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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 10, 2005 8:36:35 GMT -6
The ship finally came into view. The Medical Frigate was quite large. It had it's own landing bay to transfer the sick and had it's own hospital ward. Most medical cases were handled on their own ships, but when things got really bad for someone in the fleet, they were transferred here. Of course, unless you were on a battlestar, where the service was top notch!
Once we landed, Arien and I disembarked and checked in with the deck officer. Arien and I asked where we could find our father and we were told that he was in his quarters right now. Arien and I headed for their living quarters for a date with destiny...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 12, 2005 11:09:35 GMT -6
I could feel Arien's hand shaking. She was very nervous. We passed several people along the way. The Medical Frigate was very white. The corridors were spotless and it had a very clean smell to it. They were not suffering over on this ship...
We came up to the door and stood outside. I took one last look at my sister and asked, "Are you ready?"
Arien swallowed and sputtered, "I've been ready for this for 28 yahrens."
I smiled and pushed the button on the door...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 15, 2005 9:10:12 GMT -6
The door slid open and standing behind was my mom. When she saw me, I could tell that she was very surprised to see me. We hadn't seen each other for several yahrens given the situation with the fleet, so any time I could come visit was a treat. She hugged me and begged me to come in, hardly noticing Arien standing off to the side. She was not used to having anyone with me.
"Charybdis, come in, how nice to see you! What brings you out to the Medical Frigate? You're alright, are you?" she asked and quickly shot up a hand to feel my forehead. Always a mother.
"I'm OK, mom. A lot has happened lately, but...nothing that can't be handled. Is dad here?"
"Yes, he is. He was taking a break from this morning's research. I'll get him." She went back to another room calling for my dad. I turned and saw that Arien was still standing outside the door. She was still very nervous.
I heard some voices and could tell my dad's voice from anybody's . "Son!" he bellowed out as he caught sight of me. He came over and gave me a hearty hug. It felt good. To have family. I briefly thought of all those who had none; who couldn't get a hug from their mothers or fathers. "So how are you doing? We have been hearing some strange stuff over the IFB, son. With that Brie woman and all...what in Hades Hole is going on over there on that battlestar of yours?"
"A lot, dad. A lot. But nevermind that right now. In fact, I have some more to drop on you all now. But it's good news this time. Great news."
My mom and my dad looked at each other and wondered what was up. "Well, son, what is it?" my dad asked.
"I don't know how to put this into words so I'll just show you." I stood aside and cleared the way from the door which was still open. "You can come in now, Arien."
At the first mention of her name, my parents looked at me sort of bewildered. They immediately brought to mind the name of their long lost daughter but why would I be saying something like that.
Then, she stepped out from behind the corridor wall and came into the room. They caught sight of her and their eyes locked. Tears began to well up in Ariens' eyes. The first time they had laid eyes on her parents since the fateful night of destruction so many yahrens ago.
My parents looked dumbstruck. They didn't know what was happening. My mom spoke first, a feeble shaking word, "Arien." And then, it all clicked. 28 yahrens had just evaporated into nothing. Arien and my mom and dad shot towards each other and enveloped themselves in an embrace that they thought would never come. "Arien!" my mom and dad cried. "But how?" they couldn't believe it...
I had to admit, I'm not much for crying, but the sight of my family being reunited brought tears to my eyes. For once, tears of utter joy...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 16, 2005 12:26:20 GMT -6
The stories kept coming and questions were answered. I think my dad never made it back to work that day. Whenever someone would call him or come by, he would start the whole story all over again. There were many smiles on that ship that day.
It was great to see them interact. The sister I had lost so long ago came back and now my parents were happy as ever to see their long-lost daughter come back to life as well. I was no longer an only child.
If only a similar situation could be said for my older brother, but I don't think the Lords of Kobol would be that kind to us! Having one come back to us was more than enough. We were thankful.
