EAS Hyperion

EAS Hyperion
Captain	Captain Ellis Pierce (Circa 2258)
Status	Active (as of 2258)
Affiliation	Earthforce
Class	Hyperion class heavy cruiser
Length	1,025m
Crew	356, 200 troops
Jump Capable	Yes
Gravity	No
Weapons	2 52mm Plasma Pulse Cannons 2 40mm Plasma Pulse Cannons 2 phased particle Cannons 4 Pulse Discharge Cannons 2 thermo-nuclear torpedo tubes
Auxiliary Craft	7 Starfurys including 1 Heavy Starfury

The EAS Hyperion was an Earthforce Hyperion class heavy cruiser. Built in the 2240s, EAS Hyperion is one of the few Earthforce ships to survive the Earth-Minbari War.

Earth-Minbari war

The Hyperion was one of the ships that formed the convoy with the mission of exploring the Minbari frontier to gather information. Other ships included the EAS Prometheus, the EAS Amundsen, and some other ships. The convoy encountered a Minbari convoy, and the captain of the Earth fleet panicked and ordered all ships to fire. When the Minbari ships returned fire the Hyperion was hit hard, her observation bridge and upper plasma turret were damaged. She nevertheless managed to escape to hyperspace along with the rest of the fleet.

The Hyperion fled with the fleet to the Vega space outpost for repairs. It is not clear whether the Hyperion was only slightly damaged or was put into drydock on Earth for the repairs, but she was not at the Vega outpost when the Minbari fleet destroyed the outpost in retaliation. There is no information of the Hyperion’s performance during the war apart from that she survived and was present at the Battle of the Line surviving it too.

The Great Machine

In 2258, Babylon 5 crew discovered the Great Machine underneath the surface of Epsilon III, the planet the station was in orbit of. Varn, who served as the CPU for the machine was dying. Commanders Sinclair and Susan Ivanova rescued him.

As Jeffrey Sinclair, Susan Ivanova, and Varn were returning, the Hyperion came through the jump gate. The Hyperion was en route to the outpost on Vega, when a set of new orders were issued to go to Babylon 5.

Captain Ellis Pierce was determined to secure the planet and its technology for the Alliance. Pierce attempted to assert his authority over the sector of space Babylon 5 was in, despite the fact that Sinclair had final authority over the region. Due to riots on Mars, Sinclair was unable to contact President Luis Santiago to confirm his authority.

Captain Pierce sent a team of Starfurys in an attempt to go down to the surface of the planet, but was stopped by planetary defenses. At least four Starfuries were disabled.

The crew on Babylon 5 learned that if the correct safeguards were not used the planet would automatically self-destruct, which would also destroy the station. They also learned that Varn would soon die, and that the planet would explode following his death. Shortly afterwards, Commander Sinclair found that Pierce was going to send an expedition down to the planet. Pierce was unwilling to believe that the planet would self-destruct. To keep the Hyperion from sending anyone down, Sinclair had the defense grid activated and aimed it at the Hyperion. Realizing that Sinclair was fully willing to destroy his ship, Pierce stood down.

After these tense moments, an alien vessel jumped into Babylon 5 space. The ship was crewed by people from Varn's race who were criminals and had been banished years ago. The alien ship downloaded the language banks so they could communicate with Babylon 5. They ordered the station and the Hyperion to leave within 10 hours. Afterwards, Pierce came on and told the aliens they had nine hours to leave.

The aliens then began to battle with Babylon 5 and the Hyperion. Meanwhile, the Minbari Draal, Ambassadors Delenn and Londo Mollari took Varn back to the machine. Michael Garibaldi joined them on the surface. Draal then proceeded to join with the machine as Varn's replacement.

In the space above the planet, the battle was not going well. The alien ship had broken up into three component pieces, and had out flanked the Earth Alliance forces. Draal then appeared to Commander Sinclair, Captain Pierce, and the alien Captain. Draal said that the Great Machine was off limits, and that any who approached would be destroyed. The aliens ignored the warning, and Draal destroyed them.

President Santiago confirmed that Sinclair had final authority over Babylon 5 and the surrounding area of space. This fact was made clear to Captain Pierce. Pierce took the Hyperion and departed from the area.

The Hyperion left through the Jumpgate to go to Earthport for repairs, which was a nine day transit.

Notes

• Matthew Gideon, who would become captain of the IAS Excalibur, served on the Hyperion after his former ship, the EAS Cerberus was destroyed.