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Post by Skyler on Jul 17, 2009 6:37:12 GMT -6
OT: to keep the time travel story and Brie's return seperate and easier to follow, I have started a new chapter....:
Skyler watched as Brie walked off, he didn’t even register the approach of Ensign Plwel and Baer until he spoke to him. Skyler’s thoughts were pulled back to the now, to the mission.
“Ensign… Mr. Baer… welcome to the Battlestar Callisto. If you will come with us, I am sure the Commander would like to meet with you for a few microns, if she isn’t to busy.”
Baer looked nervous but agreed. Skyler lead the way with Plwel following behind.
“Commander, this is Mr. Baer, a service tech from the Rising Star and one of our new Ensign’s, Ens. Plwel of Gold Squadron. You wanted to see us when we got here.”
“Good Skyler, will you three join me in here.” They all took a seat at the conference table and Sheba pulled out the files containing all the information that everyone had been gathering since the investigation started. “Mr. Baer, we have a mystery and some missing Pilots, we were hoping you might be able to shed some light on it for us.”
“Commander, I am more than willing to help. I have worked hard since arriving in the fleet to make sure we find this rift in space and that we go thru it. Janey and Dolet are fine. How is Kalten doing by the way?”
Sheba looked from Baer to Skyler then to Plwel. She knew her Warriors hadn’t shared any information.
“Baer, I am not sure I know what you are talking about.”
“Commander, I was the Base Commander of Lotus Lab at the time of its destruction. Baer and Scapino are not my real name. Both were actually base workers that died at the time the base was lost. They were good friends that I miss everyday. I took Scapino’s name until someone came around looking for him. A long lost buddy, so I had to make a new I.D. for myself. My real name is Kroll.” He saw Skyler looking in the database out of the corner of his eye “I am not sure how much information on me you will find. Everything I did since I was a young man was classified. Kalten can confirm my story, I may be older, but I still look a lot like myself. He should have no problems knowing who I am.”
Skyler shook his head, nothing in the database. Sheba opened a channel to Logan.
“Captain Logan, can you report to the Bridge and bring Lt. Kalten with you.”
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bouriplwel
Viper Pilot
"Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All I Do"
Posts: 354
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Post by bouriplwel on Jul 17, 2009 8:21:48 GMT -6
As Ensign Plwel listened to the story the Baer......or now Kroll was telling, he thought to himself "I knew that he was hiding something....and I suspected from the beginning he wasn't who he said he was." Plwel was surprised, however, how easily and freely that Kroll just poured out this information to Sheba with little persuasion. But as Commander Sheba contacted Capt. Logan to report with Lt. Kalten, Plwel felt he should let Maj. Skyler know about what Kroll had said earlier after they arrived aboard the Callisto.
Ensign Plwel got up and walked over to Skyler and said in a soft voice..."Sir, may I speak with you a moment privately please?" "Is in really urgent that we speak right now Ensign?" the Major replied. "I think this may be very important sir." Plwel said back. Major Skyler turned to Commander Sheba and asked for the two warriors to be excused for a moment to which she agreed. Skyler and Plwel stepped outside the conference room where Major Skyler sent in a security guard to watch over Kroll while he was alone with the Commander. After the doors closed, Major Skyler turned to Plwel and said.."Now what is it Ensign?" Ensign Plwel went on to tell the Major about the comments Kroll had made to him after they first landed on the Callisto.......about the exstensive study of the Battlestar's technical schematics and the comment made by Kroll about taking Sectars to learn his way around the ship as if he planned to be here for a long period of time. Plwel commented to his Squadron Commander.."It all sounded a bit odd to me.....I felt I needed to bring this to your attention sir before we got too far into this....and the fact that he seems so fraking cooperative with us and willing to give up information so freely combined with his earlier comments makes me even that much more suspicious and nervous about the entire situation...sir.".........
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Post by Brie on Jul 20, 2009 14:42:46 GMT -6
The following two posts were written by Brik. For continuity, I moved them over here.
**
Having escorted his friend, Ensign Upham, for as long as he was able, the two friends parted company in good spirits as Captain Brik returned to his duties.
Things had begun to move quickly and he had to think and react on his feet and, as usual aboard an operational battlestar, change objectives quickly and easily.
