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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:42:20 GMT -6
Amy81
I started feeling pretty good as I walked the decks of the great Callisto. I had been through a lot but amazingly I felt fine. I still had some throbbing in my arm and wrist, and if I made a sudden move I could feel the dull aches from my bruises, but I was still in one piece, and for that I was grateful to the lords.
I turned down a hallway that looked familiar. Where exactly was I? It dawned on me as I saw several black shirts leaning against the wall at the far end of the corridor. I hesitated for the briefest of moments, barely noticeable, then I kept on walking.
As I got nearer to them, they looked up at me and stopped talking. I flashed a smile and said hello in a friendly yet detached way, but they said nothing. Their eyes just followed me as I walked past. I suddenly felt very cold from their stare, and with all my might I resisted the urge to look back at them. I felt as if I would be hit from behind at any moment. Yet I made it to the corner without incident and kept on my way. In the background I could hear their fading conversation begin again.
Jeez, Amy, what's with the nerves? Must be some deep seeded reaction due to what happened to me earlier. Was I always going to be jumpy around black shirts? I hadn't realized that I could have such an involuntary reaction. I thought of the O-club and a nice big mug of ambrosia, but rejected it. If I leaned on drink now, I might head down a road that may be too hard to get back from. I took some deep breaths, and kept walking.
I headed to the observation deck, and it's view of the launching bay. On a hunch I felt that I might find Mara there. Sure enough, she was there, looking out over the bay and it's bustling activity. She was drawn here the way I was drawn, by a feeling of being left behind. Well, we were. And it bothered me now more than any time since I had resigned from the service.
"Hey Mara" I called out as I got close.
"Hey, stranger!" she replied. We shared the friendly embrace of two buddies.
"You're looking great" we both said at once, then we both broke out laughing. Well, all things considered, we both DID look pretty good, as good as two girls who had been through the ringer could look.
I looked out at the view. "Miss it, don't you" I said as a half question, half statement of fact.
"You know it, girl" Mara replied. "Do you?"
"More than I expected I would" I said honestly, still staring out the window.
"I still think your resignation is a mistake."
"I'm beginning to see that, I think", I replied.
"See?" Mara said teasingly, "If you would have listened to me way back when, you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble."
I looked over at her. "You are right" I said simply. Not much else I could say to a statement as true as that one. Time to change the subject. "I'm SO HAPPY for you Mara, about your plans to be sealed with Skyler!" Mara's face lit up instinctively. "Tell me all about it! What's he like? I want to hear it all!"
Mara threw her head back and laughed. I broke out in a big grin. Like always, Mara was so much fun to be with.
MaraJadeJedi
MaraJade couldn't help but laugh at Amy's questions. Sighing as they both headed away from the launch bay, one reason to get away from the thoughts of wishing we could go. Mara and Amy headed to the O'club and as they walked along she could feel Amy tense up when they walked near the black shirts. "Don't worry Amy, I am here and I got my blaster with me. They can't hurt you anymore!" Amy smiled and Mara knew that it was going to take some time. They sat down at a table and started talking. "Amy that's a beautiful necklace! Where'd ya get it?" Amy put her hand over it and turned bright red. "Najinn got it for you?!" Amy looked down. "Oh Amy! Not again!!! When are you gonna decide as to which one you gonna be with? You need to do it now or the pain will be too much to bear for which ever one you don't choose." Amy just nodded. Mara could tell she was having a hard time. "So Mara, what is Skyler like? You didn't tell me!" "Skyler is my everything! He makes me melt with his smile, and burn like tylinium fire with his kiss. He makes me feel alive, like I was never living before him. I do have to say thank you for dressing me up that night! And since you had a lot to do with me and Skyler meeting, I want you to stand up at my wedding. You, Brie, Kris and Jarrynn. You guys are my pals and mean the world to me! So Amy what do you say?"
Amy81
My face lit up with surprise and delight. "I'd LOVE to be a part of your sealing ceremony, Mara! Anything you need, anything at all, I'll be right there to help." I paused for a moment, with a big smile, before continuing. "Let's just heal up real good, so we aren't hobbling to the altar!"
Bkj_99
Doc could see that Jarryn was really concern. "I'll take another look at the file and get back to you, ok?" Jarryn nodded. Doc had several other things to do and decided it was best that she not make known where she kept her locked files. She would look up Nats' file when things were quiet and the patients were asleep.
=================
Now that everyone was settled in for the night Doc decided to go into her private files and look up Nats' background information. She studied the file carefully, returning it only after having satisfied herself with its' contents. Returning the keys to her pocket she walked out of her office to look for Jarryn. Closing the door to her office and checking to make sure Holodoc had things under control, she headed over to the officers lounge. Doc had barely walked in the door when she spotted Jarryn coming towards her. " You're just the person I was looking for" Doc stated. Motioning for Jarryn to sit at the table Doc began. "I've looked at the file you were concerned about and I think you should let things alone. Those in command are more aware of things then you may be aware off. I really think you should back off of this one." Before Jarryn could reply Doc ordered them both a drink. Then awaited Jarryn's reply....
Expatkiwi
Two of the escorting Gold Squadron vipers were stationed below and to the front of the shuttle while the other two were postioned behind and above. Lt. Cain and Ens. Ariana were in the front pair while Ens. Kiwi and Ens. Serene made up the tail end of the formation. Kiwi noted that Serene kept in close formation. Under Brie's orders, radio silence was being maintained so all the pilots had to go on were hand and light signals. That suited Kiwi. This mission is going to be a tough one and he hoped that he could come out of it alive. He looked down at Jarryn's charm which was attached to his viper's control column. She had been so busy lately and they had not much time together since that assasaination attempt back in Life Station. Kiwi loved Jarryn intensely and hoped that after this mission, both could find time to be together and to talk about their future....... Frack! Kiwi abruptly swerved his viper as Serene's viper suddenly veered in close. Kiwi pulled back and with hasty hand signals demanded what the hell she was doing. Selene signalled back an apology. Her face was pale. Kiwi shook his head. Serene muct not have done too much close-in formation flying. With another group of hand signals, Serene repositioned her viper a little farther away from Kiwi's. Meanwhile, the formation headed in closer to the target.
Brie
All was quiet aboard the shuttle. Brie took over the controls, giving Skyler a much needed break. "I wish I was in my viper," Skyler commented.
"Don't we all," Brie replied. Skyler took a seat next to Najinn and they talked quietly for a centon or two. Brie tuned it out, thinking about the mission. She knew that her career depended on the outcome. If she didn't perform what she set out to do, Commander Sheba would take away the squadron.
The thought of being "just" a viper pilot again didn't really bother Brie. It was all that she had ever wanted to do. When she had joined the academy most female warriors were sent to the bridge or became shuttle pilots. Brie fought long and hard to become a viper pilot like her mother before her. Giving up the squadron, letting someone else worry about the decisions...it was an idea that ALMOST appealed to her.
No. She had been given leadership of the squadron for a reason. Her fellow warriors had voted her captain not once but twice. They had faith in her, and she was going to do her best to prove that it wasn't misplaced. She wouldn't let them, or Commander Sheba, down.
LucianG
Lieutenant Merak kept the Black Squadron shuttle tucked in the line just a short distance behind the Gold Squadron Shuttle. Flight plan programming was complete and had been verified, so the shuttle was effectively flying itself. Still, he wanted to keep a pilot in the seat through the entire flight, just in case someone in one of the other small ships was to make a sudden, unexpected move. It would be about eight centars before the separation point, where Black One would separate from the others, and would be truly on its own for about another two centars until it landed on Alpha.
