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Post by Brie on Oct 25, 2004 18:04:17 GMT -6
As they entered the bridge area everyone stopped what they were doing. Brie couldn’t remember ever hearing such silence in a usually noisy place. Major Pierce was already there, speaking with Captain Urdea. Pierce noticed Brie and Boleman and wasted no time in approaching them. “You kept your word, Brie, I’m surprised. Are you ready?”
“It hasn’t been a centar yet,” Brie replied, walking past him. She approached Commander Sheba. Although Brie held out her hand Sheba embraced her.
“Brie, we thought that you all had...” The Callisto’s commander stopped without needing to finish her sentence.
“I don’t understand that,” Brie said. “Commander Apollo assured me that he had sent a message, to let you know that there were survivors.”
“The message was a bit jumbled,” Sheba said. She paused. “How is he? Commander Apollo?”
“He’s well, Ma’am. He said he’d be shuttling over as soon as he’s able. Speaking of shuttles, Ma’am, our transmission here was being jammed. I think that there was something, a device of some type, on the shuttle itself. It’s the only explanation that I can think of.”
“I’ll get someone on it right away,” Sheba promised.
Brie glanced around. “Where’s Colonel Charybdis?”
“He’s on sleep cycle,” Commander Sheba replied. “He’ll be back soon.”
“You heard about Amy,” Brie assumed.
Sheba nodded. “Major Pierce filled me in. He gave me the copies of the debriefings, and also told me what he’s doing to you. I think it’s terrible. You put your life on the line, didn’t expect to return from the Cylon base, and you’re being repaid like this?”
“I don’t mind being held accountable,” Brie said. “If it’s decided that their deaths were my fault then I’ll accept whatever my fate may be, although I stand by my decision.” She looked around again. “I wish Charybdis was here. I really wanted to tell him myself. We’ve been friends for a long time, and I think he should hear this from me.”
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Post by Amy81 on Oct 26, 2004 7:02:04 GMT -6
They'd finally gotten clearance to leave the repair ship, and Elmer was happy to see them underway at last for their home, the main agro ship. But still, Elmer was not content. His wife Abby stood at his side at a viewport inside the shuttle.
"Nothing yet?" she asked him. They'd been on the outer edges of the fleet for so long that they'd received no word at all on the status of their daughter's mission.
"No" Elmer said, shaking his head. "I asked the pilot to forward our mail. I'd imagine there's quite a lot of catching up to do. Orders, quotas, the fleet doesn't stop eating just because our main harvester goes down."
Abby smiled. They weren't the only source of food in the fleet, but Elmer always talked like they were. "Maybe there will be some news then."
"What I figured when I asked him" Elmer said, his voice holding a tinge of the annoyance it always held whenever his wife stated the obvious.
The nearby com buzzed, and Elmer picked it up. "Yeah?" he said. "I see. Thank you." He hung it back up, and turned to Abby. "Our messages are in." He sat down at a terminal and Abby stood behind him, peering over his shoulder as he entered his codes and brought up the mail. He nodded. "We've got tons of business to tend to. Tons."
"What about Amy?" Abby asked. "Anything?"
After a moment, Elmer replied. "Yep, two things." He opened the first one, and was thankful to be sitting when he read it. He spun in his seat and took hold of Abby as the shock of the news spread over her face.
"I knew it" she said softly, "I knew it...no survivors..."
Elmer swallowed and tried to find his voice. It cracked and rasped as he spoke. "Let's see the other message." He stood on shakey legs as he gave the chair to his wife. Then he punched up the second message, one that very recently had been sent.
"Huh" he said flatly. "There were some survivors after all."
"But not..." Abby whispered, "but not..." She turned to bury her face in Elmer's chest.
"No" Elmer said softly. "No, she's gone." He blinked away tears. They'd known this day might come. They'd known. They no longer had a daughter.
He read the message again, and cleared his throat. "Say's here Major Brie is among the survivors. Huh. Blamed for the losses? That doesn't sound proper." Still holding his wife, he reached over to the com and buzzed the pilot.
"Change in destination" he ordered the pilot. "We'll be going to the Callisto". After getting confirmation, he hung up the com and held his wife close, his hand gently stroking the side of her head as she cried into his chest.
The shuttle, just nearing visual range of it's destination, turned and began to head up the fleet toward the Callisto, leaving the gleaming domes of the agro ship behind.
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 26, 2004 7:57:41 GMT -6
I had finished dressing and just before I left my quarters, I decided to check in with the computer to see what was up.
There was something going on, that's for sure. A shuttle and vipers had landed, but they sure had not come from the Callisto!!
Right then, my comm unit buzzed. Lt. Aegina was on the line asking that I come to the bridge immediately.
Something was urgent and I needed to get moving. I quickly left my quarters and made my way to the brige.