For reasons unknown to him (nor did it really matter) his presence was no longer needed for a meeting with the Commander, and he had reunited with Upham and helped him as much as possible for the time being. Given the "issues" that came to bear during the recent prisoner transfer, Brik headed to see another old friend . . . this one in the battlestar's "other" armory that resided quietly and QUITE unofficially on one of the lowest levels of the mighty Callisto. The lower decks were rarely seen by anyone but maintenance personnel. And, of course, the various and sundry "drop-outs" and other harmless (mostly) individuals, all of whom served a purpose on the old battlestar but preferred to act "behind the scenes". Among the knowledgeable, the lower areas had even gained a nickname based on the murky nature of the area's corridors and hallways (not to mention it's inhabitants). It was known as BROWN SECTOR.
Walking calmly but purposefully through Brown Sector, Brik marveled (as he always did) at the size of the massive ship that allowed such large un-used pockets of space to exist in the first place. Turning a corner, he found who and what he needed.
The man saw Brik and broke into a broad smile, as did the Colonial Warrior. That's to be expected when old friends meet. They shook hands, each man's hand around the other man's forearm, as warriors do. "Brik!" "Guffy!" For the occasion, Brik reached into a pocket and removed two finely-aged fumerillo's and handed one to his companion. Guffy laughed and spoke, "You brought the fume's, I'll bring the flames." and lit a match for both of their fumerillo's.
Smoking, laughing, drinking ambrosia, and talking of times both old and new, the time had come to speak of business. The man called Guffy regarded his smoke and glass slowly and with appreciation before he finally broached the subject. "Brik...I've been trying to get you to pack a larger 'suitcase' when you travel, have you finally come to your senses?" The man called Brik simply grinned as he brought forth a hand written note on old paper. Guffy read the paper, his eyebrow raising with surprise and respect. Several minutes later, the Captain gave a man an impressive stack of cubits and the man gave a Captain an impressive array of rather dangerous-looking ordinance. The two men spoke a bit longer, then the warrior took his leave, as they both knew he was required to. Guffy looked after his friend and spoke softly to himself, shaking his head. "Well, Brik, it's about time . . . and I hope that you're correct, that you never need that felgercarb." He returned to his other business as Brik did the same.
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Post by Brie on Jul 20, 2009 14:45:35 GMT -6
(Also by Brik)
Brik stashed the sealed case of "items" in a locked foot-locker in his meager but much-appreciated private quarters.
He then made contact with Logan by comm and advised her to either meet him or give her location, they needed to talk before any mission got underway.
As he did so, he absently wondered what had happened to that new Black Squadron ensign (Gearbox, was it?) that he'd seen in the corridor earlier. He'd keep an eye out, just in case the rookie still needed assistance.
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Post by Skyler on Jul 23, 2009 6:14:52 GMT -6
“Understood Ensign, Good job picking up on those comments. Lets see what he has to say about it…” Skyler had placed a hand on the new Ensigns shoulder as a sign of friendship and also of respect.
They re-entered the conference room, the guard slipped back out and they returned to their seats. Kroll was finishing his take on what was going on up to this point. He decided that after all the yarhens of hiding who he was, all the sneaking around, altering star chart data etc to bring them to this point in space, the point where the rift existed. It was time to come clean and tell all. He knew it would work in the end, after all, he remembered the Callisto Warriors arriving on his base. He didn’t know it then, but one day on the Rising Star a young group of new Ensigns had stopped by to celebrate their new duty assignment to the Battlestar Callisto’s Bronze Squadron. They were slightly younger, but he could never forget the faces of those two that had arrived at his base prior to the Cylon attack. He scanned the others, wondering which one of them his pilots had shot down and killed. He still felt guilty over that. He didn’t want to risk coming forward sooner for fear that he wouldn’t be believed and if known he had tampered with the star chart data they would change course and this opportunity would be lost.
“So Commander, that is what brings us to this point in time and space and why we must go back”
“Interesting Kroll, We will be meeting to decide the best course of action. Major, do you have any questions?”
“Yes I do, why have you been studying the layout for Battlestars?”
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Post by Logan on Jul 25, 2009 8:01:24 GMT -6
Logan and Gearbox were reaching the junction of two corridors when Persephone came into view. Inclining her head in greeting, Logan made introductions.
There was something different about Persephone, but Logan couldn't place it. She seemed worried, but with everything going on she felt the same way herself. She made a mental note to ask Persephone about it the next chance she had...with the way the day was going she didn't know when that opportunity might arise.
"So, I hear there's a briefing looming and that Major Brie is back, ' Persephone was saying.
Considering how large the Callisto was, news traveled fast. Logan didn't doubt that Brie's return was already known on the last ship of the Fleet by now.
Logan nodded and crossed her arms. "Yes, thank the Lords. It's a miracle that Brie survived." She still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Brie had come back with twins. Persephone didn't mention it, but everyone was talking about it. "She's being checked out by medical staff now, but she looks fine."