Anubis took the first shift in the captain's seat, while Merak went back to review the recon photos once more with the other members of the team. Wendy and Lusitan were checking on Stadia, who had evidently fallen asleep and had a bad dream.
Lieutenant Kris was reviewing her mission information on her monitor when a small light started to flash. She pressed the icon, which informed her that she was the recipient of a time delayed message. Wondering what could be so important, she opened the message....
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:43:03 GMT -6
MedievalSong
Lt Kris stared at her monitor in disbelief.*******
The message was from Nat. What was most incredible about it was that he tried to explain about this Sharla and who she was. He even included a photo of her! I sat back and stared blankly at the screen. There was so much he still needed to explain and I was more confused more than ever. I looked at the photo again. He hinted that the cicumstances that he and Sharla came together were uhm different and he couldn't disclose why or how. It still hurt to read what I did, and I wasn't sure what was going on. Granted I would need to wait till I got back to hear him out. But it was still fresh and it still hurt. I switched off my monitor and sat back. I just hoped no one else noticed I was getting upset again.
Expatkiwi
It popped into Kiwi's head as he maintained formation with Selene's viper in the "Tail End Charlie" position: KCAB EMOCLEW. Kiwi wondered about this thought, then smiled as he comprehended it's meaning. With that thought in mind, The two trailing vipers of Gold Shuttle Group continued onto it's destination.
Walksallroads
Someone had taken over the controls, and he looked around for a moment. He sat before Kris, who looked upset. Without even knowing the cause of her disquiet, he assumes a meditative position, arms crossed on his chest, eyes closed. For a moment, he looks more like a relief from a sarcophagus than a man, but then he speaks. "Meditaite with me. You're not focused, and that could get us all killed."
Kris simply looks at him, wondering how he could know, not fully realizing his enhanced senses have picked up on a few minor physiological changes. He starts humming a low note, to give her something to focus on, and before she realizes it, they're about to land.
LucianG
Several centars pass. The shuttles reach the break point and separate. Gold goes their way, and Black goes the other way.
Lt_Skyler
Lt. Skyler entered the atmosphere at the coordinates that were prefeed into the navigation computer. So far so good he thought. As they approached the ground, Brie looked over his shoulder and pointed out where she wanted the Shuttle to land. Skyler eased back on the thrusters, and banked the shuttle to port. Then gently set her down. Flipping a switch the rear ramp dropped allowing anyone onboard to disembark quickly. Brie, Skyler and Najinn gathered their gear and climbed into the Ram. Skyler strapped in, put on his old Armor helmet and fired up the engines on the Ram. Grabbing the steering clutches, and put his feet on the brakes. Shifting into gear he drove down the ramp. Once out of the shuttle he entered a key code on the console and the Shuttle's hatch closed. Then a small tower extended from the top of the shuttle, and fired camo netting in several directions. Once it had settled over the shuttle, you about had to bump into it to find it. Najinn had climbed into the gunners chair. Skyler had given him the quick course on firing it if needed. Najinn selected a round, and it was auto loaded into the breach. Brie climbed into the Track Commanders chair, put on her helm and looked thru the view finder. Once they had their bearings they she gave the course directions to Skyler, he shifted into gear, and opened up the throttle. The Ram roared across the landscape, its sensors scanning for any form of weapons or lifeforms. It took Skyler a few minutes to get adjusted to driving a Ram again, but it came back to him real quick. Keying the internal comm system "Sit back and enjoy the ride. The meter is ticking, and there are always happy costumers at Ram Taxi."
Brie cracked a smile. Skyler always seemed to face the unknown with humor, and it helped others ease their fears. She knew she had made the right choice with her selection of him and Najinn for this mission....
Brie
"Sit back and enjoy the ride. The meter is ticking, and there are always happy costumers at Ram Taxi."
Being on land was always strange for Brie. Although she was fifteen when the colonies were destroyed, she had never lived on a planet. She had been born on the Battlestar Columbia and after her parents were killed she was raised on a military orphan ship. Sometimes Brie wondered why anyone would WANT to live on a planet. On a battlestar the temperature didn't change, you didn't have to worry about precipitation and the ground was always level. Still, being on land gave Brie a thrill that she didn't experience often.
From the land ram Brie had to hide her excitement, but Skyler picked up on it. "Has it been THAT LONG since you've been on land?" he half teased, half asked.
"It's been awhile," Brie replied. The ride was bumpy, like it always was on land. No wonder most warriors claimed that they would rather be in their viper. Brie took a deep breath and concentrated. She needed to think more about why she was there. She checked the transmitter in the heel of her boot, it was working. She hoped that everything else would work as well.
Expatkiwi
After the shuttle had landed, the four escorting vipers formed up into a Finger Four Formation and headed back into the outer atmosphere for an area scan. Kiwi was monitoring the ground area on his scanner, but didn't pick up anything hostile so far in the vicinity of the landing site. He pulled up alongside Cain's viper and with hand signals, indicated the information to him. Cain nodded and signaled for Kiwi to move back into formation.
LucianG
At the break point, Lieutenant Merak, who was now back in the pilot’s seat, peeled Black One out of the generally linear formation, and headed it toward its destination on the moon Frodar Epsilon Alpha. The flight path, that had been carefully chosen after much heated debate by the mission planners, brought the ship in from out of the sun, but allowed it to sweep in very fast at a very shallow angle to the landing zone. With no atmosphere on Alpha, there would be no tell-tale vapor trails to alert the Cylons of their arrival. If, on the other hand, there actually was a very thin atmosphere close to the planet, as believed by the minority of the planners based on some distortion in the few survey photos available, a small vapor trail might form near the surface. There had been numerous complaints by the mission planners about the initial survey not being completed due to the brash actions of one former Warrior. Therefore, a shallow approach in the darkness to a point further away from the Cylon colony would give the shuttle the best chance of arriving undetected.
With everyone strapped into their seats, Merak and Anubis brought the shuttle in on the scheduled flight path. At about 2,000 meters, the hull temperature started to rise, as wisps of atmosphere were encountered. As the shuttle arced gently downward, the exterior temperature continued to rise, but samples quickly showed that the atmospheric pressure was quite low. Lieutenant Stadia began running a sample collected in one of the intake tubes to determine if the air was breathable.
“There it is,” said Merak, observing their destination on the 3-D image displayed on the monitor. “Braking thrusters to full, VTOL active.”
“All systems check…positive descent…at current braking rate, vertical descent begins in an estimated…80 microns,” replied Anubis. To the crew, he said, “Prepare for landing. There are numerous boulders in the crater, so we may have to move around a little to find a clear landing field. Hold tight.”
Less than a centon later, the engine sound in the compartment changed slightly, and the ship began to drop toward the ground. Using maneuvering thrusters only, Merak shifted the horizontal position several meters, until Anubis, carefully studying the readouts, confirmed a suitable site with a six percent cross-slope. As the ship settled onto the moon’s surface, Merak waited to cut the engines until he was sure it would not be settling into a dust bank. Sensing that it was indeed solid, he cut the engines, and a flurry of activity began.
As everyone prepared to enter the Heavy Assault Land Ram, Stadia announced, “Folks, I don’t think you want to be caught out there without your enviro-suit. If the low pressure didn’t kill you first, you’d suffocate in just a few centons. What little air there is sure isn’t capable of supporting human life.”
