Curse hotmail and it's limit on e-mail size. Oh well. Feel free to C&C 
(of which I've been getting a disturbing lack of since my last fic) or 
MSK'ing it, I dare you. 
_____________________________________

                  	For Duty, Honor, and Loyalty

  Written by Razorclaw X (spiceoflife@hotmail.com)
  http://www.crosswinds.net/anaheim/~slythe/ranma/ranff.html
  Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. And 
all that other good stuff. Proper licenses belong to respective 
properties and characters. 
  This file can be freely distributed so long as it appears in its 
complete form and proper credit. No part may be reproduced for monetary 
gain without permission from the author. (to which the answer is 
probably "no")

  Author's note: This takes place in an unusual setting, namely, the 
future. You really SHOULD pay attention to the short history lesson. 

------------------------------------------------
Opening theme: Don't Make Me a Shrew

  To know what lies in the future, one must know of the past.
  In the year 2232 of our modern reckoning, mankind spread throughout an 
entire sector of the galaxy under one government, called the Earth 
Alliance. Science and technology advanced with leaps and bounds under 
this single government, and mankind was on the road to success. But it 
was not to be. 
  For in the year 2232 the Earth Alliance erupted into civil war. The 
outer colonies of the Alliance wished to govern themselves, and sparked 
the rebellion. Seven years of bitter war, mankind destroying itself from 
the interior until the year 2239, when the most powerful rebel faction, 
overthrew the Alliance government. In the end the former Earth Alliance 
was split into five governments, each with a different idea on how to 
live their lives. 
  The first of the five governments declared rule under the influential 
House Saotome, the very ones who sparked the rebellion in the first 
place. This particular House valued the strength of the one above all, 
and wished above all other desires to become the most powerful force in 
the galaxy. The Earth Alliance weakened them, they argued. 
  The second of the five governments was under the rule of House Tendo. 
This House, while domestically-oriented, favored the rebellion and 
provided the rebels with much-needed supplies. The Houses of Saotome and 
Tendo have long been in collaboration, but remain together only under 
paper agreements. 
  The third government prospered under the rule of House Kuno. A 
powerful and influential trading House, during the civil war the 
patriarch wisely decided to remain neutral. In the end the House was 
left relatively intact, and gained valuable space in the process. 
  The fourth House came under the tyrannical rule of the Joketsuzoku 
House. While they were not part of the initial rebellion, the matriarch 
decided to make use of the opportunity to grab power. Joketsuzoku also 
valued strength of the one, similar to the Saotome philosophy, but 
believed the weak must be weeded out for the good of humanity. 
  No single House ruled the fifth and final partition of the sector. 
Those who formed the Terra Combine were the remnants of the Earth 
Alliance that still held some kind of power. The philosophy of the 
Combine, the largest of the five governments in terms of territory and 
population, was that the government was based on the people it governed. 
The Combine often absorbed the minor Houses and governments swept away 
from the rebellion, and thus became reviled by the other four 
governments. Yet the resources of the Combine remain vast, and those who 
oppose them usually end with their deaths.
  Time passed with few major incidents. But, in the year 2296, with 
memory of the unified Earth Alliance still fresh in the peoples' minds, 
that was about to change. It began with the ascension of the third head 
of House Kuno. 