Logan's comm unit beeped and she quickly removed it from her belt. Skyler. She sighed and squared her shoulders. "Duty calls. Persephone, would you mind continuing Gearbox's tour for me? I have to report to the Major immediately."
"Of course, " Persephone said.
"Ensign, pleasure to meet you. I hope you find everything you need to make yourself at home. I leave you in capable hands, " Logan said as she shook Gearbox's hand and patted Persephone on the shoulder.
Logan turned in the opposite direction and headed for the conference room. Coming within sight of the guards outside the door, she slowed. That feeling was back. She looked over her shoulder briefly, but there was no one there. Persephone and Gearbox had moved on and the corridor was clear.
Muttering to herself about being too paranoid, she greeted the guards and entered the room to claim Kalten.
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Post by persephone on Jul 26, 2009 22:41:20 GMT -6
"Duty calls. Persephone, would you mind continuing Gearbox's tour for me? I have to report to the Major immediately."
"Of course, " Persephone said."Thank you Captain", Persephone further responded to Logan's recommendation of her to the new Ensign Gearbox. She smiled at the Ensign saying, "I'm lieutenant Persephone. Pleased to meet you".
The Ensign smiled back and seemed a little nervous at meeting yet another of Gold's members, the squadron with such a high reputation. "Well, Ensign, I'm sure Captain Logan has shown you most of the important places of the Callisto by now, however, did she have time to show you where to locate the High Speed Pilot-to-fighter Transfer Conduit?
The Ensign simply replied, "No, not as yet Lieutenant".
"Well, I'd be happy to show it to you now, for your future knowledge, when you graduate a viper pilot yourself. This way", she gestured with her hand to Gearbox, as they followed the winding corridors to the Transfer Conduit.
They walked briskly as Persephone explained other key points of the ship along the way. She was amazed at just how much she had learned in the short time she had been a warrior herself. She thought for a centon someone else was commentating for the new ensign's tour of the ship. But it was all her.
"I can also show you where we warriors like to hang out when we are off duty. The Rejuvenation Centre and Officer's Club are two levels above where we are now, on Gamma Deck. Do you like to play "Compartment Bulyulks", Gearbox?".
All the while she wondered in the back of her mind where Triton had gotten to. She would have to message him soon of he didn't message her first.
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bouriplwel
Viper Pilot
"Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence In All I Do"
Posts: 354
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Post by bouriplwel on Jul 27, 2009 11:23:18 GMT -6
Kroll looked directly at Major Skyler after he asked..“Yes I do, why have you been studying the layout for Battlestars?”
Commander Sheba, Ensign Plwel and all others in the room looked with shock and intensity towards Kroll who now was definitely the center of attention as they awaited an answer. "The answer is simple my good Major" Kroll started.."Battlestar technical jobs are the most prestigious and sought after jobs in the entire fleet. To even be considered for a position, if not already in the Colonial Service, one MUST have extensive knowledge not only of the layout of the ship but a very good working knowledge of all it's systems as well." Commander Sheba looked at Major Skyler and confirmed Kroll's statement saying his statement was consistent with the appointment requirements for technical positions. She went on to tell Skyler about the quite intense testing process used to screen and select applicants for Battlestar technical positions. Major Skyler and Ensign Plwel exchanged glances as if they weren't sure if they should accept Kroll's story or not. Commander Sheba then looked at Major Skyler and asked "Major, why do you ask such a question of our guest?"
As Skyler started to formulate his answer, Ensign Plwel took a step forward and said.."Ma'am, I can answer that question for you." Bouri felt sort of responsible and obligated to answer for the Major since he was the one who brought this all up. As much as Kroll's answer might have been the "correct" one, Plwel still felt cautious where he was concerened. Considering all that was going on and why they had brought Kroll there in the first place...the potential for sabotage or worse was high and Plwel felt Kroll's response was both rehearsed and convienient.
Ensign Plwel went on to tell the entire story about Kroll's comments after they had arrived on the Callisto and what he had said when he and Major Skyler had met privately outside the conference room. When he was finished, Ensign Plwel stepped back to his place and hoped that he had not offended his Squadron Commander by answering in his stead and waited for a response from the senior Callisto officer.......
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Post by persephone on Aug 6, 2009 1:18:31 GMT -6
Persephone sent repeatedly one a message after another to Triton's personal com, but no response.
Where in hades had he gotten to? she asked herself.
