Chapter 28D - The Council Meeting

[LucianG]

About half of the Councilors normally lived aboard the Rising Star, visiting their constituents from time to time as they felt led, or, at least, felt prudent. Of the remainder, a couple had arrived well in advance of the called Quorum meeting, leaving four, including President Tigh and Colonel Athena, unaccounted for. Councilor Nyeeta, who also chose to live aboard the Rising Star, was one of those missing, having departed unexpectedly just before the jump from Darjeelene. Still a couple of centars before the start of the Council meeting, several of the Councilors had gathered in a guest room to discuss the upcoming meeting.

“Where’s Nyeeta?” asked one. “She should be here.”

“She’s not yet returned to the Rising Star from wherever she went in the Darjeelene system,” replied another.

“Is it possible that her shuttle was lost?” asked the first. “I know at least one was destroyed trying to land on one of the textile ships. Might hers have been destroyed or left behind, too?”

“Possible but unlikely,” answered yet another, who was thinking of the fat bovine’s usual incredible luck at the gaming tables. She always seemed to have an uncanny ability to make just the right call whenever the odds looked longest and bleakest. “She’ll be here soon, I’m sure. At least, she’ll be here by the time she’s needed. In the meantime, let’s get started. We have much to discuss, and little time to do it.”

* * *

[CaptStadia]

Capt. Stadia walked into the barracks. Wearing a grin ear to ear she couldnt wait to hear about the council meeting, especially after her little stink bomb went off in the chambers. She had wanted to let them know what she thought of them trying to replace Tigh.

Of course, she knew if she got caught she would in the brig for several million yarhen. Oh well!

She grabbed her jacket and hung it up and then she laid on her bunk.

[LucianG]

Aboard Nyeeta’s shuttle, the pilot announced that they were about to land aboard the Rising Star. “As you instructed, Ma’am, I have not informed anyone of your presence aboard this shuttle.”

“Good.” Nyeeta turned to her aide and said, “When we arrive, I am going to my quarters. Do not inform anyone of my arrival, and don’t disturb me until 10 centons before the meeting is scheduled to begin. I plan to arrive just as the meeting starts rather than arriving early as usual.”

A few centons later, the shuttle landed. Nyeeta, wearing a nondescript robe and with her face wrapped in a scarf waddled down the corridors as quickly as her legs would carry her.

* * *

It was almost time for the Council meeting to begin, but so far, only those known to have been opposed to President Tigh’s policies had arrived in the actual Council Room. While aboard the Rising Star, the others could not be counted present until they chose to arrive.

Councilor Troian, one of the most vocal opponents was becoming increasingly upset. Without Nyeeta or one of those clearly aligned with Tigh, there were not enough members present to qualify as a quorum of the Quorum. “Where is that fat little witch?” he hissed to his aide. “We need her here now so we can get this over with. Find her at once. Get some Black Shirts to help you get her her if you have to. We've got to have one more vote to get this thing going.”

Troian moved over to speak with some of the others about their upcoming victory and the upcoming realignment of the Colonial government.

[LucianG]

Major Lucian, on a two-cycle furlon from the Battlestar Callisto to the Rising Star, was a very tired man. He had only been aboard the Rising Star a few times in his life, and the last time had been before being posted to the Callisto over four yahrens before. To his recollection, he’d never been in this particular part of the ship. Based on the names adorning some of the doors along the passage, this was where some of the more well-to-do members of the human race lived. He turned a corner and saw two men in matching red coveralls working on the lock mechanism on one of the doors just a few meters away. A tall man was scanning down the corridor in the opposite direction, his hand next to a small weapon on his belt. The other man was bent down, working furtively on the internal mechanism of the lock, quietly but venomously muttering a series of curses. Since he was dressed in the standard Colonial Warrior’s uniform, his hand crept down close to his laser pistol, but not in an obvious position to draw. Clearing his throat, Lucian attracted the attention of both men, leading the crouching man to straighten suddenly and lose his balance, falling against the wall of the corridor. Lucian said, “Hi gentlemen, need some help fixing that panel?”

Seeing the Colonial Warrior standing before them, the taller man’s eyes widened in surprise as he said, “Warrior, what in the Nine Hells are you doing here?”

* * *

[LucianG]

Captain Lucian had begun his work-cycle well before the Callisto and the Fleet had arrived in the Quarro system. His engineering team had gone over the reports from the various repair parties and had gladly concluded that the last of the repairs that could be completed without the additional replacement parts from Forge Ship Alpha were done. As soon as the Callisto had emerged from the jump, Lucian had been in contact with the ForgeMaster from Forge Ship Alpha to find the status of the order placed before the Fleet had left Darjeelene. Duons’alyee, the ForgeMaster who had replaced Bodaca following his arrest for the murder of ForgeMaster Kharkarian in the Shonada system more than three yahrens before, was apologetic but uncompromising: “We’ll get the stuff done and get it to you as soon as we possibly can, but it won’t be any sooner than that, and all the begging and threats in the Fleet won’t change that. Duons’alyee, out.” A follow-up call had at least resulted in an estimate of three to four cycles, since Duons’alyee was having to obtain some materials from other ships. Lucian had thanked the ForgeMaster and asked to be kept informed of any change in schedule, for better or for worse.

