SE:IV B5 RP

[brianeyci]

Planet New York, Corporate Sector

"At last." Nunziata smiled, slid the report away, and sipped her synthehol. Which of these delightful delicacies would she taste next?

"We're not sure where the Concordiat and her battlegroup are headed. For all we know they're going to reinforce the Earth Alliance's new colonies in Canton."

"Open your eyes. They'd have to go through League space."

"They're already doing that ma'am." General Young hated her cavalier attitude towards defense, but as far as Nunziata was concerned the Corporate Sector was out of the business of fielding huge star navies. From now on, it'd be strictly business.

"Yolu space, not the Hurr." The Hurr, now a galactic powerhouse, somehow. Economists were baffled by the Hurr's sudden boom in every sector of industry, as if they were guided by some invisible hand. Of course, that was helped out by the independence movements of dozens of worlds after Marxis's disappearance and their addition to the League, but most of the colonies that ceded from the Corporate Sector were underdeveloped. Once destitute, unable to even police their own space, the Hurr under the name of the League now fielded an impressive armada, enforcing strict taxes for passage through their jump gates. And their gates were the only hyperspace route to Centauri, Brakiri and Dilgar space. It was unlikely that the Earth Alliance would risk angering the Hurr.

"Still, we have had no notification of where the warships are headed."

"That is quite enough General. I'll contact Earthdome." She plucked a slice of venison from the serving tray. "Dismissed." As far as she was concerned, the Earth Alliance could put those ships wherever they wanted. She had asked for Earthforce protection during negotiations not because the Corporate Sector faced imminent threat of invasion, but to placate the idiot masses who swallowed Marxis's propaganda. Marxis was gone now, either deep underground after the billion credit bounty she authorized, or maybe even dead. The Corporate Sector had restored normal relations with every power in the galaxy and constructed elegant embassies for the Earth Alliance, the Centauri, the Vorlons, the Minbari, and even the Brakiri. Simply put, it was not worth the money to invade the Corporate Sector. Anybody who did would have to contend with Earthforce's powerful new Omegas, rumored to be equals to the Minbari or even the Vorlons. And if the planned expansion of the merchant fleet went as scheduled, it would stay that way, for a long time.

[brianeyci]

M6

"Our diplomatic courier has detected two extremely large Vorlon vessels passing through Cooke space. The Vorlon Empire does not possess significant holdings beyond the Cooke system. We do not understand why the Vorlons and Minbari are deploying military assets beyond the Gamma Seven hyperspace route. The recent mining by the Minbari of the Canton system in particular has been worrisome, since the Corporate Sector announced its intentions to exploit the region long before the Minbari arrived. By Section Five of the Felgercarb Act, the Corporate Sector is legally entitled to have the opportunity to extract any and all natural resources claimed by the Earth Alliance before any foreign governments.

I would also like to inform the council jump gates are being relocated throughout Corporate space to facilitate trade. The League has requested the relocation of the Quadrant 27 to Nocalo jump gate, and it will be closed for a short period of time."

[Uraniun235]

Earthdome
Geneva, Earth

President Alshain grunted at the letter before him, then called his secretary.

"Kindly pass the word on to Admiral Laumer that he is to call ahead next time he decides to embark through foreign terrotiry."

He looked at the letter and felt a slight twinge of guilt. He had promised two battle groups for the Corporate defense... but seeing as they had been reduced to one jump gate entrance to their territory he didn't see the worth in deploying so much of the fleet away from Earth Alliance territory. But there was another battle group sitting on the jump gate to Yolu space... not only defending Earth space but also ready to reinforce the Corporate defense at a moment's notice. Hopefully, when the strategic situation was explained, Nunziata would readily accept the plan.

He also wished he could have gotten the fleet underway sooner... but initial production of the new Hellbore-class fighters had proven slow, and the carriers hadn't been ready until just recently.

As for reinforcement...

The deployment of a heavy battle force to Canton made him uneasy, but he accepted that the major colony there - soon to become the jewel of the Earth Alliance colonies - represented a huge investment, and a tempting target for any would-be marauders. It had to be protected.

As for the deteriorating situation in Cooke...

"Get me Ambassador Fox on the line."

