The corridors were dimly lit, not unusual for the engineering section of the ship. Still, Phoenix felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as though electrically charged. Someone was watching her. Her thoughts went to the incident back on Tanopia and the cargo sled.
What if it’s one of my crew, she thought to herself. But who? I don’t know anyone from that far back, except…
Her memory immediately brought forth the images of two men as she heard a soft click and heard the whoosh of an object getting louder. The instinct for survival was strong in her and she threw herself at the deck, twisting her body in the event someone was targeting. Pain lanced through her left hip and something metal made a loud clanging noise against the bulkhead behind her. She cried out in pain as she clamped a hand to the wound to staunch the flow of blood.
Her life recently had been filled with attempts on her life and running feet. A small part of her wished that she hadn’t dismissed the twins so insistently earlier protesting that if she couldn’t feel safe on the KOBOL then she wasn’t safe anywhere in the universe. One would have thought the security guards had just received the royal chewing of their lives by the way they hung their heads and murmured their compliance. They had been Eyjan’s bodyguards for almost as long as they had been on board the STAR KOBOL and there was a routine they had gotten into. To change that routine now was disconcerting.
Once more footfalls heralded the arrival of aid. Chiron was the first to kneel by her side, followed closely by Chief Mariah.
“Begging the commander’s pardon, but that in the name of the Lords of Kobol are you doing wandering around the ship by yourself, and where are your escorts? When I catch up to them they’ll beg me to airlock their miserable carcasses.”
Agitation was clearly evident in the tone of his voice.
“Don’t take that tone with me, Colonel. I shouldn’t need to have escorts following my every move. This feldercarb isn’t supposed to happen here! What are you doing here?”
Techs had started to gather in the corridor and someone handed the Chief a med kit. Mariah made quick use of the bandages and
“When I found out those two idiots had let you wander around all alone I found out where you were going. I wish I’d have gotten here a centon cooner.”
More feet and Security showed up, Captain Jartan in the lead and trailing behind like two lost dagget pups were the twins in question. He looked the area over quickly then spotted the metal shaft laying on the floor, the pointed tip covered in blood.
“Crossbow,” he barked over his shoulder. “Find it!”
Randor and Mandor turned to comply when a tech called out.
“Over here.”
Hidden in the darkness of a seldom used service niche Mandor emerged with the weapon in question well in hand.
Chiron stood. His icy glare was not reserved for only the security twins. Jartan was their superior officer and not only was the safety of the ship his reponsability his, but the safety of the commander as well.
“If you think you can follow orders, take the Commander to Life Center and stay with her,a nd if you don’t stick to her like bonding solvent I’ll personally make up punishments for the three of you. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen?”
☆★☆★☆
About two thirds the way through the ship’s normal sleep period five days later the STAR KOBOL reached the Nova Madagon. Phoenix appeared on the bridge centons after the summons and noted with satisfaction that Chiron had arrived first.
“Nova ahead, Commander,” he informed her.
A quick look around the bridge told her that the Colonel had already ordered the shields closed and the squadrons were preparing to launch.
“Scan for mines,” she ordered.
She knew that the Cylons didn’t have to patrol the area because they mined it. What they wanted with Carrilon was beyond her understanding, unless there was something more to the resort world that they actually wanted. Maybe she’d send Chiron to do a little covert ops recon to see what he could dig up. A taste of the old days might make him feel a little more comfortable now that their positions had been reversed.
Her best case scenario would be to pinpoint every mine and maybe they could just dodge them without detonating one or more alerting the Cylons to their presence. Split micron precision on the parts of the other ships pilots was called for. Worst case scenario they’d make a corridor and risk detection. First they had to get through the nova. When they reached the parameter Phoenix felt something odd, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Cerberus, send a message to the other ships and have them form up on the STAR KOBOL and keep it tight.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Colonel, If I remember correctly, they also have some Tyleum deposits, don’t they?”
While Cerberus turned relay the instruction to the communications officer Chiron called up the information on the planet from the Flight Officer’s computer.
“That’s right. Now I see why you brought us this way. The Ovions mine it. Are you thinking of taking some on?”
“Yes. I want to top off all of our stores and take on more. Make it look like we’re heading out to deep space that way if they decided to tell the Cylons about us they’ll beheading in the wrong direction. Then we can head on to my original course and head to some of the more outer agrocultural colonies to get the supplies we need.”
“You want to go back to Kittring, don’t you?’ the man asked with a smile.
“It was a nice little resort world with a thriving agro colony that was the perfect planet to retire to. It had the perfect balance of natives and tourists to give that sense of still being in the Twelve Colonies without actually BEING near the Twelve Colonies which would destroy the harmony of the planet.”
Cerberus caught her attention and just nodded before returning to his panel.
