The Drala Fi (Black Star in English) was a Minbari Sharlin class warcruiser and served as the Minbari flagship during the Earth-Minbari War.
The Drala Fi destroyed dozens of Earth Alliance ships in hit-and-run attacks in a period of just a few weeks, gaining a reputation among Earthforce personnel as an "Ace Cruiser".
Shortly afterwards, the Black Star ambushed an Earthforce task group led by the EAS Lexington by luring them into an asteroid field with a Minbari flyer playing possum and opening a jump point right in the middle of the fleet. The Lexington was severely damaged in the opening barrage and left for dead while the Drala Fi pursued the retreating Earth ships. First officer Commander John Sheridan took command, as Captain Roger Sterns had been killed when a support strut collapsed into his command chair. Knowing that the Minbari would accept no surrender and would even pursue and destroy a crippled ship, Sheridan ordered several of the nearby asteroids to be mined with thermo-nuclear warheads. With the trap set, the Lexington broadcast a distress signal, knowing full well it would attract the attention of the Minbari. The Drala Fi took two proximity blasts from the nukes before being completely destroyed, giving Earth its much-needed victory and propaganda coup. [2]
The Drala Fi wounded.
Though the Minbari considered the destruction of the Drala Fi a despicable act of cowardice, and labeled Sheridan the "Starkiller", Earth justified the desperate tactic by pointing out that the Minbari were attempting to murder the crew of a crippled and helpless ship. Even a decade later, Sheridan refused to apologize for the incident, citing it as the only victory they had in the war. [3] [4][5][6]
Lennier, of the Third Fane of Chudomo had family that were killed when the vessel was destroyed.[7]
In 2259, Sheridan was the center of a revenge plot by the Third Fane of Chudomo because of the Drala Fi. [8] Sheridan was given a piece of the Drala Fi as a Christmas present by Susan Ivanova. [9]
Notes
- There is a continuity issue regarding the destruction of the Drala Fi:
- When Captain Sheridan explains the incident to Susan Ivanova when he takes command of Babylon 5 in 2259, he states that the nukes took out the Drala Fi and three of her heavy cruisers.
- When the engagement is actually depicted in "In the Beginning", only the Drala Fi is seen to be destroyed.
Gallery
References
| Sharlin class warcruisers | ||||
| Dogato • Drala Fi • Enfili • Ingata • Takari • Tragati • Solaris • Valen'Tha |