[GuppyShark]

M6

[img=left]http://members.optusnet.com.au/bcarletti/drazi100.jpg[/img]"The League of Non Aligned worlds would like to remind this assembly that transit of military vessels through Quadrant 27 is expressly forbidden. Only commercial and civilian shipping - transports and colony ships - may pass through Hurr space. This also applies to the warships of governments in alliance with the League of Non-Aligned Worlds."






.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Ambassador Krull strode quickly in front of the other delegates, cutting off a representative from some minor race who was pissing and moaning about pirate attacks. "I'm sure you all remember Ambassador Lyta's impassioned speech about how the Vorlons don't fire on unarmed ships. Well, take a look at this:"

Krull pops in a battle replay showing a medium-sized Vorlon ship laying waste to the remainder of the Black Sabbath fleet's support ships. "Chased them down and destroyed every last one of them. One minesweeper, two fully loaded personnel transports, one scout ship, all completely unarmed and crewed by civilians. I want you all to remember this next time the Vorlons claim to be peaceful or fair."

[Trogdor]

"Please, cannot this be resolved peacefully? That is the reason we're here, is it not? We should be able to find a way to resolve these disagreements without hostility," Vir said.

He didn't believe a word he was speaking; the Vorlons and Brakiri seemed irreversably bound for war, and they'd likely take the Minbari and the Shadows with them. Still, he couldn't not make the attempt to avert this conflict. Not when a weakened Centauri Republic was one of the things between the two great powers.

"The Vorlon Empire and the Brakiri Syndacracy share no borders with one another," Vir said. "In fact, they are quiet distant from one another. It should be possible for them to coexist, if not as friends, then peacefully. There should be no need for violence."

"Consider also, what such a war would do to the entire galaxy, should it happen," Vir continued. "Other nations may be pulled into the conflict, until it makes the Great War look like a mere border skirmish in comparison. The League lies between the two nations, as do the Dilgar, and the Corporates, and the Earth Alliance, and my own nation."

"Even if it remains solely between the Brakiri and the Vorlons, think of the harm it could do to the galatic economy," Vir cast a subtle glance at Fox. "The Vorlons and Brakiri have the two most massive economies in the galaxy. Enough damage to one or both could cause a galaxy wide depression."

"In the interests of galactic peace, I wish to inform both the Vorlons and the Brakiri that they are headed toward another skirmish. Both Vorlon and Brakiri ships are en route towards the opposite ends of the Jodan/Thessin gate. I urge you to avoid that combat that this could result in."

"I ask you, can't we all just get along?"

[brianeyci]

What Great War? Chen made a note to look that up. Vir hadn't mentioned the Minbari. Nobody liked mentioning the Minbari. Chen glanced at Lennier. Who knew how close the Minbari were with the Vorlons, and why? And of course a galactic war would be a godsend to the Corporate economy. Even though the heyday of Marxis's gargantuan warships was over, the Corporate Sector could provide fighters, armored vehicles, hell even mercenaries. War was good for business, especially the Corporate Sector's military industrial complex.

Should he say something? No. Despite Vir's worries of a galactic war, the Vorlons would not move without the Minbari, and the Brakiri were not in a position to invade. No, there would be the occasional flare up like this, unverifiable accusations, the Brakiri trying to rally allies to its cause and the Vorlons trying to assemble an alliance against the Brakiri.

The Vorlons years earlier had sealed the only hyperspace route to their space from Brakiri territory. Now the only jump gate to Vorlon territory went through Minbari space. Could the Brakiri really afford to anger the Minbari?

Better for everybody to stay out of the Brakiri's way. And out of the Vorlon's way. Only a fool fought a neighbor's wars. Chen leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, feigning boredom.

[Trogdor]

(OOC: by the Great War, I meant the war against the Shadows in the early game. I probably should've called it the Shadow War instead.)

[Uraniun235]

Ambassador Fox rose.

"Ambassador Krull, what were the contents of those personnel transports?"

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

"It is not our way to go divulging state secrets about the contents of the transports in our employ, Ambassador, but rest assured that those transports posed no threat whatsoever to the Vorlons, to your government, or to any other present party."