  In the territory under the grip of House Kuno, open rebellion exploded 
after the people decided to rid themselves of the current patriarch, who 
was dangerously insane. Tatewaki Kuno, the next in line for succession, 
fought back, but found the support and money House Kuno once possessed 
dwindling as contacts and suppliers deserted to the rebellion. No doubt 
the rebels sought to eliminate every last trace of House Kuno, 
considering what Tatewaki's father had done during his rule-- actions 
best left unsaid. 
  On the grand world of Halydis, the base of House Kuno, Tatewaki and 
his remaining loyal forces made their last stand. The planetary shield 
over Kuno headquarters prevented orbital bombardment, so it would have 
to be ground combat. 
  At least, until the generator ran out of power. 
  In the large hangar beneath the House's headquarters Tatewaki made his 
way to his personal battlemech, helmet under his arms. Resting on two 
legs was what resembled the curved beak of a vulture, the cockpit in the 
center. Two arms jutted out of the vulture's 'ears,' ending in large 
cannons. Missile launchers rested beside the cockpit. Painted figures of 
the bronze phoenix decorated Kuno's personal 'mech. 
  "Brother, wait!" called a feminine voice from across the hangar. Kuno 
looked over his shoulder, watching his sister, Kodachi, run toward him. 
The younger Kuno dressed in a plain suit with a white lab coat over it, 
fitting for her doctoral work. 
  "Sister, you should be with the transports," Kuno said. 
  "How can I leave you behind to die here alone?" Kodachi pleaded. "You 
must come with me!"
  "I can't," Kuno replied. "It is my lot to die on the field of battle 
as a warrior. You must reach the Terra Combine safely, or there will be 
no one left to carry on the Kuno name."
  Kodachi embraced her brother, letting the tears slip. "Stop talking 
like that! I want to die together...." 
  "I'll be fine," Kuno assured his sister, stroking her hair. "But you 
have to go, now! If you don't, the escorts won't be able to punch a hole 
in the blockade. Please, Kocchi...."
  Kodachi let Tatewaki go. As Tatewaki turned and walked away, she 
called, "The House of Kuno will survive!"

  Watching the scanners on his vulture 'mech, Tatewaki watched as the 
transport his sister was on broke through the rebels' blockade around 
the planet. With luck the House Kuno may one day return to power. 
  The patriarch was sealed in an underground compound beneath the House 
headquarters. Tatewaki wondered for a moment why he was defending his 
nutty father, so unfit for rulership, until the scanners picked up 
planetary landers breaking pass the perimeter defenses. The landers 
housed a single enemy mech each, he knew. More and more were making 
their way through. 
  Kuno patched into the House commlink. "This is it, men. Today we die 
heroes for House Kuno!"
  The twenty-odd 'mechs of House Kuno charged in a battle line to meet 
their opponents, weapons blazing. 

  In the meantime, arrangements were being made between House Saotome 
and House Tendo for a diplomatic alliance, thus forming one House. The 
matriarch of Joketsuzoku, Cologne, was less than pleased. For many years 
she badgered House Saotome to wed their only son with Cologne's 
great-granddaughter, recognizing the strength of both Houses. Now they 
add insult to the rejection.
  It was time to mobilize. 