Lucian had made his way around the Callisto, rechecking all the repair work, then completed his report and made his way to the Bridge to speak with Commander Sheba. He had been looking forward to some rest, since there would likely be much, other than routine maintenance work, for the next few cycles…unless there were Cylons in the system.

[LucianG]

When he had arrived on the Bridge, there had been a lot of activity, but fortunately, not due to the presence of Cylons. He had soon learned that the Galactica was missing and that rumors of its demise were sweeping the Fleet. In speaking with Geenie and several other worried junior Bridge officers, Lucian had commented that even if the Galactica had been destroyed at Pangara, which he didn’t believe, no one in the Fleet could have known this since the Galactica was still functioning normally when the Fleet had departed the system. With the ships in the jump when the supposed destruction took place, there was no way that anyone could, supposing that they had an FTL transmitter that could pick up transmissions even better than the Callisto’s own system, have received the message that the Galactica was destroyed. In fact, if the Galactica had been destroyed, who would have sent such a message, since there was no other Colonial ship left in the Pangara system. Commander Sheba saw Lucian and began to make her way toward him, but she was stopped suddenly by Miri, one of the Communications Officers. Moments later, with a small stack of paper in her hand, she had approached the group in time to hear a portion of what had become an almost impassioned plea for hope and courage that the Galactica would be rejoining them soon. Sheba had listened quietly to the end of Lucian’s explanation reinforcing his points, and had nodded in agreement when the others noted her attention. As Lucian concluded with the others with smiles and hope once more, she had said, “Major Lucian, I would like to speak with you.”

[LucianG]

Sheba’s presence had not actually surprised Lucian, but the title she used had. He had joined her in her ready room off the Bridge, where she had demanded a complete accounting of the status of the ship’s repairs. “Three to four cycles before the remaining parts arrive? Since everything appears to be in good shape, I’m going to grant you a three cycle furlon to deal with this.” She had handed him three papers, all marked “Official: URGENT!” from the Rising Star. “Because of their classification, they were brought to my attention, but they appear to be, ah, personal. The operator may have taken a little liberty in sending them for your friend.”

Lucian had opened the first and replied, “Commander, the operator was my friend, at one time. I ended our friendship because it turned out she was sealed to a family friend who was beginning to become a good friend of mine. Unfortunately….” He had trailed off.

Sheba had asked, “That friend, a person named Kaytoe?” When Lucian had affirmed that, Sheba handed him the third message, which read, “Lucian, Kaytoe is dead. I must speak with you at once. Please. M” Sheba had said, “I’m sorry. Take three cycles to do what you must, then be back here ready to finish fixing my engines. If you hurry, you should be able to catch a shuttle returning to the Rising Star in just a few centons.”

[LucianG]

As Lucian had left her, he’d turned and asked, “Commander, you addressed me as Major out there. Was that a slip of the tongue or for real?”

Sheba had smiled at him and said, “When you disputed the charges, I held off on having Colonel Charybdis, as personnel officer, complete the paperwork, awaiting the outcome of Captain Urdea’s investigation, which exonerated you; however, I didn’t think that having you think it was complete would hurt anything, Major. Now, you’d better go if you’re going to catch that shuttle.”

[LucianG]

The trip to the Rising Star hadn’t taken that long. Lucian had sat in as co-pilot with the shuttle pilot. A rather bossy, short, overweight woman in very expensive looking robes, her aide, and a couple of other Warriors and a few Techs from the Callisto, who were also granted short furlons on the Rising Star, occupied the rear of the shuttle. Lucian didn’t particularly like the attitude of the plump lady who seemed as if the others were invading her personal space, so he’d not bothered trying to meet her. Based on her haughty attitude and the fineness of her robes, he assumed she was wealthy by Colonial standards; since at least some of the wealthy, in his brief experience with them, acted like her. When the shuttle had landed, Lucian had gone over the shuttle’s maintenance log with the pilot after noticing a couple of potential problems during the flight. When he finally disembarked, everyone else was already gone. He’d picked up his small, hastily packed bag, and set out to find Mar-nee’. Strangely, when he checked the directory, he found no entry under either Kaytoe or Mar-nee’, or Immonea, Mar-nee’s full name. Since he’d never been to the quarters she and Kaytoe had taken after Kaytoe was transferred back to the Rising Star, he began wandering the ship in search of someone who could give him directions.