[Kojiro]

"Enough lies. Those ships were destroyed, as we warned, in retribution for the deaths of our colony ship and construction vessel. The Brakiri have refused several attempts, some in this very room at negotiating a peace. They dismiss our deaths but cry foul when the tables are turned. They lack even the civility to appologise for destroying a colony ship, as if they didn't care sentients had been killed, then in the same breath attack our concern for life. Such hypocracy is rare. No, they would rather try to advance the idea that immortal creatures would throw their lives away then spare the lives of their countrymens murderers, asking for noting more than an apology. Some sign the Brakiri didn't actually enjoy the deaths of innocent sentients. Justice has been done now.

The Brakiri are consumate liars. They come through a jumpgate with a million tonnes of warship, annihilating a scout vessel and claim we're the aggressors. I'm sure the Centauri can verify what occured. Even now they move further out of Brakiri space. Somehow I doubt their intentions are peaceful."

[brianeyci]

"Please gentlemen." Chen leaned forward. "Such occurences are common. For those unversed in space warfare, warships have little time to respond to an incoming threat. Ships that transit through jump gates without transmitting a proper hyperspace code, or who approach a fleet without the proper friend or foe identifier, must unfortunately be dealt with. There is no way for a fleet commander to discern a civilian vessel from a military one since threats are destroyed beyond visual range. If a civilian ship is armed against pirates, as most are, then as far as targeting computers are concerned it might as well be a battlecruiser. And if you order your fleet commanders to target only armed ships, unarmed ships of war such as troop transports and kinetic missiles can bypass defenses."

Chen smiled. "And the Brakiri do have reason not to provide the Vorlons with friend or foe identification codes. It is true that the Vorlons attempted an invasion of Brakiri space years ago? But let's permit historians to argue who was right or wrong, or who apologized to who, or who lied.

Instead there are far more pressing matters. I direct the Council's attention to the presentation screen, graph ten, section thirty, where the Llort have outlined a novel idea for more efficient distribution of food aid . . ."

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Krull watched the feed from the council chambers and smiled. He didn't need to respond to this. The "immortal creatures" line would do more damage than he could ever hope to. The sad thing was they probably didn't even realize how arrogant they were.

[brianeyci]

Eye on the Corporate Sector

"In a landmark deal, the Centauri Republic has agreed to purchase two hundred and fifty fighter craft from Raytheon Defense Systems of the Corporate Sector. The contract is worth a rumored one hundred and twenty five billion galactic credits. There is speculation that Prime Minister Nunziata personally intervened and convinced Raytheon to sell the Centauri the fighters. Raytheon's Board of Directors has refused to comment.

Today, the final orbital space yard of the Marxis era was demolished, after launching their final craft, Merchantman class civilian freighters. 'These freighters will enable the Corporate Sector to promote trade across the galaxy,' a spokesperson for the Corporate Sector said.

The Corporate Sector issued a bulletin warning of two temporary jump gate closures, the first between the Lotna and Manark star systems, the second between the Quadrant 27 and Nocalo star systems. All traffic is advised to change course accordingly."

[Trogdor]

Centaurum building, private sitting room

"Reefa is completely insane," one Centaurum member, a man named Alexi fumed.

"Peace, Alex," Victor, an elder fellow legislator said calmly. Unlike his younger friend, Victor's hair was gray and not placed into the cresent common among Centauri males. "Many emperors have been insane, or been made so by the throne. You're not too young to remember Cartegia."

Alexi winced. "Unfortunatly, you're right. But just because we've had worse doesn't make Reefa acceptable. The rate at which he's spending money is bad enough, but threatening to dissolve the Centaurum just because we didn't all agree to his expenditures! Madness!"

"Dissolving the Centaurum is within the emperor's powers," Victor said. "We cannot remove him for threatening to do it."

"Not through offical means..." Alexi said.

Victor's eyes widened. "You're not suggesting--!"

"I might be," Alexi said.

"No!" Victor nearly shouted. "Have you even thought of the problems that could create? Losing another emperor so soon would be terrible for the people's morale. And there is no heir apparent to Reefa. Dmitri is too young and too out of the public eye to have a chance of rallying the support he'd need to take the throne."

"Dmitri is, but Ambassador Cotto is not," Alexi replied. "Cotto was Mollari's right hand for many years. With the war over, many in the Centaurum would see the return of Mollarian politics."

"Not so many as you'd think, I'd wager," Victor said. "Mollari was able to guide us through some very bad times intact, but he did a terrible job on colony development and individual planetary defense."

"Improvements on that are already set in motion," Alexi replied. "Cotto might slow them down, but not halt them."