“Wonderful,” said Kris, quite sarcastically, as Lusitan nodded.
After glancing at the results, Merak smiled and said, “Well, we can thank the Lords for small favors. You won’t need the helmet inside the Ram, and when you do have to get out, it doesn’t look like your suit will try to melt off of you like what happened to the Gold Squad folks who got stranded on Shonada Delta. Now, let’s get going and figure out how to get out of this crater. We’re about 50 kilometers away from our objective, and we’re running out of time.”
As Lusitan drove the LandRam out of the shuttle a couple of centons later, its dimmed lights cut a few meters into the darkness. The Warriors weren’t happy about this, since it made them visible from a distance, but since the uniform cold prevented the nightsight system from displaying useful information, it was necessary. Lucian drove slowly as he threaded the Ram up the rock-strewn incline toward the top of the crater.
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:47:27 GMT -6
Stadia
Grins at her fellow team memebers as she puts her battle gear in order. She cheeks the her blaster and its chqarge level. she puts it into the bag with her enviroment suit.
"Kris, I would leave the sarcasm behind. Do you know what happens when a body is exposed to vacumn?"
Kris looks at her and shrugs her shoulders.
"Your blood will actually boil. Your eyes...well lets just say the whole process is very ugly." She takes out the main part of her suit to check for holes. She bumps around as the ram hits a bump on the surface. she then takes out her helmet and runs her hand over it.
Satisfied that nothing is wrong, she replaces the equipment into the bag. She sits back in her seat and takes the opportunity to catch some more sleep.
She murmurs to herself, "I hope I dont dream of home again."
LucianG
It had been a long trip already, and they weren't even a third of the way. Operating in the reduced gravity made controlling one's movements somewhat more difficult, so the Warriors tired more easily than normal. All were beginning to look tired and somewhat disheveled.
They’d traveled about fourteen kilometers, climbing up out of the crater, through some small foot hills, and then up through a mountain pass that had turned out to be much more hazardous than they’d been led to believe by the folks in Cartography. Merak had ordered the LandRam to back up frequently, and take a slightly different, or in a couple of cases, a drastically different route around obstacles. The LandRam was capable of climbing over most objects, but some crevasses were just too wide, and some obstacles were just too wide or too sharp for them to take a risk. All of the Black Squadron Warriors knew that if their Ram broke down, it was a long walk to Cylon-town, and even upon arriving, their reception there wouldn’t be all that friendly. Therefore, progress was slow.
“Lieutenant Merak, we’ve got a 120 meter wide by 50 meter deep ravine 1.2 kilometers ahead on current course,” said Lieutenant Wendy, who was monitoring the land-scan. “I’m plotting a route around it. It will add about two kilometers to the trip, but we won’t roll over that way. Entering now.”
Further to the rear, Anubis, Kris, and Stadia were napping, getting what sleep they could prior to their next turn operating the LandRam. Anubis closed his eyes in meditation, relaxing his mind and body, while Kris and Stadia each seemed to have settled into a fitful slumber. When Anubis opened his eyes, he focused on the eye movements and breathing of the two female Warriors, and determined that it was likely they were dreaming.
On the upper gun, Lusitan watched diligently, ready for action if they were discovered, but knowing that if they were, their mission would have failed. Aerial scans were being kept to a minimum, in an effort to prevent any nearby wandering Cylons from picking up the unusual activity and discovering their position.
In the operator’s seat, Merak continued to watch the space around the LandRam and the monitors. At the current rate of three to four kilometers per centar, he knew that another delay such as this was not good. Every centon in the open gave the Cylons another opportunity to discover them, so they had to keep pushing onward. Assuming there were no further delays, they should be to the bottom of the mountains in about three to four centars, and then, they’d be able to make better time through the hills to the Cylon colony.
MedievalSong
Lt Kris sat there napping in a fittful sleep.
I felt lost in a world out of control in my dream. I saw two men- one was my poppa and the other was Nat. There was someone else in the back ground but I couldn't tell who. I saw my poppa leave again as I cried out for him not to leave us. But he was gone. Then I tried to reach out to Nat but someone had a hold of him. It was another female. He too disappeared. So I sat there alone in the dark as the world tummbled around me. I woke up and looked around and the tummbling I felt was from the LandRam. I looked sheepishly hoping I didn't say anything foolish in my dreams. Trying to break the serious cloud over us. I whispered. "are we there yet?" and tried not to giggle.
Brie
As the land ram moved forward, there was a slight blip. "Someone is tracking us," Lt. Skyler informed Brie.
"Human or Cylon?" Brie asked.
"Can't tell," Skyler replied.
"Let's assume that they're friendly, until we know otherwise," Brie decided. "But Najinn, as our gunner stay alert...just in case."
As the land ram continued on it's journey the three warriors all began to feel a bit uneasy. Nothing was known about the colony of humans living there. How long had they lived under Cylon oppression? Why had the Cylons allowed them to live? Were they from the thirteenth tribe? And how would they react to a group of strangers telling them they had to leave the only home that they ever knew?
Najinn
Najinn sat up top of the land ram scanning the horizon.
"Hey, Capt', what are we planning to do if we do run into Cylons?"
"Well, Lt, we'll deal with that when it happens."
"Don't get me wrong, I fully understand our mission, but aren't we playing the bait out here. I can understand us having the rescue team, our little commando friends out there, but I don't know, I just feel pretty out on a limb out here. Is it me or do you feel the same?"
"I'll this much Capt', I'm glad I've got my hands on this Blaster Cannon, if any Cylon so much as pops up and says hello I'm gonna redesign his shiny metal head."
Brie and Skyler laughed, as the Land Ram moved forward the landscape rolled out around them. Not exactly a friendly environment, but one that they had to explore. The mission demands, the warrior serves.
Brie
Brie was enjoying the irony of it all. If they were on the Callisto, Najinn wouldn't be allowed to have his side-arm until his probation was over but now, he was manning a blaster cannon. Not quite the "dangerous" warrior that the Black Shirts thought that he was. Somehow, having him work with fleet security upon their return seemed just plain silly. Brie debated in her mind if she should mention this to Commander Sheba.....if they made it back to the Callisto alive.
LucianG
The situation in the Frodar system had suddenly gone from bad enough to much worse. The latest report was being read by each of the senior staff members sitting in Commander Sheba’s Ready Room.
A couple of centars after the mission teams landed, there had still been no increased sign of danger, and it appeared that no one or nothing had detected the presence of the Callisto, which was cloaked in high equatorial orbit. In addition, it seemed that no one had sighted the mission teams. Sheba had ordered the ship to drop back to Medium Alert, so most of the Warriors had been allowed to leave their Vipers, and return to normal duties or rest rotations, subject, as always, to immediate recall. Now, it looked like the Warriors would be needed in their Vipers again after all.
“It was detected coming out of the jump thirty-two centons ago by the buoy we dropped in the outer part of the system. It transmitted via FTL uplink, so we know they arrived, and we detected the launch of six patrols of three Raiders each. At that point, the buoy went on a one centon transmission cycle using compressed microbursts to limit their capability to locate us. We have received nothing from the buoy in the last twelve centons, so it is presumed destroyed.”
