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Post by LucianG on Sept 14, 2004 11:05:13 GMT -6
The jump to the Quarro system had taken five cycles. Commander Sheba hoped that the fleet would be far enough from Pangara and Darjeelene that the Cylons would not catch them again, hopefully, ever. She looked once more at the readout on the Quarro system: a moderate yellow sun, at least five planets, and what appeared to be an asteroid belt. She wondered how accurate the long-range study would end up being. There was no known presence of Cylons, but then again, from the Pangara and Darjeelene systems, no one would have been able to detect billions of Cylons all stacked on top of each other. She briefly shuddered at the thought of the Pangaran moon, a warehouse of Cylon death waiting to be activated, and the resulting deaths of so many of her Warriors. A sound drew her attention. The jump was coming to an end.
Major Joey confirmed Sheba’s thought. “Commander, we’re coming out of the jump now. Major Jorlan is ready to launch a long range Viper probes.”
Sheba nodded, “When we re-enter normal space, launch the Vipers. Send a word to all ships to continue on course at normal pace until advised otherwise. We’ll allow normal ship to ship traffic to resume two centars after arrival as long as the Warriors haven’t turned up anything.”
As Geenie was giving the order as the Callisto arrived in the Quarro system, the long-range scans were activated immediately. “Looks all clear as far as we can see, but there’s also no Galactica.”
Sheba hoped it would arrive soon. In the meantime, it would be good for the crew of the Callisto to once again rejoin the fleet. Many would be seeing friends and family for the first time in over 3 yahrens....
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Post by Brie on Sept 14, 2004 17:53:57 GMT -6
On the bridge of the Galactica Commander Apollo watched nervously as the stars came back into view. He hid his feelings well. One of the things he hated the most was being away from the fleet. He was dreading the next few cycles.
“Commander,” Omega called from his station, “long range scan indicates no sign off the Callisto or the fleet. No sign of Cylons either.”
“Keep trying, and extend the range as much as possible,” Apollo ordered. “They’ll be here. Give Blue Squadron the order to be ready to launch a patrol.”
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Post by LucianG on Sept 16, 2004 10:11:43 GMT -6
“Commander, there’s another request from Siress Nyeeta to meet with you at once,” said Lieutenant Aegina. “She doesn’t sound happy, Ma’am.”
Sheba nodded. Nyeeta hadn’t really been happy since she arrived on the Callisto just prior to the jump from the Darjeelene system. Sheba thought back to the initial meeting with the short, heavyset woman who had recently taken her place on the Quorom. She had walked into the room with a flourish, her puffy face red with anger, and she had been released her fury directly at Sheba.
“THAT warrior! You would not believe what he did to me, a Councilor! I’ll have his rank if it’s the last thing I do! Skeeter, Skyter—something like that. I come here on a very important mission and that—man—treats me like a common criminal—”
Sheba had smiled at the thought of Nyeeta being just a “common” criminal. No, the correct analogy was perhaps more like a very privileged, uncommon criminal—
Nyeeta was continuing without a beat, “—and YOU let him get away with it. Commander, I hold you personally responsible for his actions! The Council will be made aware of this situation, you can count on that! That hideous man! Ugh!” She shook her fat forefinger at Sheba and said, “What are YOU going to do about this situation?”
Sheba had looked deliberately contemplative for a few moments before answering her. She’d said, “Councilor Nyeeta, you can be sure that I will take it under advisement; however, under the circumstances, with an unauthorized shuttle making a flight against direct orders, switching flight paths without authorization and making an unauthorized landing aboard the Callisto, and resisting arrest…I’ll see if we can work out a deal where we can reduce or possibly even drop the charges. I’ll take it under advisement and let you know later.”
“WHAT?!” Nyeeta had shouted. “THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! UNHAND ME, YOU FIEND,” she’d shouted at the Fleet Security officer who’d entered on Sheba’s order. “IF YOU DON’T LET ME GO IMMEDIATELY, YOU’LL BE SORRY!” As the door had closed, Sheba had thought she heard Major Skyler’s voice, over that of the still-shouting Councilor, intermittently saying, “Listen, lady……er walk to……or I’ll throw you……nd carry you there!”