“Besides,” she said quietly. “I think this crew can use a little quiet time to forget about the madness for a day or two. We haven’t had R&R in six months, and once we get back to Tanopia we won’t have any time to ourselves. You know the Council will be up my astrobes demanding we do one thing or another for them and the good of the survivors.”
“Commander.”
Phoenix turned to Cerberus and saw the concern on his face.
“What is it, Sergeant?”
“There are no mines on my scanner, ma’am. If this corridor were mined in the past, they’re not on my scanners now. They must have been tripped.”
The two command officers exchanged puzzled looks.
“Scan Carrilon,” Phoenix ordered.
“Searching now.”
“GALACTICA?” Chiron asked as the Flight Officer worked.
“It would make sense considering this is the closest planet in this direction they could have made a stop at.”
“No sign off the planet through this asteroid field, Commander. Scanners are just picking up rocks and chunks of metal.” He held up a hand, paused, as he read the readouts coming across the trio of screens at his station. “Although… I think a ship was destroyed here, Commander. There’s too much metal to be naturally occurring.”
Pandora on Communications called out.
“Commander, Squadron leaders are asking when they will be allowed to launch.”
“Tell them to sit sight. We may have to change out plans.”
“Yes ma’am.” .
“Phoenix,” Chiron said softly. “Carrilon doesn’t have an asteroid field.”
“They do now,” Cerberus said defenately.
“That, Colonel, is what’s worrying me. Long range scans, Cerberus. Extend as far as they’ll go. Helm, take us into the Nova. Keep scanning for mines.”
Centons passed without incident and the flight officer marked each centon with the same announcement: Nothing on scanners.
When they cleared the nova the stars came back into view as well as the aforementioned asteroid field.
“I’m sorry, Commander, but the planet’s just not there.”
“Open shields. I want to see what’s out there.”
Blast shields cracked and parted revealing stary blackness and rocks. Massive rocks.
“Asteroid field is on a trajectory course away from the epicenter… of…”
It was then the man turned to Phoenix. “…the last known location of the planet Carrilon.”
“All squadrons are to stand down. There won’t be a launch now. Tell the other ships pilots that I want them to remain in close proximity to the KOBOL and to use us as a shield while we make our way through this… asteroid field.”
“Aye, Commander.”
“Colonel, looks like we’re gogn to have to find another planet. This one’s closed for business.”
The words slipped out of Cerberus’ mouth before he could catch them.
“Oh no. That means we have no other alternative, than to go to…”
He let the sentence drift off, not daring to finish it.
“I’m afraid so, Sergeant.”
“Oh Frack,” he sighed, turning back to his computer. Not his favorite planet in the universe, but he thanked his lucky starts he wasn’t one of the unfortunates that had to go down to that planet.”
☆★☆★☆
The meeting with the Squadron leaders and support ships commanders was short. Phoenix briefed them on everything they had found and her intentions to turn away and head for the next closest planet in search of supplies for their beleaguered survivors back on Tanopia. It was evident that the GALACTICA had been here, fought he Cylons and had escaped before the planet was destroyed.
“From the amounts of unrefined Tyleum in the rocks we’ve scanned it appears that Carrilon was not only a most luxurious playground it was also the largest single source of Tyleum in the galaxy. If it hadn’t broken apart it might have burned for eons.”
Phoenix paused to let the information sink in.
“Where do we go now?” Charlene asked.
“The next possible place to take on supplies would be Borallus. I want everyone to brush up on their hand to hand combat training. The natives already think of us Colonials as cowards for always relying on a blaster for protection so they have this idea we’re soft and easily hurt. Their warriors are a lot stronger than we are and I don’t want anyone unprepared for a fight if it can’t be avoided. Tell your squadrons I don’t want anyone creating trouble. You get in, get your assigned tasks done, and you get out. No loitering. I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to be. Dismissed.”
The room cleared leaving Azriel behind.
“I need a sparring partner, and we haven’t worked out in a long time. Let’s go to the gym,n and let me beat the stuffing out of you…” She ended the request with a smile and a softly spoken “…cupcake.”
Phoenix slamed her report pad on the table and glared.
“I am going to make that Scorpion’s life a living Hades for sticking me with that damnable nickname, Az. You just wait and see.
The Tauron woman threw her head back and laughed out loud. The unfortunate nickname had been going around for a few months before Phoenix had heard about it from her best friend, but as these things are, no matter how many threats Azriel made, the nom de plume never really died out. It just stuck its head in the sand and made its way around the ship via the underground circuit where the KOBOL’s officers never cared to tread.
“I swear to the Goddess I’m going to kill that man, slowly and painfully if I ever hear those words cross his lips.”
“Well, come on down and beat on me for a while Work out some of your obvious anger issues.”
Phoenix sighed and stared at the scattered papers on the table. “Fine. I will. It might do me some good after all. I can’t seem to think straight at the moment. All these words are dancing before my eyes at the centon.”