“Thank you, Major CureMode,” said Sheba. “We are faced with a dilemma. Our local system speed is still limited to about three quarters of normal maximum due to the on-going ‘final’ repairs in the damaged engine compartment, which unfortunately, have not been completed as quickly as anticipated. We have two teams in need of support: on Frodar Epsilon and on its Alpha moon. If we leave to go stop the Base-Star, or possibly by now, Base-Stars, they will not have the help they need to complete their missions. Even worse, those involved in Black Ball might not even survive, and we don’t know how the Gold Squadron Warriors will even be received by the Colonials on the planet. We cannot communicate with our teams without exposing them. We cannot send their support teams to land near the mission teams without potentially exposing them, the launched ships, and ourselves. We cannot launch Vipers to go take on the Base-Star or Stars since we don’t have enough Warriors or ships to do this and complete our current mission. This one’s also limited by fuel and by the fact that if we launch from anywhere nearby, we’re exposing ourselves, our forces, and our teams to those below. If you’ve noticed, there were far too many ‘cannots’ in these scenarios, and far too few ‘cans.’ Options! That’s what we must have...and quickly.”
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:48:06 GMT -6
Lucian
On another part of the ship, Captain Urdea finally had his chance to talk to Lieutenant, or possibly, civilian, Amy. He’d arranged the appointment just as the mission teams were landing. A short time later, he arrived at Captain Brie’s quarters. After buzzing the door and identifying himself, Amy allowed him to enter.
When he saw her standing before him in civilian clothes for the first time, he hesitated for a moment. He took a sharp breath, held it for a moment, then exhaled slowly, while grasping his chest with his right hand. As he exhausted the breath, he extended the right hand in greeting, formally introducing himself to the young Warrior, or civilian, for the first time.
“Are you okay, Captain?” Amy asked, concerned for him, since she had never had a chance to meet him. She’d seen him in the distance from time to time, but she knew nothing about his the state of his health.
“Why, yes, thank you,” he sputtered, “just a…pain in my…leg. Sometimes, my prosthetic...anyway, it’s an old story.” He rubbed his left knee briefly, then looking up, said, “Abby—,” his face tensed as he realized his error, “I’m sorry—Amy, I have numerous questions for you about the recent actions in which you have been involved. I know you have talked to Lieutenant Proteus and to Sergeant Luecia a little bit, but I think there is more in your memory than you may even know. With your information, which you may not even know you possess, I hope we will make some quick breakthroughs. My top priorities are to solve these crimes against you and our ship, and to ensure your safety.”
Amy81
I walked with Captain Urdea over to the couch and we sat down. Urdea kept looking at me, yet I'm not sure what he was seeing when he did so. There was a fondness in his eyes, a gentleness there, not directed at me perhaps, but maybe at something he saw in me. I'm not sure what to make of it all, but I felt comfortable and relaxed with him.
"Well, sir" I began, "It all started with a note I found in my locker at Gold barracks."
"Do you still have the note, possibly?" he asked. I shook my head and saw the disappointment cross his face. "Go on, please", he said.
"The note said that someone had information about what had been going on, you know, with the trouble with fleet security and the warriors. I didn't have much time to decide because the note specified a certain time frame that was almost up."
"So you went, alone." Urdea shook his head. It almost seemed like he would break out in a fatherly scolding about my foolishness, but he said nothing more. After a moment of silence, I continued.
"I went above the engines, where I met someone who turned out to be Skuzzy." Urdea smiled at the nickname. "Well", I said, "that's what we call him anyway. He warned me about the trouble, that there are elements in fleet security that plot against the current leadership."
"Did he give you any specifics?"
I shook my head. "He didn't have a chance. We were surprised by a group of bl--, fleet security people. At least they wore the uniform. It got rough and I was knocked out." I unconsciously fingered my still aching wrist. "I think Adrian saved me from being killed right there."
"Did you recognize any of these men? The ones that attacked you."
I disappointed him again. "I had trouble seeing really. My meeting with Skuzzy took place in the dark. The lights came up quick and I never really got a good look at their faces. I got some good shots in, though. Maybe you could ID some of them by mysterious bruises or something."
Urdea smiled at me. It was a look that conveyed the feeling that I didn't quite understand how these investigations worked. Maybe I didn't. He wasn't going to come right out and say it though. He was concerned about my feelings, which made me wonder a little. I'd never run across a man like him before. Did he treat everyone this way?
"When I woke up, Adrian was there. He cared for me a little, and said that he was behind the attacks on me and the trouble that had been going on. I really didn't believe him though."
"And why is that?"
I hesitated to answer. It was my turn to worry about his feelings. Being head of fleet security, I dind't know how the news would affect him. But, he must know if he is ever going to solve this mystery. "Because" I began with more hesitation, "Skuzzy told me that my Viper had been sabotaged. I wasn't supposed to return from Shonada Delta. I just couldn't believe Adrian was capable of such a thing."
Urdea looked like I had just sucker punched him. He paused, breathing deeply, trying to gather himself. I put out a hand onto his shoulder. He reached up and brushed the hair back from the side of my face. He looked deeply hurt, more than I figured he would. Here was another of his reactions, so deeply concerned for me.
"I'm so sorry, Ab-, Amy" he said. "That I could have let such a thing go on right under my nose..."
I smiled reasuringly at him. "Nothing happened that I didn't walk away from, so don't take it out on yourself. Whoever these people are, they seem to be burrowed in pretty deep. Noone knows about them, really. So don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."
It took him a few moments to recover completely. But he did, and seemed to be over it, or at least he had filed it away with the other information he had gathered so far. "What happened then?" he asked at last.
"Some men burst in on me. Adrian tried to stop them. I couldn't really fight back, and they knocked me out. Next I knew, I was in medlab." I shrugged, giving him a look telling him I wish I knew more.
Urdea seemed disappointed. "Nothing more, about what happened before the explosion? Think hard, Amy." I thought back, really wracking my brain, trying to come up with something more for him. I really wanted to please him. Then I remembered.
"I do remember one more thing. I was on the floor in a room. It looked like an engine compartment or something. There was this noise, like a whine. It got louder and higher as it went on. The room got really bright too. I tried to move but I hurt so badly I couldn't. I had my hands up over my ears. Then I felt someone next to me, trying to move me. I guess it was Adrian. And then the explosion happened, and I went black again. And Adrian...." My voice trailed off. Adrian sacrificed himself for me. I just couldn't say the words.
Urdea smiled at me. "Amy, thank you. You have been most helpful. It has been a pleasure meeting you, and talking with you." He struggled to his feet, and I placed a steadying hand on his arm. We walked to the door. "Nice meeting you too sir. I wish I could have helped you more."
"If anything else comes to mind, please contact me." He hesitated, then continued. "If it might be possible, I would very much like to meet with you for lunch or coffee sometime, if you could bear the company of an old man."
"I'd love it" I smiled. He nodded happily, and shuffled outt he door. It closed behind him. I stood there for the longest moment, thinking about Urdea. He had called me Abby several times by mistake. He thought I didn't notice, but I had. Now why did he call me that? Did he know my mom?
LucianG
There was a period of discussion, with ideas being pitched out, batted around, then shot down. The pressure was building when one of the Communications Techs came in with a new report from the buoy that had been thought to have been destroyed. Visual contact with the Base-Star was now being maintained on a fifteen centon cycle instead of one centon cycle as had been programmed. Someone said something about “that damned quality control.”
Curiously, the Base-Star was moving very slowly, and was being flanked by a number of Raiders. A close-up visual showed that the Base-Star’s local engines appeared to be damaged. Cylon work parties were swarming on the exterior of the ship making repairs to portions of the ship.