After several centars of the family reunion, my parents took us all over the Medical Frigate and dad introduced us to everyone he knew. I knew most of them from growing up on the ship during my early childhood, before I went to the Colonial Academy, but Arien had never been here. But it was nice to see how dad worked with all the flora and fauna that we passed and collected along the way and see how he tried to extract anything from them to make viable and useful medicines for our people. I found it interesting, but I'm not sure if I would want to make it my life after the military...after the military. Was it already 'after the military' for me?
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 25, 2005 8:43:56 GMT -6
A short while later, we came back to our quarters. While my mom and Arien went into the dining room, my dad came over to me. "Now, son, I can see something is bothering you. What's up?"
It should have been a joyous occasion, which it was, but life has way of biting you in the rear while you are looking forward. I shook my head. "Nothing really. I just..." I took a deep breath. My parents were always so proud of me. They were beaming when I graduated the academy. They were on cloud nine when I was elected leader of Gold squadron yahrens ago. And when I was promoted to Colonel and became SIC of the Callisto? Forget about it! They were the happiest people in the fleet, besides me. But now? How do I feel now?
"A lot has gone on, dad. The military is not what it used to be. You heard about Commander Apollo and what he did to Brie. How the whole thing was trumped up to catch this Major Pierce. It just doesn't add up. Commander Apollo would never do such a thing."
My dad could see the hurt and confusion in me. He knew that I loved being a Colonial Warrior. Knew that I could never be anything else. I think that's what made it hard for him to hear this...
"I'm on leave from my duty. I found out that Commander Sheba was part of Apollo's plan. I had to get away. I had to think this through. Dad, I thought that Apollo and Sheba were the finest people the human race had to offer. And they do this? And to Brie, of all people! Brie..." I shook my head. I remembered the accusations she hurled at me and the hurt in her eyes as she accused me of not being her friend. It had hurt. More than she ever knew. The truth that had never come out, all these yahrens of being side by side with her...
My dad brought me back to the present, "Son, you have to understand and I don't have to tell you this, but Apollo and Sheba have never let us down. They face tremendous pressures all the time, as do all of you. We all owe you Warriors our very lives. And this Pierce. From what we heard he would have destroyed the entire fleet if he could have. He was no better than those Cylons! Did you ask Sheba why she did this?"
I realized that I had not. I questioned her alright, but I didn't give her a chance to answer. I had gotten it into my head that they were to blame and nothing was going to change my mind. I saw that I was just as quick to judge as others were apparently juding me, like Brie.
Suddenly in a rush of elucidation, I realized that throught the wisdom of someone who had been through it all already, my dad, he could make me see that maybe some people needed another chance. To explain themselves. To give their reasons. It's all that I was asking. Perhaps all was not lost?
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 25, 2005 9:55:15 GMT -6
The evening came and we had a very nice family dinner. The first in 28 yahrens! Arien was happy. Happier than I had seen her since we rescued her and the people onboard the CQ...
We were each shown our rooms once it got late and in a funny way, it seemed almost as if we were right back in our house on Caprica so long ago. Funny how some things change, but others do not. Those childhood memories came flooding back. Some were good, some weren't, mostly because of how it all came to an abrupt end that terrible night.
I got into bed and was looking for a peaceful night's rest. I fell asleep quickly and was suddenly dreaming. The first images were of me and my brother in our yard. We were children playing with some new toy. I turned to ask my brother a question and he slowly faded away into nothingness! I reached out and grasped at his ghostly image but I could not touch him. My arm passed right through him as he totally vanished.
Just as quickly, my dream jumped ahead many yahrens. I was in the officer's mess at the academy onboard the Galactica. I was sitting at a small table with my friend Turner. We were going through the academy together, although he was a few yahrens older than I. We were drinking some sort of beverage when our eyes caught hold of someone we had never seen before. She was a red-headed bombshell! I remember that Turner almost spilled his drink in his lap when he first saw her. So did I...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 26, 2005 10:14:40 GMT -6
The next scene came fast upon the last. I had come in from a routine patrol and when I checked back in to my crew's quarters, no one was there. All the bunks were empty. I went about putting my flight helmet back and taking off my jacket at my locker. That's when I heard something. A muffled laugh, was it?
