The Battle of Jericho 3 occurred in the aftermath of the disastrous first contact between the Earth Alliance and the Minbari Federation.
Jericho 3 was the home base of the EAS Prometheus prior to its fateful mission into Minbari space. The colony, along with the EAS Euripides were both destroyed in the very first counterstrike of the Earth-Minbari War.[1]
Background[]
In July 2245, the Prometheus led an expedition from the Jericho 3 station into Minbari space. Captain Michael Jankowski was under orders to survey the disposition of their forces but to avoid any first contact situations, unless authorized to do so. At the same time, the vessel of the Grey Council was en route to the planet Z'ha'dum to investigate the possible return of the Shadows.
Jankowski exceeded his orders and approached a Minbari fleet, and Minbari vessels in the fleet approached the Earthforce fleet with gun ports open, a Warrior Caste tradition intended to indicate nothing to hide. As Chosen One Dukhat feared upon learning this, the Humans - unfamiliar with the gesture, unable to learn that the guns were not ready to fire, and led by a commanding officer infamous for recklessness and mishandling first contact situations - panicked and preemptively struck the Minbari fleet, resulting in massive casualties, Dukhat included. Satai Delenn, in a fit of grief and rage, impulsively ordered the extermination of the Human race - a mistake that would haunt her for decades, if not the rest of her life.
Battle[]
Shortly after the battle, a Minbari fleet was sent to Jericho 3, and made short work of the ships defending the station. The EAS Euripides attempted to surrender, but the Minbari did not accept the surrender and destroyed the ships. Jericho 3's reactor was hit, leading to the destruction of the station and the immediate death of all on board. An ISN report alerted several Earthforce officers, at a party celebrating Jankowski's supposed triumph, to the horrific scale of Jankowski's blunder, turning the celebratory mood into one of horror and leading to a rapid, decidedly negative reappraisal of Jankowski's conduct on the mission.[2]
Aftermath[]
Immediately following the destruction of Jericho 3, the Minbari struck at half a dozen Earthforce bases in the space of just a few days, leaving no survivors and accepting no surrender. Although Earthforce was losing in space combat, the war was far from over and Earthgov had a clandestine plan to exterminate the Minbari race, although it was never carried out.[3] During battles, Minbari would even target ships no longer capable of fighting and destroy them. All attempts to communicate – including an offer to turn over Jankowski – were rebuffed.[4]
References[]
- ↑ In the Beginning
- ↑ In the Beginning (Novelization) (chapter 7)
- ↑ In the Beginning (Novelization) (p.97)
- ↑ In the Beginning (Novelization) (p.101)
Battles of the Earth-Minbari War | ||||
First Contact • Jericho 3 • The Black Star • Epsilon System • Sinzar Battle of Flinn colony • Beta Durani • Proxima III • The Line |