  "Warning: heat level critical."
  "Oh shut up!" Kuno screamed at the 'mech computer. The last enemy 
'mech was in his sights, and in critical condition. It was now or never. 
With seething anger Kuno fired both of his particle projection beams, 
and watched as both bolts slammed into the enemy 'mech. 
  Well over six hours passed since the beginning of the battle on 
Halydis. The forces of Kuno were dwindled to a mere four 'mechs, 
including Kunos' own mech. And they were out of missiles. 
  Kuno let himself relax for a moment as the last of the fourth wave of 
rebel 'mechs was destroyed. He watched the heat levels overflow the heat 
sinks, and the 'mech powered down for a moment. It usually took only 
thirty seconds before the heat sinks compensated for the overheating of 
mechs. 
  A transmission from headquarters beeped in. Communication systems were 
still on-line. "Go ahead," Kuno said, opening transmission. 
  "Sir," started the communications officer, "we've identified the ships 
of the attacking force. They belong to House Saotome."
  "Saotome," Kuno spat. "No wonder why the rebels were so 
well-organized, a rival House plotted against our own."
  "We're detecting more landers dropping in your area, about seven of 
them,"continued the comm. officer. "Sir, you'd better fall back."
  "Never!" Kuno shouted. "My structural integrity readings may report 
critical in several areas, but I will go down fighting!" The heat sinks 
finished compensation, and the 'mech began to power-up again. 
  "But sir, we've got...." then the transmission went blank. In the 
distance raged a large explosion, where the Kuno headquarters once 
stood. Damn them, that means the planetary shield over headquarters was 
down! Which also meant orbital bombardment would rain on the four 
remaining 'mechs at any moment, Kuno thought, hiding his glee in the 
knowledge of the demise of his father. 
  "Enemy 'mechs in visual range!" shouted another 'mech warrior. Sure 
enough, there were seven of them, all bearing the marks of House 
Saotome. 
  So, Kuno thought, the Saotomes themselves decide to join the fight. 
"This is it, men!" Kuno thumbed the long-range laser cannons, firing on 
the lead 'mech. 
  The lead mech, resembling a man with a missile launcher on his 
shoulder, returned fire with a volley of twenty missiles, straight at 
Kuno's 'mech. Without thinking, Kuno reached for the ejection lever, and 
threw it. 
  Realizing too late that this was no way for a warrior to die, Kuno 
watched from his ejection pod as his personal 'mech exploded into a 
million pieces. 
  Suddenly, the ejection pod's upward velocity halted. Kuno expected the 
downward velocity to increase, but it never came. He looked up, and saw 
that the ejection pod was attached to a sleek space fighter. Kuno's eyes 
moved to spy the markings on the underside of the wings, and saw the 
mark of the black rose. 
  "Today's not a good day to die, Brother," Kodachi told Kuno over the 
commlink. Her image appeared on the communications monitor in Kuno's 
pod. She was dressed not in a flight suit, but still in a lab coat. 
Which meant big trouble for her if the ship ruptured in space. 
  "Kodachi!" Kuno exclaimed. "I thought you were long gone!"
  "Well, I was, until I gathered a few volunteers to come back for you," 
Kodachi replied. "I'm not going to let you die like this, not now. Now 
hang on, because we still have to get out."
  Kodachi maneuvered her personal fighter into space, with several other 
fighters close behind. The small contingent headed straight for the 
Saotome space fleet's blockade. 
  Kodachi opened her channel to the other fighters. "We're going in 
fast!" The Kuno girl punched all available energies into the fighter's 
engines, and cruised on afterburners, outdistancing the trailing 
fighters. She weaved back and forth between incoming fire and 
spacecraft, dodging with ease. And soon Kodachi's fighter punched 
through, with only three other fighters making it through as well. 
  "Kocchi, that was the dumbest thing you've ever done," Kuno voiced 
over the commlink. "You could've been killed, and the House of Kuno with 
you."
  "You're welcome," Kodachi replied, curving her lips in a smile. Tacchi 
sure did have a way with 'thank-yous.' "I promise you brother, we'll 
live and die together. Punching in hyperspace coordinates. Next stop, 
Terra Combine."

  It came to pass that the Joketsuzoku's attack against the Tendos and 
Saotomes ended in failure. The Saotome heir, Ranma, was wed to the 
youngest of the Tendo daughters, thus sealing the alliance between the 
two Houses. Their first order of business was to consolidate their 
newfound power where House Kuno once stood. Once that was completed, the 
new, single House, under the name Saotome, attacked the Joketsuzoku 
House. The tide of battle turned quickly against the Joketsuzoku forces. 
  Cologne held a meeting in the secret headquarters of the Joketsuzoku, 
hidden deep within an asteroid. Among those present were Shampoo, the 
great-granddaughter, Mousse, the war captain, and Ling-ling and 
Lung-lung, the devilish pair of warriors. The rest of the Joketsuzoku 
leadership was also present. 
  "My brethren, we are at the brink of disaster," Cologne began. 
"Something must be done, and done soon, or our proud House will fall to 
our enemies."
  "The House Kuno fell before the Saotomes before," argued Mousse, "and 
they went down fighting. I say we should do the same."
  "Nonsense!" Shampoo protested. "We know that two of the House Kuno 
heirs survive in Terra Combine. The tiger must lick its wounds before 
returning to the fight."
  "I agree with Shampoo," Cologne said. "We will appeal to the Terra 
Combine for aid, surely they cannot refuse us! Both the Saotome and 
Tendo Houses are their enemies, as the Combine is made up of the 
remnants of the old Earth Alliance."
  Mousse slammed his fist on the table. "That's the coward's answer!"
  Cologne bopped Mousse on the head. "Is it cowardly to consolidate 
one's forces and allies, Mousse? Or is it your pride getting in the way 
again?"
  Mousse backed down, defeated. Of course the matriarch was right, and 
he hated it when that happened. 