Commander Sheba smiled and said, “It appears that Science Officer Solon’s little present to our Cylon friends was well delivered, if not well received!" A round of applause was given the elderly man, who was sitting quietly near the end of the table. He appeared to blush slightly, but there was still a happy grin on his face as Sheba continued, "Lieutenant Titon, based on what you see here, can you give us a rough guess as to how much time we have before they are back up to full speed?”
Titon, who was not and had never claimed to be an expert on the engineering systems of Base-Stars, was very reluctant to estimate, but based on the missing hull sections, he ‘guessed’ that it would take at least a cycle, and maybe two. He cautioned that this was a gut feeling, and that he had no real way of telling.
“Understood, Lieutenant,” Sheba replied. “We hold here for now, under communications silence, with full cloak. We need to be ready to launch on short notice, but for now, let’s let our Warriors get some rest. That goes for all of you, too. We’ll probably need them and you before long. Let’s just hope our forces on the planet below and on the moon complete their jobs quickly.”
Sheba then asked, “Any comments or questions?” Hearing none, she continued, “Dismissed everyone...and may the Lords be with us all.”
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:48:41 GMT -6
LucianG
Since Lieutenant Colonel Charybdis was temporarily off duty, Commander Sheba had agreed to the meeting with the leader of Silver Spar Squadron. She listened intently to Captain Buellah’s argument, which was somewhat compelling; however, there were still some holes.
“Captain Buellah, we don’t know how badly the Base-Star is damaged. Yes, it looks bad, but we don’t know how effective their weapons systems are at the moment. Remember, there were two Base-Stars after us at Garanno. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Commander of this one took many of the Raiders off the other, if it was indeed the more damaged of the two, as we suspect. While it is being repaired, they are probably assembling new replacement Raiders at break-neck speed. They’ve had plenty of time since Shonada to replace all of their losses. When the second Base-Star arrives, which I suspect won’t be long, we’d be facing two ships, two full complements of Raiders, and we’d be doing it with only three fourths of our Vipers, with the Callisto operating at only three fourths of our top system speed. Captain,” she continued, “I appreciate your offer and your candor, but right now, we’ve got our people on the planet and its moon, and we don’t know enough about the situation there to take such a chance. No, the current order stands. We stay here, silent and cloaked, and we complete this mission and retrieve our people before we pick another fight with the Cylons.”
Buellah nodded, thanked Sheba for her time, and left. He was a good officer who’d presented another option to his superior officer. Now, he just hoped she was choosing the right course of action.
Charybdis
The bridge hummed with all sorts of electronics and monitors. I stared blankly at one of the printouts for what seemed to be the 48th time.
The surface missions were away and not much was happening on the bridge for the time being. Something was igniting a fire inside my heart and soul, something that had to be done. I figured now was the time. I could hardly concentrate anyway.
I entered Commander Sheba's ready room where she was going over all the options for the Callisto. "Charybdis, hear anything yet?" she asked.
"No, Commander, the teams are on the surface and Brie's beacon is still working. They should make contact soon."
Sheba noticed something. "Charybdis, anything else?"
"Yes, Commander. Since things are a bit slow right now, I was wondering if I may have a centar off-duty break to take care of some personal things?" I wondered what she would say. I normally never asked for off-duty time while on my shift.
"Well, as long as you can return to the bridge at a moment's notice, how about 30 centons?" she replied.
"That would be great, Commander. Thank you." I turned and left the room. I knew exactly where I needed to go: Brie's quarters.
I buzzed in and the door slid open. I caught sight of Amy. She was wearing a beautiful civilian gown. I had to catch my breath, she was stunning. Not that she wasn't in her Warrior uniform, so regal, but the dress she was wearing and the way she looked, it took this battle-hardened veteran's breath away.
She smiled as I entered the room and took her in my arms. We kissed. I noticed that she was wearing the necklace I had given her, it seemed to radiate the very light from within her soul.
"Charybdis, I wondered when I would get the chance to talk with you," she said.
"I know, we've been very busy since the missions launched, but I had to get away for a little while to see you." I led her to the couch in Brie's quarters where we sat down.
She seemed like she was feeling better, I guess the safety of being in Brie's quarters was doing her well. She looked beautiful, although she still sported some of the bandages around her wrist and other places hidden by her dress.
I tried to collect my thoughts as I started, "Amy, I think you know how I feel about you. What we have been through, all that we shared and felt for one another. It's why I couldn't let you go. Even after all that happened, one cannot deny what the heart is saying. It must be said and that's why I am here right now."
Amy seemed a little excited, I'm sure she didn't know what was going on, she probably expected the same "I love you" type endearments, but this was something a little different.
I continued, "Amy, I'm sure you want to know why I gave you that jewel." She looked down at it and picked it up. It sparkled in the light. "It's beautiful" she said. "I've never seen anything like it."
"That's because there is nothing like it. It comes from a planet that has since been lost yahrens ago. That jewel was taken from that planet several centuries ago by one of my ancestors who was on a deep space charting mission. From what I was told about it, the crew only managed to bring back very little of the gem. Much of it was studied in the science department back at the Academy on Caprica, but each one of the mission members were given one jewel to keep as a memento of their journey. That jewel has been in my family ever since."
Amy stared at its beauty, not realizing the significance. I kept on going, "I presumed that all the others have been lost in the destruction 22 yahrens ago, but my mother was wearing hers at the time and she managed to save it. She gave it to me several yahrens ago to pass it on when the time comes." I slowed down to see what Amy's reaction would be to my words. She still stared at the jewel and then back at me. She seemed pensive...
The time had come, it was now or never. My heart burned and ached.
I reached over for Amy's hand and took it in mine. I stared into her eyes and then slid down to the floor on one knee.
"Amy, would you do me the greatest honor of taking the seal with me, so we can be together forever?"
Amy's eyes opened wide as I looked into those brilliant pools waiting for her response...
* * * Amy81
I was completely caught off guard by Charybdis's proposal. I literally had to pause to catch my breath! I didn't know what to say, so I just babbled whatever thoughts came to mind.
"My goodness, Charybdis. Me, sealed? I'm just a... I don't know, I never really thought so far ahead before..I.." I smiled at him. All this attention, all this affection. It felt so good, but still, this was a serious matter! I tried to gather my thoughts, as Charybdis waited patiently.
"Charybdis" I said after a moment, my voice full of affection, "Is this really what you want? I'm mean, don't get me wrong. I just want to know that you know what you are asking." I paused to put things the right way. "I just want to know, are you sure that this isn't coming from some feelings of guilt over what's been happening to me? I know you've felt responsible for my being injured. Is this a way for you to make up for that? I'm concerned because we never had spoke of the seal before. I know you love me. That's beyond questioning. But are you sure you want to take the seal with me?"
Charybdis just looked at me, digesting the question. That mask of his was back up again, and I feared that I just spoiled a very special moment. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, just like old times. Some of the old bitterness of our break up tried to creep back in, but I pushed it away. We were on the verge of something very major here, and I just wanted to know the truth. I also wanted to talk to Brie, my most trusted friend. And my mom. And to Najinn. This would all be so cruel to him to discover when he got back. There I go again, thinking things through, thinking things to death. Why couldn't I have two lives? Obviously, I couldn't, so I'd better tend to the one I have.
"Charybdis, I am so flattered by all this." I placed a hand on the necklace. "ALL of this. I just want to be sure that your proposal comes out of love, and not of guilt. What we do will affect both our lives from this day forward."
