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thestarkoboljournals2014-11-02 05:14 pm
Adventures of the Star Kobol: Betrayal
Commander Eyjan hurried down the corridor intent on learning why the battle klaxons had sounded when they were so close to their rendezvous with the rest of the fleet for the signing of the armistice with the Cylons.
There were many aboard the Sagittaran Battlestar STAR KOBOL who could never believe that the Cylons would accept that which was so strange and alien to them. Peace was a concept that they could not understand because they had never known what it was, and they were not programmed to contemplate such matters. They existed only to serve the Empire.
Eyjan’s aid, who was bent over the command console, caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye as he ascended the steps of the command dais.
“Colonel, what’s going on?” There was a hint of annoyance to his usual deeply toned bark.
The young woman pointed to the scanner.
“Cylons and a tanker, sir. It looks like they’re refueling.”
She stood fully upright and spoke in a softer voice so as not to be heard by the most of the personnel on the bridge.
“Adama was right. There’s not going to be any peace. Those tankers are refueling for an attack. I’m sure if it.”
“I agree, Commander.”
The corroborating voice came from Flight Officer Cerberus, the lead launch officer seated at the command console. Eyjan turned as the man continued.
“The Cylons wouldn’t be here unless they planned to double-cross us from the beginning.”
Eyjan frowned. All these sectons he had hoped and prayed that the Cylons were as fed up with war as his people were. Apparently ythat was not so.
“Launch all vipers to intercept and destroy,” he ordered. “If there’s not gong to be peace I don’t want to waste time here when the Fleet could be in trouble.”
“Commander!” the communications officer called. “Message coming in on Fleet Com-Line Alpha from the ASTROZON.” The youth cocked his head as he listened to the rest of the transmission. He worked to get a visual but none was available. “Commander Aristotle reports that the fleet is under attack by waves of Cylon Raiders. It seems that only two battlestars were able to launch their vipers. The ASTROZON and… one other.”
“What about the others?”
“Unknown. President Adar ordered the two ships nopt tp launch their fighters. Apparentl;y the commanders thought it best to violate orders and try to protect the flee.”
Phoenix looked to Eyjan as of hoping he had the answers to set everything right again. He saw the lost look on her face and shook his head. There was nothing they could do to help the fleet now. Even if they went to maximum speed at that centon they wouldn’t arrive in time to save the fleet.
“Prepair to make the jumpo to light speed,” Eyjan ordered. “The least we can do it try to save them. Phoenix, recall all vipers. I think they’ve done enough damage fro now.
As preparations were being made, the commander walked to the gigantic observation port just in time to see the tanker disappear in a brilliant flash of light. He hoped they weren;t too late to save at least some of the fleet.
Phoenix, from where she strood behind the flight officer, scrutinized her commander. His 6’1” ebony stature made him just 12.7 centimeters taller than herself. Thought he was 58 he didn’t look his age, rather, he was content to allow people to think he was much younger. His late wife, may the Lords of Kobol rest her soul, accused him many times of having lied to her about his age. Most men of his yahrens would have let their physical appearance lag considerably, but not Eyjan. Once in a while he would forget, but he woujld snap to and return to his schedule of dailt callestendics when he had noticed a slight tightnes sin his uniform, which Phoenix would occassionially chide him about. She would come to regret those words later because he woujl come knocking on her door at 0530 in the morning to get her out of bed to go jogging with him. His excuse was that he didn’t want to exercise alone. Phoenix hated jogging.
“Adar,” the black man muttered. “What have you and your council of fools done to us?”
☆★☆★☆
Over the old Moon Cimtar, the ATLANTIA erupted in a ball of flames. Starbuck cursed out Adama as the GALACTICA pulled out of formation and retreated at the same time the STAR KOBOL’s commander gave the order to ‘jump’. Its course: Linus Sector. Within a centar at maximum speed Cimtar was within scanning range, but the 6th Fleet was nowhere to be found. An aura of despair hung over the bridge crew as scanners picked up traces of debris.
“Scan for survivors,” Eyjan ordered.
He didn’t believe there were any until alight on Cerberus’ control panel lit up – a red, blinking light that indicated an organic life form that was still alive. If that life form were dead a blue light would blink.
“Human?” Phoenix asked, leaning over the officer’s shoulder. The man put the warbook readout on the screen.
“One man fighter… one occupant… Human, Colonel.”
“Dispatch a shuttle and have a medic standing by when they bring out guest on board,” the Colonel said.
“Yes, maam.”