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branchandroot
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Date: 2014-11-26 04:57 am (UTC)What if it’s one of my crew, she thought to herself. But who? I don’t know anyone from that far back, except…
Her memory immediately brought forth the images of two men as she heard a soft click and heard the whoosh of an object getting louder. The instinct for survival was strong in her and she threw herself at the deck, twisting her body in the event someone was targeting. Pain lanced through her left hip and something metal made a loud clanging noise against the bulkhead behind her. She cried out in pain as she clamped a hand to the wound to staunch the flow of blood.
Her life recently had been filled with attempts on her life and running feet. A small part of her wished that she hadn’t dismissed the twins so insistently earlier protesting that if she couldn’t feel safe on the KOBOL then she wasn’t safe anywhere in the universe. One would have thought the security guards had just received the royal chewing of their lives by the way they hung their heads and murmured their compliance. They had been Eyjan’s bodyguards for almost as long as they had been on board the STAR KOBOL and there was a routine they had gotten into. To change that routine now was disconcerting.
Once more footfalls heralded the arrival of aid. Chiron was the first to kneel by her side, followed closely by Chief Mariah.
“Begging the commander’s pardon, but that in the name of the Lords of Kobol are you doing wandering around the ship by yourself, and where are your escorts? When I catch up to them they’ll beg me to airlock their miserable carcasses.”
Agitation was clearly evident in the tone of his voice.
“Don’t take that tone with me, Colonel. I shouldn’t need to have escorts following my every move. This feldercarb isn’t supposed to happen here! What are you doing here?”
Techs had started to gather in the corridor and someone handed the Chief a med kit. Mariah made quick use of the bandages and
“When I found out those two idiots had let you wander around all alone I found out where you were going. I wish I’d have gotten here a centon cooner.”
More feet and Security showed up, Captain Jartan in the lead and trailing behind like two lost dagget pups were the twins in question. He looked the area over quickly then spotted the metal shaft laying on the floor, the pointed tip covered in blood.
“Crossbow,” he barked over his shoulder. “Find it!”
Randor and Mandor turned to comply when a tech called out.
“Over here.”
Hidden in the darkness of a seldom used service niche Mandor emerged with the weapon in question well in hand.
Chiron stood. His icy glare was not reserved for only the security twins. Jartan was their superior officer and not only was the safety of the ship his reponsability his, but the safety of the commander as well.
“If you think you can follow orders, take the Commander to Life Center and stay with her,a nd if you don’t stick to her like bonding solvent I’ll personally make up punishments for the three of you. Do I make myself clear, gentlemen?”
☆★☆★☆
About two thirds the way through the ship’s normal sleep period five days later the STAR KOBOL reached the Nova Madagon. Phoenix appeared on the bridge centons after the summons and noted with satisfaction that Chiron had arrived first.
“Nova ahead, Commander,” he informed her.
A quick look around the bridge told her that the Colonel had already ordered the shields closed and the squadrons were preparing to launch.
“Scan for mines,” she ordered.
She knew that the Cylons didn’t have to patrol the area because they mined it. What they wanted with Carrilon was beyond her understanding, unless there was something more to the resort world that they actually wanted. Maybe she’d send Chiron to do a little covert ops recon to see what he could dig up. A taste of the old days might make him feel a little more comfortable now that their positions had been reversed.
Her best case scenario would be to pinpoint every mine and maybe they could just dodge them without detonating one or more alerting the Cylons to their presence. Split micron precision on the parts of the other ships pilots was called for. Worst case scenario they’d make a corridor and risk detection. First they had to get through the nova. When they reached the parameter Phoenix felt something odd, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.
“Cerberus, send a message to the other ships and have them form up on the STAR KOBOL and keep it tight.”
“Yes, Commander.”
“Colonel, If I remember correctly, they also have some Tyleum deposits, don’t they?”
While Cerberus turned relay the instruction to the communications officer Chiron called up the information on the planet from the Flight Officer’s computer.
“That’s right. Now I see why you brought us this way. The Ovions mine it. Are you thinking of taking some on?”
“Yes. I want to top off all of our stores and take on more. Make it look like we’re heading out to deep space that way if they decided to tell the Cylons about us they’ll beheading in the wrong direction. Then we can head on to my original course and head to some of the more outer agrocultural colonies to get the supplies we need.”
“You want to go back to Kittring, don’t you?’ the man asked with a smile.
“It was a nice little resort world with a thriving agro colony that was the perfect planet to retire to. It had the perfect balance of natives and tourists to give that sense of still being in the Twelve Colonies without actually BEING near the Twelve Colonies which would destroy the harmony of the planet.”
Cerberus caught her attention and just nodded before returning to his panel.