"Listen to me, Alex," Victor said firmly. "Do not speak of this again. Put this out of your mind. Reefa is new to the throne. He is probably just flexing his political muscles to prove that he will not be a mere figurehead. It will take much more than a threat to dissolve the Centaurum before I or any sensible man considers such a thing."

Alexi sighed. "Fine, I'll not speak of it again."

But I will not put it from my mind.

[Tobor]

Vreetan - Cascan jumpgate

A cascade of energy erupts between the 4 pylons, as a portal to hyperspace cuts through to reality. A single ship of Centauri design and designation emerges from the gate.

The commander of the vessel was somewhat nervous. His charge was most prostigious, and with the Dilgar as beligerant as they were he just wanted to get in and out before they chose to take justice into their own hands.

The comm light started. It was a dull drone that repeated itself every few seconds accompanied by a flicker on the view screen. Steeling himself, he opened the comm channel. The view screen flickered to life and standing there in full regalia was a Dilgar officer, Planetary Warden, he thought but he couldn't be sure. As with all the Dilgar high borne though, she possessed that feline grace.

"Good morning commander! My name is officer Ts'ung. I am the planetary warden of Judgement. I have contacted you to make final arrangements for your docking and your most precious of cargo's."

The commander far from being reassured only felt chilled. It was the glee, and manner that she had purred through the last sentence that disturbed him so.

"Yes Ma'am, we have been ordered to dock at the Judgement detention facility where we will be met by a detatchement of Peacekeeper Obliterators to escort our cargo into protective custody."

"Very good commander"

She broke her easy stance and started keying something into the comms panel, starting an information transfer.

"Here are the coordinates, and timing for you to safely navigate the defensive web. Be warned commander your timing is, hmm, critical."

She smiled and as the transfer finished simply said.

"You are dismissed."

The commander felt reassured that the Dilgar were at least prepared for his arrival. As he looked through the file he realised that the timing involved didn't leave much room for dilly dallying.

"Helms, make full speed for judgement."

[Nephtys]

Lennier meditated in his chambers, waiting very carefully for news of Delenn. Something was going on at home, and it did not put his mind at ease to think of it. He ha waited, eyes closed before he sensed another in the room.

"Who is it?" he asked aloud, eyes closed on a soft violet cushion. A black-cloaked Minbari, of the Warrior Caste stepped out. "I know it was rude of me to enter." spoke the powerfully masculine voice. "But I thought you should know."

"You are not welcomed here, Naroon." he replied, still meditating. "But what news do you bring?"

The voice breathed in air carefully. "I know of the fleet of ships under construction by the Religious Caste, stationed in the orbital bases about San'ala."

Lennier made no signs of recognizing his threat, but the warrior continued.

"The Grey Council is growing more fragmented. Sometimes, we feel that the Religious Caste ended our last war arbitrarilly, before we could achieve true victory against the great enemy..." he said. "Thus, we would... like to make use of your new ships. Borrow them.. even, to overlook this breech of one of our most ancient laws."

Lennier squeezed his eyes gently, still trying to meditate. "Since when did the Warrior caste turn it's trade from protection to extortion?" he asked, with mild hints of frustration.

"My dear Lennier..." Naroon raised his head, his angled bone-structure silouetted against the dimmed lights. "We don't extort. We only get what we want..."

[Tobor]

The Captain of the prison ship was very relieved. They had successfully rendezvous'ed at the Judgement prison facility. SOme small part of him felt sorry for the horror that would await Mollari there. At the same time, however, he would not trade a single moment before getting off this planet.

It was with a sense of relief that he and the skeleton crew of his vessel left that planet.

----

The heavy veil of sleep was leaving him, Mollari had spent the last few months in suspended animation. He could blurrily see two forms working in front of him. One turned and gracefully swept in close to him. Her voice was soft and silky with the faintest hint of malice.

"Hmm"

She purred.

"Only Doom awaits you now, Emperor."

As she said this she was laughing and he could feel the stab of a needle in his arm. THe heavy tide of sleep took him once more.

[GuppyShark]

Posted for Brian, who is currently unable to post to the board.