☆★☆★☆
“I hear the lieutenant’s condition has stabilized,” Eyjan said to the female pilot standing before his desk.
“Yes sir,” Azriel replied.
Captain Azriel, commanding officer of Blue Squadron, was a tall, slender Tauran woman with sun bleached blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She had joined the academy on Sagittara when her oldest brother, Cornell, was killed in the battle of Debran. Her younger brother was c
currently assigned to the Battlestar GALACTICA’s Red Squadron.
The door buzzer sounded and Colonel Phoenix entered.
“Just the report, Captain, and I’ll read it later,” Eyjan said.
Azriel saluted and left.
“Eyjan, what is it?” Phoenix asked.
He commander held up the wounded pilot’s battlejacket for her inspection. She immediately recognized the insignia.
“He’s from the GALACTICA?” she asked.
Eyjan nodded.
“Order helm to set course for the colonies, sublight speed. There may be other pilots out there. If there are we’ll pick them up.”
“Shall we set course form home or the outermost planets, sir?”
“We’ll head home, Colonel,” the man replied, deep in thought.
Now if only the STAR KOBOL could get there in time to stop the Cylons from destroying the last traces of humanity. Sagittara could hold it’s own for a while. Hopefully until help arrived.
The vid-screen came to life when the young woman touched a button and she relayed the orders to the helm officer. The commander motioned her to a chair when she had finished.
“Would you care for a drink?” he offered.
“Please.”
He poured the sweet, yellow colored Sagittaran wine called Laharrhani into two glasses and handed one to the Colonel. The man tasted his own as would an oenophile.
“Ahh. My favororite.”
“What’s the real reason you called me down here?” the young woman asked.
“Phoenix, I think it’s time you knew something very important about this so-called armistice,” the black man started, resuming his seat. “We weren’t intending on making peace with the Cylons.”
“Someone should have told the Council.”
“Five yahrens ago the head of the Galactic War Committee, Supreme Admiral Thorbin, ordered a special Battlestar to be built – a battledreadnaught called the LORDS OF KOBOL. It was to be the most powerful weapon in history. It was completed six months ago. Under he command of Commander Sigma it set out two months ago away from the Colonies on an important mission. One that would ensure our victory in this war. The LORDS OF KOBOL was to come in from behind Cylon while the armistice was going on and launch an attack against the capitol city while their foces were elsewhere which should have been accomplished long before now. Supreme Armiral Thorbin ordered the Complete annhaiation of the planet.”
“What happened to the dreadnaught? Where is it?” Phoenix asked.
“From what my cousin, Reed, Thorbin’s secretary, told me the dreadnaught is ten times larger than out largest Battlestar, and I don’t know what happened to it. I do know that it can be picked up visually before it is ever picked up on sensors.”
“Ten times larger than the GALACTICA? That’s unbelievable.”
“What’s even more unbelievable is that it has three landing bays and slightly larher fighter ships, but I guess if you’re going up against Cylon itself you’d need something massive enough to do it.”
“Isn’t there anything that can destroy it?” the woman asked, raising the glass to her lips.
There’s only one thing – the Cylon’s Supertop Warship. It is said to be even larger than the LORDS. Actually there is no proof this this Supertop even exists.” Eyjan picked up a recording crystal from his desktop. “Everything I know about the LORDS OF KOBOL is on this tape. It’s not much, but it’s all I have at this time. If you wish to view it, it’s here.”
Phoenix nodded.
☆★☆★☆
On the long trip back to the Colonies the STAR KOBOL picked up a handful of pilots who had not been able to make it to the nearest refueling station. In each case the rescued pilots recounted the same story for Commander Eyjan – that the fleet had been attacked by Cylon forces and, when faced with defeat, the Battlestar GALACTICA pulled out leaving her ships to defend the fleet.
☆★☆★☆
Images floated before him then faded away, only to reappear and dissolve, each time forming different patterns. Yet one image seemed to reappear time and again. He was in his ship watching the lasers streak towards him. Then, from a distance, he saw his ship disintegrate. Images of a battle, a voice – Apollo’s voice – the sounds of explosions, the rocking of his ship and bright lights flashing around him.
“Do it. I’m short an engine. Short an engine… short an eng…” Echoing and echoing. “I need help! … need help…” Lord of Kobol, why can’t I wake up? Am I dead? I can’t be!
no subject
Dr. majel noted the fluctuatiuon in the readings coming from the cryo-chamber and went to investigate. She caught him struggling to sit up.
“Easy there,” she said softly, easing him back onto the pillow. “Lay back and rest. You’ve had a rough day.”