I heard it again. It sort of sounded as if it came from one of the supply cabinets across the room. I heard a thump. I walked over slowly and heard it again. Something was in the supply cabinet! I quickly pulled the latch and opened the door. What I found was not what I expected! Inside were Turner and Brie as red-faced as any Sagittarian sunspot. "Charybdis!" Turner stammered.
"What are you two doing?" I asked. "Nothing. No one was here. We just wanted...privacy," he muttered. Brie was smiling but watching him with those eyes. She got out of the cabinet and Turner followed her. "Look buddy, you won't say anything will you?" he said.
I rolled my eyes. How many times had he asked me that question? "No. I won't. Just uh...you might want to pick a better place next time, like a launch tube!"
"Thanks, man. I owe you one. See ya." He patted me on the back and both of them left. My gaze followed them, or more precisely, followed Brie until they left the quarters. I turned to look back at the empty supply cabinet. I had an empty feeling inside of me.
Turner was a friend. He was a good friend of mine, but lately something had changed that I couldn't quite put into words. But I sure could feel it...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 26, 2005 10:23:10 GMT -6
Next scene: I was on a flight ops duty station late one cycle. All the young Lieutenants had to pull this duty every once in awhile. Basically, you sit at a large console and monitor the screens that showed all the flight decks, launch tubes, etc. and make sure nothing is out of the ordinary.
THis particular cycle, as I was checking through the systems, I noticed that one of the monitors was out. I checked it to make sure nothing was wrong with it and it was OK. Then, I saw it. The activator was turned off! This was out of the ordinary. When I punched the button to turn it back on, the screen flickered to life. There on the screen in full color was Turner and Brie smooching in the launch tube!!
"What the frack? He actually took my advice!" I muttered to no one in particular. I chuckled at first, but then as I watched them for a moment, I started to get that feeling again. He was holding her in his arms. And she was loving him with that body...
I quickly turned the screen off. I couldn't watch. I just couldn't...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 30, 2005 10:32:40 GMT -6
I awoke with a start. I looked around and remembered that I was in a different place. My old room on the Medical Frigate. It was sort of like home, at least, another home other than my quarters on the Callisto. I thought about my quarters there. I had left so quickly. And with the Elmer suicide thing still going on, my quarters were still sealed for the investigation. But I felt comfortable here. I knew that my parents were there and my sister. Things seemed OK.
I drifted off to sleep once again and the dreams started quickly.
Turner, Brie and I were sitting at a table in the Galactica's observation lounge. We were still ensigns at the time. They were holding hands and laughing. We were having a good time. But deep down, I played along with the charade whenever they were around. I felt so dirty when they started talking cute but there was nothing I could do.
I excused myself and walked out. At the door, I turned back and saw them laughing. They were my friends. And that's how they would always stay no matter what...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Aug 30, 2005 10:41:20 GMT -6
I woke up again. The images fresh. What the frack was happening? Why were these things coming into my mind? Why was I so suddenly obsessed with what happened yahrens ago? What was it about Brie?
I got up and went to the turbowash. I looked in the mirror and saw myself. I wondered what Brie thought of me? Or more importantly, what she didn't see?
All through the yahrens, I had been funny. I had been cool with her, the way that sort of thing is supposed to be. But...
I snapped back to reality and splashed some cold water on my face. I had to stop this...I had briefly thought about Turner's death. How that affected her. How it affected me. I told myself that there could never be something between Brie and I, especially after Turner died. I owed it to her to be her good friend. But even that was now gone with all that happened as of late.
Maybe that was it. The stress, the pressure of all of this. Maybe that's why I couldn't get her out of my mind.
I returned to my bed and went back to sleep...
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