  And so it came to pass that the remnants of the once-proud House of 
Joketsuzoku fled across the borders to the Terra Combine, the Saotome 
fleet hot on their heels, lead under the banner of Ranma Saotome's own 
mothership, the Wild Stallion. 
  Ranma leaned forward in his command chair, watching the viewscreen 
before him, depicting the last of the Joketsuzoku convoy cross the 
borders. To the helm he shouted, "Faster, they're getting away!"
  "Sir," the sensors officer called, "we're detecting another fleet 
heading this direction."
  Ranma had the viewscreen changed to watch the new arriving fleet. They 
bore the marks of the Terra Combine, but the lead ship also bore the 
marking of the jade dragon. 
  "We're receiving transmission," the communications officer said. 
  "Audio and video," ordered Ranma. The viewscreen's starry field was 
replaced with the view of the interior of the lead Combine craft. 
Standing there was the captain of the lead ship. This captain dressed in 
the traditional Earth Alliance fleet uniform, and appeared as a 
clean-cut soldier, except for the long hair flowing behind the uniform 
in a pony tail. Ranma dropped his jaw in surprise. 
  "Ucchan...?" Ranma said in disbelief. 
  "Greetings, Heir-apparent Ranma Saotome," returned Ukyo. "But, you 
should  refer to me as Captain Ukyo Kuonji of the Terra Combine Ship 
Jade Dragon. And you're violating our territory."
  Ranma regained some composure. "We are in pursuit of enemy vessels. 
Stand aside and let us pass, or risk the eminity of House Saotome."
  "Ohohohohoho... that was good, Saotome," Ukyo laughed. "The Terra 
Combine deals not with rebels like you. Leave now, or we will return 
fire."
  "Look, Ucchan," Ranma started, visibly sweating, "for old times sake, 
let me pass." 
  "Sorry, Saotome," returned Ukyo, keeping a professional tone, "but 
you're still in our territory. I advise you to leave now, or pay the 
consequences." The viewscreen shut off. 
  Damn! cursed Ranma to himself. He strided to the scanning station. 
"How many Combine ships are there?"
  "There's only three of them, sir," returned the officer. 
  "Three? Against our twelve?" Ranma laughed as he returned to his 
command chair. "We go through."

  I can't believe he's taking the bait, Ukyo thought. Well, that's Ranma 
for you. 
  She turned to her aide, Konatsu. "Signal the Joketsuzoku convoy. It's 
time to play possum."

  The Saotome fleet pressed further and further into Combine space in 
pursuit of the Joketsuzoku convoy, little realizing the present danger 
they were in. Ranma was so full of himself that he failed to realize the 
danger, and even removed a bridge officer for pointing out that fact. 
  After seven tense hours into Combine space, the Jade Dragon reappeared 
from behind. This time there were over thirty Combine ships. The 
Joketsuzoku convoy turned around as well. 
  Ukyo appeared on Ranma's viewscreen to gloat. "Oh, poor you, Ranma. As 
I predicted, you fell for my trap. It's a wonder how you Saotomes got as 
far as you did since the collapse of the Alliance."
  Ranma replied, "Ucchan, please! You're serving the wrong side!"
  "Wrong, Saotome," countered Ukyo hotly, "I serve the side of the 
people." She disconnected the transmission, then sat back in her command 
chair. To her weapons officer and the rest of the Combine fleet, she 
ordered, "Turn them into hot molten slag." Then, pausing for a moment, 
she added, "Make sure that the flagship remains intact. I want the 
Heir-apparent prisoner!"