“Besides,” she said quietly. “I think this crew can use a little quiet time to forget about the madness for a day or two. We haven’t had R&R in six months, and once we get back to Tanopia we won’t have any time to ourselves. You know the Council will be up my astrobes demanding we do one thing or another for them and the good of the survivors.”
“Commander.”
Phoenix turned to Cerberus and saw the concern on his face.
“What is it, Sergeant?”
“There are no mines on my scanner, ma’am. If this corridor were mined in the past, they’re not on my scanners now. They must have been tripped.”
The two command officers exchanged puzzled looks.
“Scan Carrilon,” Phoenix ordered.
“Searching now.”
“GALACTICA?” Chiron asked as the Flight Officer worked.
“It would make sense considering this is the closest planet in this direction they could have made a stop at.”
“No sign off the planet through this asteroid field, Commander. Scanners are just picking up rocks and chunks of metal.” He held up a hand, paused, as he read the readouts coming across the trio of screens at his station. “Although… I think a ship was destroyed here, Commander. There’s too much metal to be naturally occurring.”
Pandora on Communications called out.
“Commander, Squadron leaders are asking when they will be allowed to launch.”
“Tell them to sit sight. We may have to change out plans.”
“Yes ma’am.”
.
“Phoenix,” Chiron said softly. “Carrilon doesn’t have an asteroid field.”
“They do now,” Cerberus said defenately.
“That, Colonel, is what’s worrying me. Long range scans, Cerberus. Extend as far as they’ll go. Helm, take us into the Nova. Keep scanning for mines.”
Centons passed without incident and the flight officer marked each centon with the same announcement: Nothing on scanners.
When they cleared the nova the stars came back into view as well as the aforementioned asteroid field.
“I’m sorry, Commander, but the planet’s just not there.”
“Open shields. I want to see what’s out there.”
Blast shields cracked and parted revealing stary blackness and rocks. Massive rocks.
“Asteroid field is on a trajectory course away from the epicenter… of…”
It was then the man turned to Phoenix. “…the last known location of the planet Carrilon.”
“All squadrons are to stand down. There won’t be a launch now. Tell the other ships pilots that I want them to remain in close proximity to the KOBOL and to use us as a shield while we make our way through this… asteroid field.”
“Aye, Commander.”
“Colonel, looks like we’re gogn to have to find another planet. This one’s closed for business.”
The words slipped out of Cerberus’ mouth before he could catch them.
“Oh no. That means we have no other alternative, than to go to…”
He let the sentence drift off, not daring to finish it.
“I’m afraid so, Sergeant.”
“Oh Frack,” he sighed, turning back to his computer. Not his favorite planet in the universe, but he thanked his lucky starts he wasn’t one of the unfortunates that had to go down to that planet.”
☆★☆★☆
The meeting with the Squadron leaders and support ships commanders was short. Phoenix briefed them on everything they had found and her intentions to turn away and head for the next closest planet in search of supplies for their beleaguered survivors back on Tanopia. It was evident that the GALACTICA had been here, fought he Cylons and had escaped before the planet was destroyed.
“From the amounts of unrefined Tyleum in the rocks we’ve scanned it appears that Carrilon was not only a most luxurious playground it was also the largest single source of Tyleum in the galaxy. If it hadn’t broken apart it might have burned for eons.”
Phoenix paused to let the information sink in.
“Where do we go now?” Charlene asked.
“The next possible place to take on supplies would be Borallus. I want everyone to brush up on their hand to hand combat training. The natives already think of us Colonials as cowards for always relying on a blaster for protection so they have this idea we’re soft and easily hurt. Their warriors are a lot stronger than we are and I don’t want anyone unprepared for a fight if it can’t be avoided. Tell your squadrons I don’t want anyone creating trouble. You get in, get your assigned tasks done, and you get out. No loitering. I don’t want to be here any longer than we have to be. Dismissed.”
The room cleared leaving Azriel behind.
“I need a sparring partner, and we haven’t worked out in a long time. Let’s go to the gym,n and let me beat the stuffing out of you…” She ended the request with a smile and a softly spoken “…cupcake.”
Phoenix slamed her report pad on the table and glared.
“I am going to make that Scorpion’s life a living Hades for sticking me with that damnable nickname, Az. You just wait and see.
The Tauron woman threw her head back and laughed out loud. The unfortunate nickname had been going around for a few months before Phoenix had heard about it from her best friend, but as these things are, no matter how many threats Azriel made, the nom de plume never really died out. It just stuck its head in the sand and made its way around the ship via the underground circuit where the KOBOL’s officers never cared to tread.
“I swear to the Goddess I’m going to kill that man, slowly and painfully if I ever hear those words cross his lips.”
“Well, come on down and beat on me for a while Work out some of your obvious anger issues.”
Phoenix sighed and stared at the scattered papers on the table. “Fine. I will. It might do me some good after all. I can’t seem to think straight at the moment. All these words are dancing before my eyes at the centon.”