I wanted to wrap both my arms around his neck and hug him for eternity. Why hadn't I not done just that? Because this was all so sudden! That's why. I just want to be sure of things before I screamed out the answer I so wanted to give.
Charybdis
All of a sudden, I saw Amy as she truly was, the beautiful, excited person that I loved. She thrilled and excited me to no end. She was a very special person.
A smile crossed my face. I don't know why, I just saw Amy asking all these questions as if she didn't know the answer.
"Amy, do you really have to ask me that question?" I asked rhetorically. She knew. I knew.
But just to be sure, I continued on to reassure her, "Amy, I don't care about anything else that has happened, may happen, or anything else anyone can come up with. I've known since I met you that it was you and only you. I know what I am asking you for myself and for us and what it means. Therefore, will you take the seal to be with me forever?"
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:49:12 GMT -6
Amy81
Maybe I should have taken it slow. So much has happened to me lately. So much conflict, so many conflicting emotions and feelings....Maybe I should have thought it through more. Thought about the continuing and unsolved threats against my life, about my parents and what they might think, about Brie, my most trusted confidant, about my resignation, which still hadn't changed, and about Najinn.. poor Najinn. He'll hate the timing of this for sure. Waiting until he is off the ship before proposing, he won't appreciate that at all.....
But I was done being hesitant, waiting, thinking, moving slow. I wanted to reach out, take a leap of faith, embrace life!
I looked at Charybdis, my face breaking out into a huge smile in spite of myself. "Yes" I said. "YES!" And reaching out I practically tackled him with my embrace. We fell together to the floor, laughing with a joy that few things in life can truly bring. Locking gazes again, we began to kiss uncontrolably.
Charybdis
One micron I was on my bended knee, the next thing I knew we were rolling on the floor in an embrace that I never wanted to have end.
"Yahoooooooooooo!!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. If anyone would have seen the Lt. Col. of the battlestar and Amy rolling around on the floor, they would have laughed. "Charybdis, the whole battlestar will hear!!!" Amy tried to shush me. I think she actually blushed.
"I don't care, Amy. I want the whole ship to know, I want the whole fleet to know. No more hiding, no more lying, it's all out for everyone to see. And that's exactly how I want it." We kissed again and again. I could not believe it. My chest wanted to explode, I was so happy.
But I also wanted to assure her of something too, "Amy, just so you know. I did NOT time this just so Najinn would be off the ship. I couldn't care if he was right in this room with us. Your answer is based upon what is happening right here and now with us and not somewhere or with someone else." Amy understood and she smiled and kissed me again.
"Amy, you have to promise me one thing. I don't want to wait too long. We've waited long enough. What do you say about taking the seal no more than one secton (a week) after we reach the fleet? That way, our families can be involved and we can start planning the ceremony?" Amy seemed glassy-eyed. But she had a wonderful look of happiness and peace on her face.
"You have a lot to think of," I continued. "Like what?" Amy responded.
"Well, we can have the ceremony aboard the Callisto with Cmdr. Sheba officiating or on the Rising Star...or in the gardens of the Agro ship. Whatever you want, you shall have, my love." I kissed her hand.
Beep, beep. My comm unit went off. I had to get back to the bridge.
"Well, such is the life of a Lt. Colonel. I have to go. We have to get those Warriors back in one piece. I;ll see you later, my love. I'll never stop thinking about you." I blew her a kiss and left the room. Damn war...
Amy81
I knelt there alone on the floor for a few moments after Charybdis had left, trying to absorb just how much my life had just changed in a matter of microns. I still felt the joy over what we had just done, promising ourselves to each other for eternity, but with Charybdis back on duty I had noone to share the happy moment with.
Slowly I began to think of other things as I knelt there, fingering my engagement necklace absentmindedly. Things really HAD changed. For one, I wasn't going to be leaving the battlestar, even when we hooked back up with the fleet. That thought reminded me of things I had forgotten. The way people had thought of me after that horrible tribunal. The impressions people began to form about how I had rose to be a lieutenant. Well, I'd have to face it all head on now.
It would be easier after the sealing ceremony and Charybdis and I were married. There would be no shame in our being together then. Everyone would know that it was exactly what it was: a lasting relationship based on love. There was never anything else to it, dispite what people thought.
Which brought me around to my resignation. I stood and walked over to Captain Brie's desk, and I sat in her chair. I drummed my fingers on the desk, listening to my nails clattering out a beat as I contemplated poking around in her desk drawers. I wonder where she had put my resignation? It wouldn't do much good to find it anyway, but I wanted to look at it again. I thought 'what the hell' and tried a drawer. It slid open. I slid it wide and poked carefully around, but didn't see it.
I began to laugh out loud. I shut the drawer, my heart pounding over my transgression. I must have looked like quite a fool! I stood up and walked away from the desk. I could discuss it all with Brie when she got back. 'She'd better hurry, if we are ever going to room together' I thought. Clock's ticking now!
A sudden urge came over me to see my uniform again. I knew I was supposed to stay put here and rest up, but I couldn't resist. The trouble and danger I had been in seemed light years away. With Charybdis in my heart and a suddenly brighter future dancing in my head, I left Brie's quarters, heading for Gold barracks. One tiny corner of my mind was unsettled however, and it sent ripples across my thoughts.
Najinn. How will I ever be able to break the news to him? I looked forward to serving by his side again, but would we be able to? Would that ever be enough? It dawned on me that I might never be able to be 100% happy in life. Was anybody? Probably not. I smoothed back my hair with my good hand and kept walking. I thought back to my tackle of Charybdis and began to smile again.
Brie
"Captain, I mean Colonel," Skyler said, "I'm picking up something. I'm guessing it's a town or city of some type. It's hard to get a reading, there is a lot of electronic interference."
"It's on the right coordinates," Brie replied. "Keep going, hopefully we'll know something soon."
Half a centar later the land ram had gone as far as it could. There was a city of some type, but it was surrounded by a shield-dome. It was obviously for protection. Brie, Skyler and Najinn all got out of the land ram. "There's got to be an entrance somewhere," Brie said. "I guess we'll have to go around the perimeter, see what we can figure out."
"I've never seen anything quite like it," Najinn stated. "It's more primitive than what we're used to."
"Let's get to it," Brie said. They turned back towards the land ram, only to find themselves surrounded by a group of strange-looking 'warriors.' "I guess it was humans who were tracking us before," Brie whispered to Skyler. She took a step towards the growing band. "Greetings," she said, trying to sound friendly. She wasn't scared for herself, but she was worried about the mission. "I'm Colonel Brie, and this is Lt. Skyler and Lt. Najinn. We're from the Battlestar Callisto. We come in peace." She knew it sounded corny, but it was the only thing she could think of. She hoped that they believed her.
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:50:13 GMT -6
Brie
"Peace. You speak of 'battlestar.' What know you of peace?"
Colonel Brie looked at the man standing in front of her. He was about ten yarhens her senior and very serious. He and all the others with him were dressed in uniforms. They weren't colonial, but they were uniforms none-the-less. It was a group of warriors. Brie wondered how well trained they might be. She quickly counted, there were fifteen men and women, most of them armed. Fifteen to three weren't good odds. Brie would have to weigh every word. "Yes, we're from a battlestar, a warship. But our war isn't with other humans. It's for the survival of the human race."
"We survive without you," the man said. "We no need you here. Now go!"
"Are you the leader here?" Brie asked. "I have an important message from our commander. It's urgent, a matter of life and death."