  Much to Ranma's disappointment, he was taken down in hand-to-hand 
combat by overwhelming numbers of the Combine's marines, lead by one 
Major Hibiki. He sat alone in the middle of a dark room, strapped to a 
chair that was bolted to the floor. A single, annoying light glared from 
the ceiling into Ranma's face. 
  A door appeared in the darkness, letting light within. Three figures 
stepped inside, two remaining at either side of the doorway. The middle 
figure approached Ranma, and in the light he could tell who it was. 
  "Ucchan...." Ranma said weakly. 
  Ukyo slapped Ranma across the face. "Never call me that while I'm on 
duty, Saotome!" 
  Ranma shook his head to gather his senses. He peered at his old 
friend, age never touching her perfectly-shaped face. "Ucch-- Ukyo... 
why are you serving the other side? The Combine's the bad guys!"
  Ukyo began to pace around Ranma's restraining chair. "When we last 
separated ten years ago," Ukyo started, referring to the time when both 
she and Ranma were only six, "you promised to take me with you to the 
Saotome House with promises of marriage and wealth. You promised to help 
the poor people that were my friends and family. You lied, and left me 
behind."
  "Marry?" Ranma asked in confusion. "I only asked you to come back with 
me!" Granted, maybe for friendship's sake, but Ranma couldn't stand to 
see Ukyo living poor the way she was. 
  "That's not what your father, the head of your government, said," Ukyo 
countered. "I remember that day vividly, when the Saotome House toured 
the land on their borders. You helped my people out in our time of need, 
that I am grateful for. Your father promised to let me marry you. Then 
again, your father promised to end poverty and famine, too, on the 
border worlds. All he wants is to fill his stomach and live comfortably! 
He cares not for the lower classes, those who need help."
  "After you left for good," continued Ukyo, "I couldn't stand to live 
under Saotome rule. I grew up with the spark of hatred for your family. 
Your government cares nothing about the people it governs over, not even 
the poor! One day I met a visiting naval officer from the Terra Combine, 
one Lieutenant Taro. In fact, I saved his life from the pro-Saotome mob. 
He saw my potential, so I was offered honor and glory if I joined the 
Terra Combine Navy, and so I did." She stopped in front of Ranma 
proudly. "I excelled in every course, surpassing those ten years my 
senior! I studied the ancient arts of warfare, from the Art of War to 
the thirty-six strategems and beyond, and applied them to present day. I 
rose in the ranks to become the youngest captain in the Navy!"
  "I always knew you were brilliant," Ranma commented. "But it's a shame 
that you must serve an evil government."
  "Evil?!" Ukyo glared. "Your government is trying to undermine mine! In 
fact, if it wasn't for your family the Earth Alliance would still exist 
today! The Terra Combine seeks to rebuild those days of unity, and you 
seek to undermine it in your quest for dominance! The Combine serves the 
people, not the other way around, like your government. The most 
important part of government is to serve the people; your government 
seems to have forgotten that."
  "Ucchan, please, let me go. You can come with me, back to the Saotome 
government, where you'll be safe. We can be together again."
  "Together? After you married the Tendo girl? Don't make me laugh!" 
Ukyo spat on the floor after mentioning 'Tendo.' "Both your Houses 
should be condemned for what they've done! Service in the Terra Combine 
is based on three principles, Saotome: duty, honor, loyalty. These are 
what I hold most dear, and if I join you I have to violate one of them! 
You can't convince me to betray the people!"
  Ukyo slapped Ranma across the face twice more. "I don't know what I'm 
going to do with you, Saotome. But be warned, try to compromise my 
principles once more, and I guarantee you won't see another day."