Canton System - CSS Trustee, Merchantman Class Transport

"Get that fucking engine coil realigned!" Captain Driscole tapped the intercom. They were supposed to have the fastest, most modern ships
in the fleet, but the ship's wiring had been done by the lowest bidder, including the engines. And the fancy sensor suite, which Driscole couldn't for the life of him figure out. The CSS Trustee was one of the last ships to come out of Marxis's old yards before they were scrapped. The politicians were morons, demolishing the most experienced yards in the galaxy, but the new Administration wanted to purge everything to do with Benjamin Marxis. Now, that was a man who knew how to get things done.

"Captain, it'll take at least five more hours," the intercom crackled.

Driscole snarled. "You idiot, you have any idea what's going on?" The Earth Alliance warships had ordered the Trustee to deliver its cargo and leave immediately. The Trustee had finished its cargo run, but the damn engines had given out. And now, Earthforce was breathing down his neck. The last thing he needed was a squad of marines boarding his ship.

"Captain, something's happening with the computer," the helmsman said.

"What?" Driscole went over to the operations console. "Something else break?"

"I don't know. All of a sudden these wierd numbers popped up and nothing I press works." The helmsman pressed a button. "Wait, I have something. It's the new telescopes. I think it's video."

"Let's see it."

The helmsman's monitor flickered, and came into focus. It was too blue. It was the jump gate. No, jump gates. No, that didn't make any sense. The view zoomed. They were jump holes, but there were too many of them. Hundreds. And hundreds of ships streaming out of the jump holes in rapid succession, not like any ship he'd ever seen before, but more like some exotic variety of marine life. Utterly alien azure behemoths, in formation. Smaller ships zoomed past the big ones, forming a screen ahead of the capital ships. Hundreds of ships like this could only mean one thing. Invasion. Marxis had been right all along.

"My god," the helmsman said.

Driscole snatched the intercom and crushed its send button. "Earthforce ships, Earthforce ships, there's an alien armada in Sector Six-Two. Hundreds of ships. Earthforce ships--" Driscole let go. By now they'd have seen monstrosities themselves. Marxis would never have let this happen.

Driscole kicked the helmsman out of his chair. "Go to Engineering and give Sam a hand."

"What?"

"Do it, now."

The helmsman disappeared. Driscole took the conn, and smashed coordinates in the navigation controls. There were over a billion human settlers on Canton VI. If he could get close enough, maybe he could draw some of the smaller ships away, give more time for colonists to escape. They only had thrusters now. But maybe, that fancy automated sensor suite could send something through hyperwave before they were annihilated. Driscole fired the thrusters.

• .

Mesopotamia Six

"--and we find the Minbari's deployment of military assets to the Canton sector completely unacceptable." Chen paused. He had to tread a fine line. Millions of merchants conducted trade with the worlds under Minbari protection, and like it or not he had to deal with them. "However, we understand there are cultural differences. The Corporate Sector believes in tolerance for all ways of life." Chen scanned the Minbari delegation. Where was the modest one, Lennier?

• .

Houston, Corporate Sector - Corporate Defense Force Command

"General, data coming through hyperwave."

Brigadier General Carter nodded. She hadn't been too enamoured with the idea of installing sensor suites covertly into the Corporate Navy's new merchant ships, but hundreds of ships went between Minbar and the Corporate Sector every month. It was unlikely the Minbari would find out. Still, if they did, it would cause a public affairs crisis. The new administration was supposed to be pro-alien, but Nunziata's new defense minister was just as bigoted as Marxis and insisted on this black project.

"Sir... this can't be right."

"What is it?"

"I'm reading... hundreds of jump signatures--"

Carter leaned forward and looked at the screen. The data was unmistakable--warships, of the Minbari fleet, the signatures matching the numbers in Marxis's files. Hundreds of Minbari warships, headed to League space. Carter picked up a red phone.

"This is Brigadier General Carter. Yes, Madam President, I am getting this too. No, we don't know where they're going. Yes, I believe it is prudent to warn our allies." She put down the phone. "Get the Hurr attache in here right away, and the Earthforce officer."

[GuppyShark]

ISN Report

Investigators have been unable to confirm the party responsible for the fate of the civilian transport Marxis 0006, which exploded last month while transiting the Cooke/Canton jumpgate. The ship was lost with all hands, and several million passengers.

"It was clearly a space mine, but of which manufacture we've been unable to determine," the lead investigator has reported. "Earth Alliance sources have confirmed that they can account for all of theirs."