"How know we can trust you?" the man asked. "You bring weapons of war."
Brie knew that he was referring to their blasters. She hated the idea of being without them, but she knew that she had to show some sign of good faith. "If we give you our weapons, will you take us to whoever is in charge?"
"Wait here," the man said. He spoke with those with him, all the while keeping an eye on Brie and the others.
"I don't like this," Najinn whispered to Brie.
"Nor do I," Brie replied, "but we've got to get them to trust us. We need to get inside the city. Don't worry, it will work."
The man returned. "Your face," he said. "What happened?"
Brie was surprised by the question. She had almost forgotten about the bruise on her chin. "I was hit by someone."
"Who?"
"A man named Hawke," Brie replied. "He was under my command and didn't like a decision that I had made."
The man looked at a woman in his group and she nodded. "The truth you tell," he said. "Give us your weapons. Into the city we will go." Brie handed her blaster to the man. Skyler did the same, and after a micron's hesitation Najinn did as well. "Blindfolded you will be," the man informed them. "Where the entrance is you must not know."
Brie
It seemed like forever until the blindfolds were taken off. Brie worried about Najinn. His time as a Cylon prisoner of war had to be replaying through his mind. Nothing could be as bad as that, she thought, so she started to try to concentrate on where they were going. She tried to count steps and remember the path, but it they were taking so many twists and turns that it would be nearly impossible. She was finally glad for the transmitter in the heel of her boot. They were taken inside the city and brought to a small room. After what seemed like centars. the blindfolds were removed. The walls in the room were stone, and it was empty, except for a table and six chairs. Most of the warriors from the group were no longer there, it was just the older man and two women. "Here you will wait," he informed them.
"Is there a place where we could freshen up?" Brie asked. "It's been a long journey."
"Across the hall you can," the man said. "But here you will wait." The man and the two women left and closed the door behind them. Brie wasn't sure, but she thought that one of the women winked at Skyler.
"Don't tell Mara," Skyler said. He was slightly blushing. It WAS an wink. Brie made a mental note of it. Never knew when they might need an ally.
"Captain," Najinn started, but Brie held up a hand to stop him. She started to look around the room. Skyler and Najinn realized that she was looking for recording devices, and they started to do the same. The room appeared to be clean. "Captain," Najinn said again, "what do we do now?"
"We wait," Brie said. "I'm going across the hall, just to make sure that we're not locked in here. Keep your eyes and ears open. These people have been oppressed by the Cylons for a long time, it's no wonder that they're weary of strangers."
Much to her surprise, the door was unlocked. Brie walked across the hall. She tried to pick up on anything, but there were no voices, and very little sound. Giving up, she returned to the other room. After closing the door, she sat down and took off her boot.
"Captain," Skyler said, "what are you doing?"
"You've both got to remember, it's Colonel," Brie said. "We don't want to sound inconsistant. If they find out it's a temporary promotion, we might lose their trust."
"We don't have their trust," Najinn reminded her, "Colonel."
"That's why I'm turning off the transmitter," Brie said as she fiddled with the heel of her boot. "The rest of Gold Squadron must have a fix on our position by now, and we don't want to chance anything with our new-found 'friends.'" As Brie fixed the heel and put her boot back on, she couldn't help but wonder what lied ahead. But for now, all they could do was wait.
Brie
After waiting for another centar, the door opened. A tall, stern looking man entered. Brie was beginning to wonder if anyone on the planet knew how to smile. "I'm Captain Jorlan," he said briskly. "What is it you want with us?"
Brie noticed that his speech was slightly different from the man that they had met earlier. "I'm Colonel Brie," she said. She tried to sound friendly but official at the same time. "This is Lt. Skyler and Lt. Najinn. We're from the Battlestar Callisto."
"We've never heard of the Callisto," Jorlan said, and I've never heard of a WOMAN being a Colonel." He spit the word out.
"I've worked hard to get where I am," Brie said, trying to ignore the insult. "The Callisto is a fairly new ship. We're part of a larger fleet, although we're separated from them at this time."
"What is it you want from us?" Jorlan was filled with more anger with each word.
"We've come to warn you," Brie informed him. "The Cylons are coming, in greater numbers than you can imagine."
The word 'Cylons' set him in a rage. "That's it! What is your connection to the Cylons? How are you working with them? You'd better tell me, or else you'll be sorry!"
"We're not working with the Cylons," Najinn said quickly, insulted by the idea.
"We're at war with the Cylons," Brie added. "Our people have been for over a thousand yarhens. They have several basestars coming this way, your people need to be warned."
"That's the only reason we're here," Skyler said.
"I'll report what you've said to our commander," Jorlan said. He turned and walked out the door.
"He didn't believe a word of what we said," Najinn said matter-of-factly. As if to confirm it, the door was locked.
"I just hope that Cain and Kiwi have been able to pick up on our location," Brie said. "I wonder what they thought when I turned the transmitter off." Once again, they waited.
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:50:36 GMT -6
Brie
After only a few centons the door unlocked and opened. Captain Jorlan was standing in the doorway. "Follow me," he said and took off down the hall. Brie, Skyler and Najinn had to hurry to catch up to him.
"Where are we going?" Brie asked.
"Silence," Jorlan snapped. "You'll know soon enough."
There were several twists and turns, Brie suspected that they were being taken a longer way than neccesary. She tried to keep alert, there were voices here and there but she could only pick up pieces of conversations. They were led to a large hall, and Jorlan stopped suddenly. It was more decorated than the other room, and the table in the center was covered with food. Another man stood at the far end of the table. "Commander," Jorlan said with respect, "these are the so-called 'warriors' that I told you about."
"Thank you, Captain," the commander said. "I'd like to chat with our guests. You're dismissed." Brie wasn't upset to see Jorlan leave, she had a bad feeling every time she looked at him. He had an obvious dislike for her as well. "Please, have a seat. I'm sure you must be famished. I'm Commander Tolar."
"I'm Colonel Brie, and this is Lt. Najinn and Lt. Skyler," Brie said. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"I'm sorry about the way you were treated upon your arrival," Tolar said. "My people tend to be nervous around strangers."
Commander Tolar was neither tall nor short. He was about 65 yarhens old. Brie noticed that the speech patterns of the higher ranking officers were different from those of the warriors they had met outside the city. Although he was acting polite, there was something about him that Brie didn't quite trust. Maybe it was because for the first time since they landed, they met someone who actually smiled.
LucianG
“I find it quite strange, Colonel,” said Commander Tolar, “that after all these yahrens, the Colonial government would take interest in the survivors of the Gastonov. Our grandfathers and great grandfathers asked for help for many yahrens, but none ever arrived. We have remained stranded upon this planet for over 120 yahrens, believing that we were presumed lost and dead. If our peoples ever received word of our plight, they most likely have thought it was a Cylon plot to draw some of them out to destroy them. We have had not contact, except for once, between one and two yahrens ago, when we received visitors from the home worlds. They told a fantastic story about our worlds being destroyed by the Cylons; however, their plight was so unbelievable that it we have always suspected that they were from some failed colony and that they lost their way trying to return to the Twelve Colonies.”