  News of the capture of the Heir-apparent sent a shockwave throughout 
the new Saotome-Tendo Dominion, as it became. As only the Terra Combine 
stood in its path, the leaders resolved to declare war. 
  Backed by the resources of the former House Kuno, and the warrior 
people of House Saotome, the Saotome fleet plunged into Terra space like 
a dagger into butter, border worlds absorbed by the Dominion quickly and 
without fanfare. The dagger of vengeance plunged further into the 
Combine until it reached planet Earth, the ancestral home of mankind, 
and the center of government of the Terra Combine. 
  Ukyo was disappointed, to say the least, when fellow captain Taro 
continued to report failure to rout the Dominion fleet. She was even 
more disappointed when Command decided to hold the Jade Dragon fleet in 
reserve, back in orbit over Earth, instead of at the front lines. 
  The political prisoner, Ranma Saotome, was kept isolated within the 
center of the Combine prison complex in Siberia. 
  However, one day Ranma had a visitor. Ukyo stepped inside, flanked by 
Ryoga and Konatsu. 
  "What do you want this time?" asked Ranma. 
  Ukyo fidgeted with her gloves. "Apparently your wife managed to rally 
enough support that the Saotome government has declared open war against 
the Combine." She started pacing around Ranma. "I don't know whether I 
should admire such an action, or condemn it, after all, they are doing 
this for their own benefit, not for that of the people." 
  "Ukyo," Ranma started, "just because we're on different sides, doesn't 
mean we can't still be friends." 
  "If you're trying to get out, that won't work, Saotome," countered 
Ukyo. 
  "It's not that, I mean," corrected Ranma. "I just want to spend time 
alone with you. To talk, that's all."
  Ukyo glanced over to Konatsu and Ryoga, who left the cell. "Talk."
  "That cold, hard exterior, Ucchan," Ranma began, "it's not the Ucchan 
I knew. Whatever happened to the happy girl that played in the streets?"
  "That girl grew up, Ranchan," Ukyo replied. "And grew up hard. I can 
only guess how your life growing up must've been: the best food, the 
best clothes, the best house, the best service... everything you could 
ever want at your fingertips!"
  "It wasn't the same without real people to call friends," Ranma said. 
"There were those back home who wanted to get it good with me so I could 
do favors for them later when I became ruler. They weren't really my 
friends. When we toured the border worlds I met real people, people who 
didn't care about my heritage or my past. I met you, Ucchan."
  Ukyo sat down on the cold floor alongside Ranma. "Those were good old 
times, weren't they?"
  "For the first time in my life," continued Ranma, "I met someone who 
was more alive than the world, who had everything that made her happy 
right there. I thought, if only I could be like that!" 
  "I remember the dinner you invited me to, Ranchan," Ukyo said. "That 
was the same night your father asked if I wanted to marry you. I said 
'yes.'" The memories of hopes and expectations rode on that. 
  "Father didn't want to take you back with us," Ranma said. "After all, 
he said, what good would it do to have another pauper in the shining 
capitol city?" Ranma remembered vividly the streets of the capitol, with 
not a single poor person in sight, having been deported to the border 
worlds. 
  "Destiny's conspired against us, Ranchan," Ukyo concluded. "Perhaps 
some things weren't meant to be." She got up. 
  Ranma reached for Ukyo's arm. "I'm not going to ask you to let me go, 
Ucchan. But I must know: what's going to happen to me?"
  Ukyo showed a faint smile to her old friend. "You won't be executed, 
if that's what you're worried about. The higher-ups think you're more 
useful to us alive. As a hostage." Because they know the chances of 
beating back the Saotome forces. "Bye, Ranchan, whenever we meet again, 
this life or the next."

