minbari survivors.

"Kree Jaffa." One of the senior Jaffa crouched by the young looking alien, the alien's bone crest was shattered, a heavy piece of the bulkhead had obviously crashed into the alien and caused the damage. "He's alive, serious injuries to his head and extremities."

"Har'ac, contact the Tau'ri we need one of their medical teams here."

"At once."

"We have more here."

The Rest of the patrol looked into what must have been the barracks for some of the crew. All were dressed in a form of uniform. Light colours and cloaks were the norm for the alien crew. While some were armed with energy weapons, every single one of them was armed with some sort of cylindrical object, one that was found to expand after an unfortunate encounter between it and the head of one of the Jaffa. The crew seemed to be in better condition as a whole than the Centauri but considering the fact that many of the other crew had fallen Ill even after they had been recovered and treated this meant little to the Jaffa or their human companions.

"Patrol, one come in."

"This is Patrol one, go ahead."

"Status?"

"We have recovered a number of survivors, many more than came through on the Centauri ships. Other teams are combing the ship section by section; we may need to evacuate those that need help."

"We are having trouble keeping locks on many of the levels. Radiation and possible scattering fields are in effect; use caution."

"Affirmative."

"Four Tel'tecs will try to dock or cut through the hull. Be prepared to bring any injured to the shuttles."

"As ordered, Patrol one out."

"Prime, we have discovered a set of barracks, three shifts worth it appears. They are all dead; decompression killed them all before their internal systems sealed the breach."

"Damn."

"We have reports from all patrols. We have several hundred injured with more simply unconscious from the transfer."

"Have all of them brought to the main Cargo bay, The Tel'tacs are attempting to dock with the airlocks and all the injured will be taken to the other ships. If you find anyone awake or lucid bring them to the bay as well, the humans have set up a command post."

"Yes, Prime."

USAF Prometheus

Achilles Rift

T- 1:00:00

The Prometheus sat in its usual place close to the rift's entrance its scanners still reading what it could of the rift's emissions. Unlike the Daedalus, the Prometheus was yet to receive the upgrade with Asgard scanners to replace their own Goa'uld-based scanners which meant for the moment they were less effective than the crew wished.

Close to the Prometheus itself a smaller ship was approaching the rift. The Al'kesh had been one of the ships of the Search and Rescue fleet assembled by the SGC to find the lost Achilles. It had been of the shielded subtype that were rare in the Jaffa fleet and was now being used by the Tau'ri for an experiment.

"Colonel?" General O'Neill said.

"Almost ready, Sir." The light female voice of his former 2IC spoke up from the other side of the bridge. "The Remote systems are almost set. Teal'c is setting up the other controls aboard the Al'kesh."

O'Neill nodded and opened up a link with the Jaffa Bomber. "Teal'c, how's it going?"

"Very Well General O'Neill. The remote controls are completed I am ready to ring aboard the Prometheus," The Jaffa Warrior's voice came through the speaker.

"Come right aboard. Teal'c, Carter's about ready to set this thing off anyway."

"Acknowledged."

Lt Colonel Carter returned from the rear of the bridge where the control systems were now attached to the ship's communications systems. Slipping into the Helm position she linked the two computers together and reset the Jaffa ship's controls.

"Carter?" O'Neill said, pausing only to nod at Teal'c as he approached the Command chairs. "Teal'c"

"Ready Sir, Al'kesh is on its way."

The small Jaffa spacecraft approached the Rift. The 'hole' in space was much like that of a hyperspace window and the ship's remote systems acknowledged the course changes from the Prometheus Class vessel. The ship's shields snapped on as it approached the rift, making the communication link to the Prometheus the only tether linking it to the other ships in the fleet.

The edge of the bomber's shields intersected the rift's very centre and pushed slowly into the energy barrier holding it between the two universes; the Al'kesh pushed harder and with a silent movement was transferred between the two spaces.

"Al'kesh is through, Sir."

"Status?"

"Al'kesh shields are down; however the systems and ship are fully intact. It looks safe, Sir."

"You hear that Daniel?"

Daniel Jackson's voice came through the speakers on the bridge from his place on the 'Choice' Pel'Tac.

"We heard that Jack; the Jaffa are still going through the Minbari ship. We've found several hundred survivors most seem to be ok but still unconscious. We've found a lot more dead as well, the commander of the teams are piling the injured in their cargo bays."

"Keep me informed Daniel. When we end up going through the Rift we'll have to leave you and the 'Choice' here until the arrival of the Daedalus and the other Jaffa ships."

"Got that Jack, good luck."

"Thanks Space monkey, Prometheus out."