As I came upon the final corridor, people were milling about smiling. That's something I had not seen for awhile. One of them said as I was passing, "Amazing, huh, Colonel?" I wasn't sure what the frack he was talking about.
I entered the final door and as I stepped in I caught myself and stopped still. I could not believe my eyes: there standing with the Commander was none other than Brie!!!
"Brie!" were the only words that came out of my mouth. I rushed over to her...
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Post by Brie on Oct 26, 2004 12:29:48 GMT -6
“Brie!” She turned as her name was called, and saw Colonel Charybdis rushing towards her. His surprise was all over his face, he obviously hadn’t heard that the entire infiltration team hadn’t perished. She took a few steps towards him and met him in the middle. Even though they both wore slings they hugged, the embrace of two longtime friends.
Brie pulled back after several microns, dreading what she was about to say. “I’m sorry, Charybdis, but Amy didn’t make it. You would have been proud of her, though. She died a hero.” Brie couldn’t look him in the eye, but she was sure that he was tearing up.
“What happened?”
“Okay, Brie, the centar is up.” Pierce picked that micron to approach her once again, proving that he had no heart.
“Five more centons,” Brie pleaded. “I really need to have this conversation.”
“No.” Pierce’s voice was firm. Boleman and Captain Urdea were standing right behind him. Pierce looked at them, at Commander Sheba, and then finally back at Brie. “Major Brie, you are being charged with Gross Negligence in the deaths of Captain Lazant and Captain Amy. I must ask you to enter a plea.”
“Not guilty,” Brie said. She still didn’t look at Charybdis, she hadn’t wanted him to find out this way.
“Security,” Pierce said, purposely not using Captain Urdea’s name, “please escort Major Brie to the Callisto’s brig. The tribunal will convene in ten centars.”
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 27, 2004 9:07:05 GMT -6
I was stunned. All this was happening too fast. Here Brie was alive, and now she was being carted off to jail blamed for the deaths of Amy and Lazant? "What?" I cried out. "What is going on? Brie, what's this all about?"
Before she could answer and after she began moving with Urdea at her side, Major Pierce turned and hissed at me, "I suggest you clear your schedule, Colonel. You woudn't want to miss this tribunal."
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Post by Brie on Oct 27, 2004 15:54:33 GMT -6
Brie sat in what would be her home for the next ten plus centars, quietly fuming. Five more centons, that was all she had asked for. Pierce was a son of a daggit, that was for sure. Most people on the Callisto wouldn’t know him, except maybe by reputation, but Charybdis would remember. Those dark times back on the Galactica always somehow seemed to creep back into Brie’s life.
Looking around at her new surroundings, it wasn’t all that bad. The cell was small but larger than some living quarters within the fleet. There was a bed and a desk with a chair and that was about it. Captain Urdea had assured Brie that she would be well taken care of and she agreed. Most of his forces still felt like they owed Brie because of the trouble that some of their own had caused her a couple of yarhens earlier. There were two women guarding her at the moment, but they were having a conversation further down the hall and allowing Brie some privacy, which suited her just fine.
Brie lied down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. She knew that Sheba would fill Charybdis in on the details and show him a copy of the debriefing but that didn’t make her feel any better. Knowing Boleman he wouldn’t let her talk to Charybdis if he came to see her but she didn’t care. She would tell him whatever he wanted to know.
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Post by Amy81 on Oct 28, 2004 7:24:16 GMT -6
The shuttle got landing permission, and as Elmer and Abby watched from the viewport, the battlestar grew bigger and bigger until the stars gave way and they entered the landing bay. Elmer was already at the airlock door when the ship came to a stop. With Abby in hand he walked across the deck to the nearest flight attendant.
"Son, where might I find Major Brie at?" he asked the attendant.
The man looked up from his clipboard. "This is a military bay, sir..." he started to say.
"Nevermind all that" Elmer grunted. "My wife and I need to find Major Brie. Tell us if you know, and we'll be out of your military bay." Abby patted Elmer on the arm, knowing that his bad temper was heating up.
"Do you have I.D.?" the attendant asked. "You really shouldn't be here at all..."
"My name is Elmer" Elmer said in a loud, gruff voice. "This is my wife Abby. We are the parents of a warrior. Maybe you've heard of her. Captain Amy?"
The attendant swallowed hard. "Y-Yeah. Yes, sir. I'm sorry. Ah, Major Brie was taken to the brig. I-I don't think you'll be able to see her though..."
"Just point us in the right direction" Elmer said simply.
* * *
A short time later Elmer walked down a corridor, Abby in tow. "Maybe we shouldn't be here" Abby said. "Maybe we should wait."
"Now now, woman" Elmer said sternly, "I came to see Major Brie and I'm going to see Major Brie."
They came to a secured area, and walked up to the guard on duty. Down the corridor behind him, Elmer could see two woman guards standing about halfway down, but nothing else but rows of cell doors.
"I'm here to see Major Brie" Elmer announced.