  The Terra High Command met in the confines of its headquarters in 
Geneva. The heads of military were gathered here, along with Ukyo, Taro, 
Cologne, and Kuno, among others. 
  The Director of Military presided over the meeting. "It is a grave day 
for us all, as the rebel forces of the Dominion plunge toward Earth with 
frightening speed. Captain Taro informs me that they'll be here within a 
few standard hours."
  Cologne voiced, "We were fools to believe the Combine could turn the 
tide of battle against the Dominion. If you surrender, we will go on 
fighting."
  "As shall we," the Director replied. "I don't intend to hand Earth 
over to the Dominion, but if any of you don't wish to fight, leave now." 
Nobody left. "All right, then, we shall begin. Captain Kuonji?"
  Ukyo stepped up and took the podium. "The Dominion justifies their 
attack by claiming a rescue mission for their Heir-apparent, but we know 
the truth of the matter. Under recommendation by the Director, and with 
the recent losses at Beta Ceti, I assume the role of Grand Admiral of 
the Navy."
  Murmurs shot across the room. "The Dominion won't have Earth without 
heavy losses, I guarantee it. With the remaining fleet ships we will 
form a defensive perimeter around Earth. Nothing is to get through."

  Ukyo reclined in her command chair, watching the viewscreen as the 
Saotome Dominion fleet returned from hyperspace into realspace. The 
Combine fleet was deployed in an array about Earth, nothing must get 
through. 
  The newly-promoted admiral checked a datapad by her armrest. Major 
Ryoga Hibiki and his marines lay waiting to repel boarders. Kodachi Kuno 
and her Black Rose squadron held pattern around the Jade Dragon. Kuno 
and his force of Bronze Phoenix star-mechs hung silently nearby, waiting 
for battle. Not far away were the remnants of the Joketsuzoku fleet, 
under the command of the heir, Shampoo, who in turn was under Ukyo's 
command. Mousse formed the command of his White Swan wing of fighters 
nearby Shampoo's ship, the Pride of Joketsuzoku. 
  And of course the heads of government waited below in Geneva for the 
outcome. 
  In a cell in Siberia Ranma Saotome rotted, waiting for the inevitable 
end, one way or another. 

  The first of the Dominion warships entered realspace just outside 
Earth's orbit. Soon it was followed by several more warships, each 
launching smaller fighters from their bays. 
  Ukyo's lips curved into a malicious grin. Konatsu, her aide, scrambled 
to her side in panic. 
  "Sir, engage the enemy?" asked Konatsu. 
  "No," replied Ukyo. All eyes turned to the officer in surprise. 
"Watch, and learn."
  Dominion fighters surged ahead of the slower warships. They passed 
several unarmed satellites unconcerned, heading straight toward the 
Combine fleet. 
  It was a mistake. 
  Concealed within the depths of the satellites were several 
high-powered anti-ship weapons, which made short work of the approaching 
fighters. 
  The celebration on the Jade Dragon's bridge was short-lived as a swarm 
of warships entered realspace. Ukyo maintained her composure, and pushed 
a single button. 
  Had the Dominion fleet exited hyperspace well out of Earth's orbit, 
they could've performed sensor sweeps before heading in; standard 
Combine Navy procedure for invasions. The scanners would've detected the 
stealth fields of numerous tactical nuclear weapons, designed to 
detonate at the touch of a button. The proximity of the enemy warships 
to the space mines caused several shockwaves to glow across their 
shields, then through to their armor.The Dominion warships were far from 
crippled, but were shieldless. Some even lacked weapons batteries in 
certain locations. 
  "Order all squadrons to break and attack," commanded Ukyo. 

continued in part 2
-------------------


"That's my story and I'm sticking to it."--JMS, creator of Babylon 5. 
"If you go to Z'ha'dum, you will die."--Kosh, Babylon 5.
"Jump. Jump now!"--Kosh, "Z'ha'dum," Babylon 5, making some sense. 

--Razorclaw X


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