"Sir?" Carter turned around. "Both of the alien crews have been badly hurt or totally incapacitated by the rift. While our ships can go through with no damage it's possible that the crews won't."

"The Jaffa Shields are enhanced with Ancient technology and our own are Asgard based Carter. That's a lot of power."

"I know Sir, but it's possible that it's not the energy of the rift but the change between universes."

"We've had no problems before. Carter and Me, Danny and Teal'c have all gone to other dimensions through that damned mirror."

"I'm just being cautious, Sir. We don't know what effect they will have on us or even if we have doubles there."

"It's supposed to be the future there right?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So we shouldn't have too much trouble with that Post Tide Cascade thing?"

"Entropic cascade failure Sir. We shouldn't but we can't be sure. Time may be different there and we do exist at that time."

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it Carter."

"Aye, Sir."

Free Jaffa Ship 'Alliance Eternal'

Ha'tak Class

Same time

The Jaffa ship was overflowing with wounded. The 'Choice' had been the original heading for all injured they came across while aboard the Sharlin, however it had been obvious that the Jaffa ship would be overwhelmed by the hundreds of injured and dying Minbari crew.

The 'Eternal' had been seconded to damage control and support alongside its sister ship as the 'Choice' began to overflow with casualties. Even the Centauri had been pressed into service those that knew anything about first aid or just about the Minbari as a whole were used to triage the worst cases and in many cases acted as stretcher bearers for the injured Minbari.

Both ships had closed their range to the Sharlin by several thousand metres. Their ring transporters now in range of the docked cargo ships, this allowed a rapid transit of casualties from one capital ship to the other without the need to constantly dock and take off from the Minbari ship. However it did not take as long as many of the Centauri did to come around from the effects of the journey through the rift, the Minbari ship's more advanced ship taking much of the brunt of the energy from the rift. The first of the Minbari started to awaken only a few hours after being found, his rank not immediately noticeable to the humans and Jaffa.

Awakening slowly, the Minbari was unsure of where he was, seeing his brothers and sisters from the Anla'shok around him situated in rows on the floor of some unknown ship brought out the warrior instincts in the older Minbari. As he tried to clear his mind a shadow covered him causing his slowly awakening mind to explode into action.

The Minbari Ranger punched a single Jaffa attempting to check his wounds in the head sending the massive warrior to his knees where he was dropped as the Minbari activated his Denn'bok caving in the Jaffa's head killing him instantly. He swung around to find his weapon parried by another staff styled weapon of the strange aliens that held him, his moves instinctive after so many years experience that he was able to disarm yet another Jaffa and send him flying across the floor into others trying to make their way to the fight. A Zat blast caught the Minbari who dropped to the floor, the pain of the single blast enough to halt his temporary insanity and force the Minbari to hold onto his extended Denn'bok

The Minbari looked up into the face of a tall human, dark of hair and blue of eyes, his eyes obscured by some archaic contraction of wire and glass that surrounded his head and covered part of his face, obviously some ancient form of sight enhancement.

The young human was surrounded by several other Earthers covered in dark coloured uniforms and packs holding several large guns unlike any PPG or energy weapon he had seen before. Looking closely he could see brass coloured tubes on the top of each of the arm length weapons.

'Projectile Weapons?' Even the comparatively primitive Narn and Earth Alliance had given up the use of projectile weapons years ago. Why would they have started again, and what in the name of Valen was that weapon they hit him with that would cause so much pain and yet leave no mark on his body?

"Take it Easy. We're not here to hurt you."

"What did you do to my ship?"

"We didn't do anything; you were damaged by the rift."

"You fired at us."

"Yes we did. We were trying to stop you people coming through; we knew your ship wouldn't have survived intact."

"We will not tell you anything Human."

"That's ok I don't want to know anything. My name's Daniel Jackson, you are?"

"Lenonn, of the Anla'shok."

"Thank you, I have no idea what that means but at least we know who you are. You and your people are our guests. We tried to save as many of your crew as we could when we got to your ship, most of them are here, and the really bad ones are in our infirmaries."

"You are willing to help us?"

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Considering the War…"

"We're not at war with anyone Lenonn."

"You are Earthers, correct." That was a statement not a question.

"Some of us yes, the gentlemen in the armour and tattoos are not."

"They look human."

"We are Jaffa, the greatest breed of warriors in the known galaxy," one of the Jaffa Guards said as he approached.

"T'ean, this is Lenonn of the Anla'shok. Lenonn, this is T'ean of the Free Jaffa Nation Captain of this vessel."