The guard shook his head. "I'm sorry, that isn't allowed without permission."
"And who's permission do I need to get to talk to the woman who was in charge of my daughter's life?" Elmer's voice was rising again.
"And your daughter...?" the guard asked.
"Captain Amy" Abby answered, her voice tired.
"I see" the guard said. "But I can't let you in. You'll have to talk to Boleman. Or Major Pierce."
Elmer grunted, and put up his hands as if to try and look calm when he was anything but. Red tape. Nothing but on these battlestars. "Alright" he said. "And where can I find Major Pierce?"
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Post by Col. Charybdis on Oct 28, 2004 9:25:22 GMT -6
Sheba took me into the war room to have some privacy.
She seemed almost as stunned as I was. "Commander, what the frack is going on? Brie is alive! But now she's under charges for causing Lazant's and Amy's death?"
"I know, it sounds amazing. We find out that some of the team made it out alive, but now this. And guess who's leading the parade, Major Pierce," Sheba added.
"I remember him from a few yahrens ago when I was aboard the Galactica. A real piece of work. He's full of daggit droppings, Commander. These trumped up charges against Brie are a personal vendetta. I know, I was there the first time around."
Sheba was pensive. "I know. I was there too. And believe me, Brie will need our help to get her out of this."
I was still stunned. There was no other word for it. Then I thought about what could be the purpose of charging Brie in their deaths? What really happened out there? Why did Amy die? There was one way to find out for sure.
I straightened up and asked for permission to leave the bridge. Sheba knew what I was going to do but she granted the permission anyway.
I quickly made my way to the security area and the brig. As I turned the corner, there were two civilians talking with a security guard. ""I'm here to see Major Brie" the older man announced.
The guard shook his head. "I'm sorry, that isn't allowed without permission."
"And who's permission do I need to get to talk to the woman who was in charge of my daughter's life?" the man's voice was rising. I heard this and stared at the two people. It suddenly dawned on me who they were once I saw their faces!
"And your daughter...?" the guard asked.
"Captain Amy" Abby answered, her voice tired.
"I see" the guard said. "But I can't let you in. You'll have to talk to Boleman. Or Major Pierce."
Elmer grunted, and put up his hands as if to try and look calm when he was anything but. Red tape. Nothing but on these battlestars. "Alright" he said. "And where can I find Major Pierce?"
It was! It was Elmer and Abby, Amy's parents! I had not seen them in yahrens. Ever since first meeting Amy after she came onboard the Callisto. I had gone with her to the Agroship and got to meet them. But with all that was going on, even afer Amy and me had decided to take the seal, with the Callisto gone from the fleet, I had never seen them again...until now.
I walked up to them and the guard, "Guard, let these people pass."
The security guard saw who I was and said weakly, "Sir. I have orders. No one to see the Major."
I was incensed. "In case you haven't noticed Coporal, this is a military brig on a battlestar holding a Colonial Warrior. As Second in Command of the Callisto, I order you to allow these people to see the Major."
She didn't know what to think. She had gotten her orders from two Majors, but I outranked all of them put together. She gave in meekly, "Uh, yes sir. Just please...make it quick." She stepped aside.
I turned to Elmer and Abby wondering what they would say...
"
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Post by Brie on Oct 28, 2004 15:27:36 GMT -6
Brie heard voices in the hall that she knew weren’t the guards. She quickly hurried to the door and tried to hear what was being said, the confinement bothering her for the first time. She could only make out a word or two every now and then, so she instead concentrated on the voices. A male voice that she knew for sure belonged to Charybdis. The other voices weren’t familiar to her. The man’s voice had some anger in it while the female voice was full of sadness. Brie had no idea who they could be, or why they would want to see her.
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Post by Amy81 on Oct 29, 2004 7:34:18 GMT -6
Elmer turned and recognized Colonel Charybdis. He'd only met him that one time Amy had brought him to the agro ship, but Elmer wasn't sure what to make of the man. Since there was military rank involved, Elmer didn't want to make things harder on Amy, but he'd have liked to ask Charydbis, speaking as a father to someone involved with his daughter, if Charybdis would have taken such an interest in helping Amy if she'd been twice her age with a wart on her nose.
Elmer didn't like the idea of Amy getting into the service, and didn't like the appearances of having her involved with a superior officer. He'd thought it was a bad idea, and he and Abby had suffered more so through the rumors and comments such a relationship gave rise to. He was torn between his disapproval of her being a warrior and finding himself needing to defend his daughter's abilities as a warrior. It was rotten business. She should have just stayed on the agro ship...
Abby broke the silence. "Oh Charybdis" she said and stepped forward to give him a hug. "It's good to see you again."
"Wish the circumstances were different" Elmer said, "but thank you kindly just the same for your help here. I suppose now we should be speaking with Major Brie while we have the chance." He held a hand out to Abby. "Come along now woman."
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