Suspicion has fallen on the Minbari Alliance, who have stationed a transport - the MF Kalain - at this jumpgate, but League officials have not made any formal complaint.

[GuppyShark]

TRAVEL ADVISORY

Due to Minbari militarisation, all traffic through Quadrant 27 is forbidden. Any and all shipping transiting this jumpgate may be fired upon. The League of Non-Aligned Worlds accepts no liability for damage to personnel or property resulting from traffic through Quadrant 27.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

50 Vorlon ships and 300 Minbari ones, plus change. Not good, Kullenbrach thought. They were probably gunning for him, and probably because he destroyed the Vorlon facilities on their abandoned colony, as if they wouldn't have done the same. He sent a message ot his Secretary of State that simply said "Prepare for General Order 5."

[Nephtys]

Council Chambers, M6 Security Council....


For some time, the Minbari seat was empty, during the recent crisis and it's proceedings. Where was Lennier? Or Delenn for the matter, still on Homeworld?



Neroon Starrider entered, the aged and experienced Minbari Warleader, dressed in his full uniform. He walked quietly through the door, head up and looking slightly disinterestedly at the other delegates, before slowly sitting upon the Minbari seat.

"Fellow delegates of the M6 Security Council, I'm afraid to announce Ambassadorial Aide Lennier's recall to Homeworld for domestic reasons..." he said simply. "I will be representing my government in these matters." he said.

"Following the Brakiri Syndicacy's deployment of a large number of military battleships into the Canton system, we have made a reciprical show, to protect our own interests." he said, exuding a rather lecuring tone.

"Of course, these vessels were soon transferred to the control of the League in Quadrant 27. They were withdrawn soon after, yet---..." he paused dramatically.

"Yet... they remain near our frontiers. "when we do the same gesture, within our own system... the League closes their borders." he smiled to the League representative.

"I do believe interdicting the traffic between two trading partners, such as ourselves and the honorable Corporate Sector... is a hostile act, is it not?"

[GuppyShark]

"If we were intercepting cargo outside of our space? Yes, that would be. However, there are many ways to ship cargo that do not require transit of Quadrant 27, and we will be happy to reopen the sector to civilian traffic if the Minbari will agree to withdraw their battle fleet.

The presence of the infamous Zealot ships which the Minbari delegation has previously admitted they cannot control and which are responsible for the deaths of billions of Narn does not reassure our member worlds in the slightest."

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Posted on behalf of Brian

Who was this Neroon? A military leader, representing the third of the
Minbari population. But Chen didn't know Neroon. Reviewing hundreds
of hours of tape before opening his mouth, Chen understood the
diminutive protege Lennier and the elegant Delenn, but he didn't know
anything of Neroon. At all. Marxis's old intelligence files said
little on the warrior caste, beyond obvious propaganda, and the
current Corporate Intelligence Services even less. Chen stood.

"Trade," Chen said slowly, "has not been disrupted to a significant
extent over the past hundred standard time units. In fact, I do not
think trade has ever stalled between the Minbari Federation and the
Corporate Sector."

"We are grateful to the Minbari for providing escorts for civilian
traffic. Interstellar trade would not be possible without the
protection of the Minbari Starfleet."

"Unfortunately, I have received instructions from my government."
Chen paused. "Until further notice, the merchant navy of the
Corporate Sector will transit through the Earth Alliance controlled
gates rather than through Minbari controlled ones, on their way to
Minbari territory. As well, all merchant traffic is advised to transit
through Earth Alliance gates until the situation is resolved. Thank
you."

Chen sat down. He had argued for hours with President Nunziata
against this measure. What little he knew of the Minbari warrior
caste was that they were a martial society, and like all martial
societies, they valued honor. Even during Marxis's reign, civilian
ships had favored Minbari gates over any others. Minbari ships had a
reputation for prowress and a willingness to do battle with pirates
and bandits. Insuniating in public that the Minbari were unable to
protect the trade lanes, even if it was true given the League's
blockade of Quadrant 27, was slapping the Minbari in the face.

Chen examined Neroon's expression. Trade between Minbari protected
worlds, and the Minbari themselves, was worth hundreds of trillions of
credits. If anything went wrong, billions of Corporate citizens would
lose their jobs. It might even be enough to bring down Nunziata's
fragile coalition and usher in the return of the xenophobes in the
Corporate government.

What was Neroon doing?