* * *
The second meeting with Nyeeta had been held several centars later. Sheba had started the meeting with a very deliberate statement to the Councilor. “I must assume you had a very important reason to violate direct orders, endanger yourself, your companions, and your shuttle, as well as the fleet, and risk exposing the entire fleet to our Cylon pursuers. Assuming you can control yourself, I am prepared to listen, but if you fly off the handle again like you did earlier, I’ll see back in that holding room and you’ll be there until we arrive in the Quarro system. Do you understand, Councilor, and agree to these terms?”
Nyeeta had turned ever deeper shades of red as Sheba had spoken, so when she finally swallowed her indignation and could speak, she had replied, “Commander, I have never been treated with such disrespect in my life! You’ll pay for this out—”
“Officer, if you will please return this prisoner to her holding quarters,” Sheba had said quietly after opening the door, ignoring the rest of Nyeeta’s rant.
“WAIT!” Nyeeta had shouted. “This is important.”
Sheba had nodded to Security Officer Burtano, who she knew to be one of Captain Urdea’s more trusted officers. Burtano had stepped back out of the room, and Sheba had listened carefully to Nyeeta’s tale.
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CaptStadia
Viper Pilot
Here me roar! Watch me bounce!
Posts: 112
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Post by CaptStadia on Sept 16, 2004 19:07:25 GMT -6
Meanwhile back on the Callisto, Stadia stashes the transport she stole where no one should be able to find it and heads back to the warrior's barracks.
Upon entering she sees a number of warriors milling about some even playing cards. She swiftly heads toward her bunker and locker.
She opens her locker and takes something out of her locker and quietly leaves the barracks. As she hurriedly walks toward the place she hid the transport, she runs smack dab into the security officer and his charge.
In her surprise she drops the bag she was carrying and screech can be heard. Quickly she picks up the bag and leaves the security person and his charge with surprised looks on their faces.
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Post by LucianG on Sept 22, 2004 10:15:03 GMT -6
In the Quarro system:
“Commander, there’s still no sign of the Galactica.”
“Keep searching, Lieutenant Aegina. It will be here, if not now, then soon,” replied Sheba. At least, she thought, it better. The conversation with Nyeeta had hinted that something like this might happen, almost as if she had advance knowledge that it was planned. Sheba thought back on the conversation.
* * *
Nyeeta was relatively short, but her bulk made her robe fit her frame more like a tent than a garment. With the white robe, her relatively pallid skin, and her graying hair massed on her head, she had reminded Sheba of a two-ball snowperson she’d once built in her youth. With rings on every finger of both hands, all with relatively large colored precious stones, her hands had seemed to flash almost constantly as she gestured.
Nyeeta had continued, “Colonial Law says that when the Council President is missing or incapacitated, the Council has the right to remove the President and replace him or her with a person of the Council’s choosing. Already, certain Council members have determined that with President Tigh and Colonel Athena missing with the Galactica, it might be the time to pounce when the Fleet arrives in the Quarro system. If, for some reason, the Galactica was not to appear by the time the Council meeting was held, there might, just might, be enough votes of those present to remove Tigh and Athena, and replace them with individuals who are more, shall we say ‘friendly,’ to the wishes of the new majority. If Tigh was to later reappear, it would be too late to return to power without pursuing legal avenues.”
Sheba, trying to remain stony faced at the thought, had grown increasingly concerned as Nyeeta spoke. “Surely, if something like this was to occur, there would not be legal problem in overturning the scheme.”
Nyeeta had rolled her fat fingers into a fist as she said, “Ordinarily, that might be the case, but if someone were to have hooks into members of the Colonial Court, such an appeal might be denied, or more probably, might be delayed for sectars…until it was too late.”
* * *
Major Joey approached Commander Sheba and Colonel Charybdis said, “The message you had anticipated has arrived. The Council is scheduled to meet at 10:00 aboard the Rising Star. Councilor Nyeeta has already made plans to leave for the meeting. She sent word to you, quote, ‘Remember my warning.’”
Charybdis asked, “What does it mean, Commander?”
Sheba looked at the two of them and replied in a low voice that only the two of them could hear, “It means we have seven centars to find the Galactica or everything may be lost—everything.”
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Sept 23, 2004 7:43:45 GMT -6
I couldn't believe it. President Tigh had been the most stalwart bedrock in leading the fleet over these many yahrens. I almost considered those trying to replace him as acting in a treasonous manner.
Since we were still under martial law, the change could not directly affect the military, but a change in the leadership of the council could make things a whole lot tougher. Tigh was former military and that's why we like it with him as President.