The two warriors bowed their heads to each other, the Minbari warrior making it to his feet and retracting his staff. Balancing it on one palm he offered the surrender of his weapon to the ship's master.

"I apologise for my actions against your people Captain. The reaction was instinctive as it may be to any of my people when they come around from their slumber. I offer the surrender of my weapon so this will not happen again."

"Thank you Master Lenonn. That will be unnecessary. We are not your enemies and we do not wish to be. We shall be careful of this when awakening your people."

"I am truly sorry of what has transpired here, I will do what is necessary to give restitution to his family."

"He has no family Master Lenonn, he was the last of his line and a warrior for the Free Jaffa he will be remembered with honour."

"Nonetheless I will make restitution in his name when it is necessary."

"Then we will allow it, when and if it is needed."

"Thank you." He turned to Daniel Jackson. "However I must admit that I am curious as to your words human. We are at war with your race yet you do not fear us and do not believe yourselves to be at war with the Minbari Federation."

Daniel looked at the smaller Minbari male, his eyes studying this new alien race that had come through the rift less than a week from the arrival of the Centauri. The entire thing was going from strange to weird even for him.

USAF Prometheus

T- 00:06

"Sir all ship's systems are ready for the transfer."

"Good," O'Neill replied. "The Prometheus will go through first, the then the rest one by one. Give us five minutes between ships in case something goes wrong."

"Roger that."

"Colonel, contact the SGC tell them that we're ready to go through."

"Aye Sir," Ronson responded.

"Carter."

"Shields are at full power, Sir. We're as ready as we'll ever be."

"Put me through to Dr Jackson."

"On speaker, Sir."

"Daniel, we're ready to go."

"Ok Jack, the 'Choice' and 'Eternal' are staying behind with the Centauri and Minbari ships. We've got other Allied Ha'taks on their way so we should be good for now."

"Good luck with those Minbari, Daniel."

"You too Jack, Eternal out."

"The SGC received the message General. We're a go."

"Helm, take us in."

"Aye, Sir," the helmsman said.

The Prometheus activated its main engines and headed for the rift. Shields flared as the energy from the rift encountered the heavy duty Asgard shields surrounding the Earth-built warship.

The ship shuddered slightly as the two forces of nature pushed against each other and as before, the Prometheus was pulled into the rift and out the other side as the energy shields breached the rift. The small warship sped into the system as the engines overpowered the gravitational force of the rift.

"Report," Ronson said

"Coming in now, Sir."

"Carter?" O'Neill asked.

"I think we're through it, Sir. The shields are still active and we have hull integrity. We've made it."

"Sir, reports coming from all decks," the Comm. officer said. "No injuries and no damage."

"The Jaffa ships shouldn't have a problem coming through Sir. Their shields may take some damage but nothing that will cripple the ships."

"Send the message Lt.," O'Neill ordered the Comm. Officer. "All ships come through, five minute intervals."

"Aye, Sir."

Earth Alliance Command Station

Station One

Earth Orbit

Six hours later.

"How many?"

"We've lost the Mid-range outpost at Wolf 359 and at least three of the smaller outposts on the border. Sixty seven ships have been destroyed including most of the SWACS capable cruisers."

"Minbari Losses?"

"In the region of the same, eighty or so vessels, Sir. The fleets were all but routed by the Minbari ships."

The General sat down hard in his chair. The scanners worked but not well enough and the fact so few ships could see the Minbari ships and that the Earth ships still could not lock on properly without being inside weapons range of either ship. The spate of victories that Achilles had been all but solely responsible for had been cut off dead and with many more ships dead and now possibly a way open through an entire section of the Alliance with the fall of Wolfhound.

"Tell me we have reinforcements in the Wolfhound Sector?"

"Yes, Sir. The most recent groups of refits and the first of the fully refit scanner ships. They should work better than the others."

"What about the ECM systems?"

"The new refits have them Sir; as do the scanner based ships, but little else."

"Contact all Shipyards. We need every ship we have out there as soon as possible. Anything that has weapons armour and life support will do. Send every ship with the refit to those lines and have them attached to the remaining task forces."

"Aye, Sir."

"God help us, we can't take many more losses like this.

This is the end of part one of Consequence of Actions. A combination of university and Real Life now has priority in my life. This fic will be continued at a later date, sometime hopefully this year, a massive thanks to Skeet for his help in betaing this thing even with his own stories in the works.

Insane amounts of thank yous to, Spartan, LC, Tyr, Inquisitor, Jon, and the rest of my loyal readers at to the guys at that have given me such fine reviews- thank you all.

Look out for Book 2 sometime later this year.