Having now left ensign Gearbox to his next place of report for light duties, she made her way back toward the gold barracks. Taking a left turn in the direction of beta level, suddenly her comm unit lit up like a meteor fire. "Finally!" she said under her breathe. But upon looking at the sender's code, it was not Tritons. Instead it read, : "Persephone, need to see you. Have some important news to tell you. Meet at Gold's men's billet. Helix".
Puzzled even more, she wrinkled her forehead at the message, then entered in a quick response that she was on her way, and strode on up to beta level. Helix walked back into the men's barracks and announced as he reached his bunk, "Okay, I've sent the message to Persephone, Triton."
Sitting on his bunk, he gave a heavy sigh and thanked his friend for the favour. He was on strict probation, bound to his quarters for two sectons except for duties that Skyler was to assign him for the time being. Other than that, Triton was not even allowed out for meal periods in the mess hall or any other place on the Callisto.
A feeling in his lower gut gave him a pang of remorse, as he remembered Major Skyler's words that he and Persephone are prohibited from personal relations, other than professional, from this time forward. How was he to explain this to Persephone? Helix had to do it for him, as he didn't dare step outside of his billet, not even for a centon, if he was not outside by the Major's orders.
He felt terrible that Helix now had to do all the explaining for him.
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Post by Logan on Aug 6, 2009 11:42:21 GMT -6
Suddenly the door opened and Apollo marched in. "I need the room" he said simply, and everyone quickly shuffled out. "When Kalten gets up here bring him in" he said as he shut the war room door. Only Sheba and Kroll remained. "Okay, the kid gloves come off" Apollo snapped, advancing on Kroll.
"Apollo!" Sheba protested.
"Dancing around with this guy is a waste of time" Apollo said loudly. He reached Kroll the same time as Sheba did. Somehow Sheba was able to keep Apollo from getting a grip on him.
"Apollo, I'll get those warriors back in here if you don't settle down!" she shouted. Kroll squirmed and tried to back up in his seat. "Apollo!" Sheba shouted again.
"I've read the same reports that you have, Sheba" Apollo shouted back. Then the pain overtook his features and his voice softened. "We've all lost so much. If any of this is true... if it's real..."
"It's real, Commander" Kroll said softly.
"How?" Apollo asked. "You tell me how. If you were there the first time around, what happened? How did we fail?"
"I... I don't know" Kroll admitted. "I left the base and was heading to the colonies. The information was too valuable to risk transmitting. By the time I'd reached the colonies, all contact with the base had been lost. The Cylons launched their attack before I could find out what happened...." He looked Apollo in the eye. "You were there, Commander. My younger self will meet you, quite soon as a matter of fact."
Apollo took a step back, allowing Kroll to get up and move around. "It's haunted me, Commander," Kroll continued. "For a long time. And now we are on the verge of doing it all over again. We must do it right this time. We must save the colonies!"
"What were your... our plans?" Sheba asked. "How did we try to save the colonies the first time?"
"I don't know. You sent through, into the past, several shuttles with viper escorts. To start a dialog with the past, if you will. I was there to greet you. Imagine my surprise at seeing such an envoy! After all, to me Kalten had just entered the rift to scout the future, and suddenly in a matter of microns, you came through to our side."
"What took days here in the future took no time at all in the past?" Sheba asked.
Kroll nodded. "It's the nature of the rift." He waved a hand as if the details were too much to bother with."You convinced me that there would soon be an attack on the colonies. I turned over command of the base to you, Apollo, and set out for the colonies to see the president. Whatever it was you planned to do, you never got the chance. The base was lost, and the colonies shortly after that."
"How? What could have happened?" Apollo asked.
Kroll shrugged. "The temporal waves from your arrival into the past were much stronger than the three vipers that preceded you. My conclusion would be that this was picked up by baseships somewhere in the area. They could have investigated and destroyed the base."
"Could the waves themselves have destroyed the base?" Sheba wondered.
Kroll shook his head. "No". Then he walked up to the two commanders. "We can't fail this time Commanders! This time don't send two shuttles back. Send two battlestars! We lie in wait, destroy the basestars before they can get a signal off, then we head for the colonies!"
"If it all happened like you said" Apollo replied. "Maybe basestars destroyed the base. But instead, what if, after you left, I tried to bring the battlestars through, and the waves were so strong that this is what destroyed the base?"
A small smile, or perhaps a grimmace, crossed Kroll's face. "We can't know for that for certain, can we?"
"Yes we can" said a voice behind them all. It was Logan, with Kalten on one arm. On the other, a man that looked like Kalten's father. Only it wasn't his father...