With fewer and fewer military men or women in public service, it almost guaranteed that civilian authorities would want to end the military's rule over the fleet, no matter how insidious that proposition with Cylons all around us.
This was not good news...we had to find the Galactica now!
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 5, 2004 7:41:46 GMT -6
I kept my appointment with Doc BKJ. She was going to determine if I needed the eye patch. I had been secretly taking it off when i could to give my eye time to recover to the light and such, but I wanted to get the official word from the Doc.
Good news! My sight had recovered excellently and I did not need the patch anymore. Now, for my arm, that was another story.
The Doc checked it out and determined that I still needed some support for the elbow joint to give my muscles and tendons time to recuperate. No heavy lifting!
I thanked the Doc and headed straight for my quarters. We still could not leave the ship but I was getting antsy to head over to the medical frigate to finally rejoin my parents and re-introduce them to Arien. Were they going to be surprised to have one of their children rise from the dead!
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 14, 2004 11:48:18 GMT -6
I arrived back in my quarters for more rest. I was going a bit stir-crazy not being able to do much. The commander didn't mind my hanging around, but I knew that I was not really needed at this moment. We were safe from the cylons for the time being and we were with the fleet.
The bad thing was, the Galactica was nowhere to be found. First, all the members of the Gold squadron team killed on the mission. Now, the entire Battlestar was missing!!!
I changed into some civilian robes and sat at my desk in my quarters. I called up a file that had vidscan photos in it. A couple of my parents and a couple of my whole family, including my brother and sister.
And then, the next one was a picture of Amy. It was her official military portrait in Ensign dress. She was beautiful. She seemed golden in the light wearing the uniform of a Colonial Warrior. She was proud. She was smiling.
I thought of her in more recent times. She didn't seem to smile much. I knew I had been the reason for some of the frowns she wore. But the last moments we were together, in a blissful lover's embrace, I will never forget. We shared each other in a fullness that I don't think I could ever share again with anyone else...
And now? She was gone. Dead at the hands of some Cylon blaster rifle...
I shut the computer off and went to stretch out on my bed. I fell asleep quickly. THe dreams of Amy's death had pretty much subsided, but this time, they were back. I tossed and turned and the images came flooding back into my mind. Why? Why now?
Amy was caught in a crossfire. The Cylons had surrounded her position. She made a mad dash across the hangar bay and just before she made it, a brilliant red beam seared into her head and exploded in a flash of light. It seemed as if her entire head blew apart in a fascinating wash of light and smoke.
Her body slumped over to the floor. A massive head wound gaped at her temple as a sizzling sound could be heard as the blood cauterized with the searing heat caused by the laser blast.
I awoke in a fit and realized that I had torn my sheet in two from the tight grip I had on it during my dream...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 18, 2004 10:57:58 GMT -6
I sipped at a glass of water and then calmed my mind. With each moment, I realized I would never see her again.
I managed to calm down enough to slip back into sleep. There was a haze, smoke, I think...then I was there watching...again.
Inside a dark corridor filled with blinking lights from the various instruments. One door on the end opened and in came Amy with a couple of other Warriors, they were unrecognizable to me...
Suddenly, the door on the other side opened quickly to reveal a horde of Cylons! They began blasting into the corridor. ONe of the Warriors jumped to the front and began firing. He took down one of the Cylons, but then, a beam split him in the middle of the chest and he slumped to the floor.
And then, something happened that had not before in my dreams. I found that I was there! I was in between the Cylons and Amy. I ran toward her fearing that I would be shot in the back at any moment. I grabbed her and pulled her down to the floor outside of the door. It shut behind us and we were safe for the time being.
I looked down and Amy and she seemed lifeless. "Amy!" I screamed as I slapped her face to see if she would come around. As I pulled my body off of hers, I saw the neat burning hole in the middle of her body where a Cylon blast had caught her. She was dead in my arms...
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 25, 2004 10:54:56 GMT -6
Amy was falling and she hit the deck hard. Her head slammed the cold hard metal plates that formed the deck of the Cylon base...
I awoke with a start...the dreams were back! I looked over at my watch and the time indicated that my 'sleep' period was over. If you could call that sleep.
I grumbled and got up to go to the turboflush. After washing up, I put on my blue uniform and got dressed. It was still a bit difficult wearing the arm brace, but the pain was slowly subsiding. The doc said I could take it off within a couple more cycles. I couldn't wait for that.
I decided to go check in on the bridge and return to active duty. I guess it was now or never...
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