Brie’s heart raced slightly at the mention of other possible survivors of the Cylon attack, but she, along with the other Gold Squadron Warriors, restrained her desire to ask questions while Tolar might be willing to provide information. Indeed, he continued, “We have fought the Cylons for over 150 yahrens, as our forefathers did for almost 850 yahrens before. We probably know their capabilities and their thought processes as well as any Warriors in the history of our war. About 65 yahrens ago, we established a treaty with our neighbors on our moon, which we call Khalorra. During that time, neither side has ever meaningfully, or I believe, willingly violated that treaty. We fight regularly, but always under the proscribed conditions, and always by mutual agreement. Our ships and our pilots have approximately equal capabilities, so losses are very rare. In fact, neither side has lost a single ship due to actions by the other in over thirty yahrens. The most serious violation occurred just a few solar days ago, when the Cylons, we believe, destroyed a couple of our orbital monitoring satellites. They claim not to have known anything about this. Kron, their leader, has never lied to me before, so I wonder if they did it, or perhaps…Colonel…maybe you or yours might know something about that?” He looked at her questioningly, but clearly did not expect a reply.
“You say you come from an unknown Battlestar, yet we have seen no evidence of it in our skies or in our system. Colonel, to be blunt, my officers see your party as somewhat strange, with a woman claiming to be a Colonel leading men who claim to be Warriors. Women on Gastonovia, as we call our planet for obvious reasons, have always been viewed as valuable members of our society as our mothers and wives because there were so few of them. When we settled here, by accident, mind you, there were only nineteen women capable of bearing children out of a surviving crew numbering 143. We had to practice selective breeding to establish a viable gene pool to allow our species to survive and prosper here. Only in the current generation has this been discontinued, so couples may now have children of their own, at their own pace and choosing, rather than on command by artificial means as in the past. Also in this generation, women are now allowed to participate in our military, as you no doubt saw earlier in your stay with us.”
He paused briefly to refill his glass, offering to do the same for the Gold Squadron Warriors. “We have faced a hard life here, but we have made the tough choices and have survived. Now, you come starting trouble like those few crazy Outlanders who left our group long ago. You see, those couples were in ‘love’ and didn’t want to be responsible for giving birth to the children of other men in addition to their own. They stole valuable equipment and fled to the Outland to start new lives for themselves, but in doing so, they disrupted our society, and badly damaged our gene pool enhancement program. Their presence outside our colony has been a source of trouble to us for over 80 yahrens. Now you come, bringing more!”
Brie was about to reply, but Tolar raised a hand and said, “Let me finish, Colonel. To hear Captain Jorlon tell it, many of my officers think you are Outlanders. They don’t trust you. Tell me, how do we know you are not Outlanders who are in league with the Cylons against us? They say that the Cylons captured some of them—or you?—some yahrens ago, and took them to work their mines on Khalorra in their mines. Are you Outlanders? Did they capture you as children and force you to do their will at the threat of being sent to the mines? The Cylons have always been honorable with us in the past—”
“Probably because they saw you as being in a position of superior strength, and they were biding their time, waiting for the odds to turn to their advantage,” interrupted Najinn, who was visibly upset over the story that had been told and the accusations that were now appearing to be leveled against them.
“Yes, young man, they are diabolical bastards,” replied Tolar. “They wait their time, seeking that moment of superiority, when they can turn it to their advantage. That is why we have always had to work hard to stay ahead of them, and why defections, such as that of the Outlanders, hurt us so much. Yes, they would even seek to turn our own kin against us, if we allow it.”
“We will perform genetic tests to verify whether you are Outlanders. The Medician,” who had just entered the room along with several more armed guards, “will take small hair, skin, and blood samples from each of you. Please cooperate and it will not hurt significantly or damage you in any way.”
“Hair and skin scrapings only, Commander,” said Brie. “We’d prefer to keep our blood in our own bodies, away from any contaminants that those syringes might contain. You mentioned trust earlier. I hope you understand our apprehension on that front.”
The Medician nodded, and Tolar agreed. He said, “As my dear Captain Jorlon would be quick to point out, trust is not built on such distorted claims. That’s especially true when your own party members fail to support you, Colonel…or Captain,” stressing the more junior grade, “…or Colonial spy, or Cylon spy—whatever you may actually be. If I wagered as some of my officers do, I suspect that my meager cubes would be placed on the fact that you’re not exactly what you claim to be. Time grows short, and our food grows cold. The truth, tell me please. Without the truth, we cannot help you. With it, if you tell us all you know, we can make Kron wish he’d never sent you to attempt this miserable trick on us.”
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Post by LucianG on May 3, 2005 10:50:59 GMT -6
Brie
"I can understand, Commander, why you might not immediately trust us. But let me assure you that we are NOT Cylon spies. My parents were killed by the Cylons, as were countless friends," Brie took a deep breath, "and probably my husband."
"Probably?" Tolar asked, surprised by the wording.
"He's missing in action," Brie said. "But that's beside the point. You said that neither you nor the Cylons have ever had an advantage. The Cylons soon will. There are baseships on the way. They'll kill every man, woman and child on Gastonovia."
"So our only hope is with you and this 'battlestar' that you're from?" Tolar continued. "We haven't been able to pick up any sign of it. Just where is this ship that you claim you're representing?"
Brie smiled. "Nice try, Commander. I would die before I would give away our position." She saw that Captain Jorlan, who was standing near the door, perked up at her statement. She also noticed that he was wearing her blaster. She knew that she would have to keep a close eye on him. "And yes, our battlestar is your only hope."
"So tell me," Tolar continued, "which is it? Colonel or Captain?"
Upset with herself that she had somehow missed the listening device in the room where they had been earlier, Brie knew that she might as well tell the truth. She worried that they also might have heard her mention the transmitter in her boot. "It's Colonel, for the moment. It's a temporary promotion, so I figure I might as well use the rank while I can. Of course, if I can't somehow convince you of the danger that you're in, when I get back aboard the Callisto I'll probably be booted back down to Lieutenant."
Tolar laughed. "Alright, then Colonel it is, although it will take my people some time to get used to the idea of a woman in a position of authority."
"Our commander is a woman too," Skyler mumbled.
"What was that?" Tolar asked.
"I was just saying," Skyler lied, "that I've known Colonel Brie for a long time, and it's a pleasure to serve under her."
There was a long, uncomfortable silence. "Enough of the pleasantries," Tolar said at last. "I want to know everything that you know about Kron, and I want to know now!"
"We do NOT work for the Cylons!" Najinn said, exasperated.
Brie realized how hard the thought must be on Najinn. She held up a hand slightly, trying to reassure him. Although he calmed down a bit he was still obviously upset. "Commander, don't lose the lives of everyone here because you refuse to listen to us. The Cylons ARE coming, and in greater numbers than you could ever imagine!" Someone that Brie hadn't seen before entered the room and whispered something to Captain Jorlan. He handed Jorlan a device of some sort.
"BRING THEM ON!" Tolar almost exploded. "We don't need your help. We've been defending ourselves here for generations, and we'll keep doing it long after you're all dead!"
"We'll all be dead soon," Brie said calmly, "if you don't listen to reason."
The device in Jorlan's hand started to humm. He walked over to Skyler, the sound didn't change. Same thing with Najinn. As he approached Brie the sound grew louder. The noise was almost unbearable as he held it near her boot. As hard as he could, Jorlan grabbed Brie's foot and pulled her boot off. He easily opened the heel. "It's a transmitter, Commander," he said coldly. "It's turned off, but the battery is still strong enough to give off power."
"Now what do you have to say for yourself, Colonel?" Tolar asked. At least a dozen of his warriors had entered the room, all of them armed. "Don't bother, I won't believe you anyway." Speaking to Jorlan he said, "Take them back to the other room, and make sure there's no way they can get out."
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