"Commander" the older Kalten spoke, clearing his throat. He wasn't addressing Sheba or Apollo. He was looking past them, at Kroll, and past them all to events that took place so long ago. "I was one of the last to get off the base before it was destroyed. What I saw has haunted my days ever since."
"Where did you find him, Lieutenant?" Sheba asked Logan.
"He was there, with the younger Kalten, when I got there, m'am" Logan replied. The younger Kalten had a look of shock on his face, yet the older Kalten looked almost serene.
"It's fate, Commanders" the older Kalten said. "We all have been given a rare second chance. Let's do it right this time."
"No, no, no" the younger Kalten interrupted. "This cannot work." He turned to Kroll, trying to adjust to the aging features of a man he knew so well. "We've studied time. Studied paradoxes. Sure you can try something different but science teaches that the end result will be the same. This is all doomed to failure! Commander Kroll, tell them, sir...."
Kroll stayed silent, shaking his head slightly. At last he spoke. "Theories, young Kalten. Untested theories." He turned to Apollo. "I say we put them to the test, shall we?"
Apollo turned to the older Kalten. "I don't know what your story is. Where you've been, what you've been doing all these yarhens. Just tell me, what was it that destroyed the base?"
"My younger self is correct" the older Kalten replied. "It may be that no matter what we do, the end result will be what has already happened. But what I saw... from the deck of a transport... were the two battlestars coming through the portal, unable to defend themselves as basestars destroyed them piece by piece. The effect on the portal was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Space, matter, everything seemed to crackle with energy and the last thing I saw, or thought I saw.... was the entire planet vanishing as the rift grew wide enough to take everything through it. And then it was gone, everything gone. How my transport wasn't sucked in as well, I'll never know."
As Kroll spoke, Apollo could see the man's words come to life in his mind's eye. two battlestars...baseships destroyed them...piece by piece... He closed his eyes to dispel the cold dread these images evoked.
And opened them to whiteness. The conference room had disappeared and he was standing in pure light. No, not pure light, he thought as he looked down at his feet. His boots were on a solid surface and it took him less than a micron to realize that his boots were now white as well. His entire uniform was now white.
He looked up quickly, expelling the breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. The Ship of Lights.
No sooner had the thought came to him then he saw them. Two beings clothed entirely in white, shimmering. Their dark eyes the only part of them visible. They stood observing him and peace flowed over his body as he realized he was on the Ship of Light once more. It had been a long time, but he felt as if he had never left.
"Why am I here?", he asked.
They regarded him momentarily, then a voice came to him. It was inside his head and all around him at once, soothing but powerful. "You are at a crossroads, son of Man. Your path illuminated but you can not see it."
"What is the path?", Apollo took a step towards the beings, not afraid, but anxious to know why he had been brought here.
"The path is your own. You know in your heart what you must do."
Apollo knew that every fiber of his being was telling him to go through the rift. To set things right. To change a great wrong. But did he have that right? That power?
"You do have the right. It is your destiny. Do not deny it. It will come to pass as it was preordained," came the reply to his unspoken thoughts.
Apollo took a deep breath and shook his head. The feeling of certainty that flowed from these beings into him touched him with the solidity of matter. He closed his eyes to gain his bearings...
And opened them to see Sheba's face, eyes locked on his in question, the confines of the conference room seeming almost stifling after the Ship of Lights' calming atmosphere.
It was Apollo's turn to look serene. He placed an arm on the man's shoulder. "Everything happens for a reason. The Lords of Kobol spared your life that day so that you could be here, on this day, for our redemption."
"Apollo" Sheba spoke up.
Apollo cut her off. "No, Sheba. It makes sense. We've been given a test. A trial. For yahrens we've been tested. And we've been found worthy. We will go back. With everything we have. We've earned this second chance. A chance to get back everything we held so dear yet took so much for granted..."
"Or the chance to throw what lives we have left away on a gamble..."
Apollo shook his head. "It's no gamble."
"How can you be so certain?"
Apollo's serenity never wavered. "I've just been aboard a ship of lights. They are with us. They want to help."
Sheba opened her mouth, then shut it. She'd had dreams, they'd stayed with her over the yahrens. Of a magnificent ship of lights, it's interior bathed in light and... serenity. "I believe you" she said simply.
"And I believe you are all lunatics" the younger Kalten exclaimed. "Is this what passes for leadership in the future?"
The older Kalten looked at his younger self. "At your age I would have said such a thing, but I am older, wiser, and I've found the faith I was too immature to look for as a younger man. Commander Apollo, Commander Sheba, I believe we have a plan to put together?"
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