“Where is my brother? Is he alright? Where am I? Are we still under attack?”
“We’re not under attack,” Majel assured him. “I don’t know anything about your brother, but I’m sure he’s fine. As to where you are, you’re aboard the Battlestar STAR KOBOL.”
The young Caprican began to thrash about and the doctor reached for a hyop on a nearby trat table. She put the blunt nose to the lieutenant’s arm and, with a soft hiss, th4e sedative started to course its way through his system. He lapsed into a peaceful slumber. Dr. Majel returned to her desk and put a recording crystal into the computer situated in front fo her.
“Patient, Lieutenant Zac, regained consciousness ta 1740 centars. Patient became delirious and a sedative was administered at 1742 centars. Patient is now resting quietly.”
She rose from her hcair and went back to the boy’s side. Half of his face and portions of his arms and torso were covered with a couple cemtimeters of burn retardant ointment which would eliminate most of the pain and keep the injuries from becoming infected. The ointment contained no greasy substance which would have to be scraped off upon arrival to an equipped Life Center where the burns would be treated. In time skin grafts and other procedures would be invoked to return the lieutenant to his former, active self. The loose bandages were only a precautionalry measure against foreign matter getting into the wounds and irritating the sensitive tissues.
Majel wondered if he would return to duty after his wounds has healed and hoped that he wouldn’t be scarred mentally by hjis injuries. She removed a small holo from her coat pocket. It was probably taken recently because the edges weren;t too badly worn. In the picture Zac was standing behind a lovely young woman who was seated on a stool. He was bent over with his arms wrapped around her shoulders, their cheeks touching. There was something familiar about the woman. Majel had seen her somewhere before but she couldn’t remember exactly where.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel stood in the pit under her Viper working on the ship’s guidance systems as First Lieutenant Allas sat nearby with a toolbox beside him. Allas was assigned to Azriel’s squadron, though Azriel sometimes wished he weren’t.
“There it is,” the blonde woman said to herself. “I knew that short was in here somewhere.”
She moved a couple of steps in a circle to get in a better position to work on the circuit. As she moved the hilt of her sword jabbed her in the ribs.
A sword. Along with the regulation blaster was worn as standard equipment aboard the STAR KOBOL. The sword was never to be out of the person’s possession – just like the blaster. The trend first started when Eyjan took command of the warship. He’d had a discussion about the weapon with one of his superior officers and had convinced the c.o. that he would not part with the blade under any circumstances. Some time later some of the crew members had picked up on the idea until the Commander had issued a ship-wide regulation that everyone under his command would wear a sword and learn to use it well. There was no telling when even the most non-essential personnel would find his or her self in a position where knowledge of blades was essential.
“Allas,” Azriel called. “Would you take this sword off of me? It’s getting in my way.”
“My pleasure, Captain,” the red haired man replied as he stretched out on his stomach.
“I’m sure it is,” she said sarcastically.
“Ah, now I’ve got you where I’ve always wanted you, Cherie’.” The Lieutenant said in a sultry Aquarian accent.
“Just unbuckle the sword, Allas, and no groping.”
“Aw, cher, you never let me have any fun,” the first lieutenant crooned, jokingly.
“That’s right. The sword…”
“Well step over here where I can get at it.”
From where he was, Azriel stood with her back to him. He reached around her waist and started to undo the buckle.
“Wrong buckle, LIEUTENANT.”
“Oops.”
Refastening that buckle he found the right one. The belt came free and he crawled out from under the ship.
“I wonder what we’ll find when we get home,” Allas said soberly.
“I don’t care to think about it,” Azriel said. If the armistice was any indication of the Cylon’s true intentions, then her beau, Jameson and her family were dead. She pushed the thought out of her mind. “There’s a leaver I’ve got to get out of the way before I can…”
She let out a grunt as the lever turned suddenly and Allas saw the captain lose her balance. She caught herself and cried out.
“Azriel, what happened?”
“Give me some clean rags, quick,” the woman ordered.
The Sagittaran haistily complied. A centon later the captain walked up the ramp holding the rags firmly against her left wrist. The rags and her tan duty tunic were drenched in blood.
“You didn’t,” he said hoping it wasn;t what he thought had happened.
Azriel looked down at the pool of blood collecting at her feet. The color was draining from her face rapidly. “I did and I’m going into shock.”
Her eyes closed and she started to fall. With lightning swiftness Allas was at her side and had her in his arms running from the bay.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel was sitting up when Phoenix entered the life Center. She was puzzled by the smile on the doctor’s lips.
“It appears that the Captain can’t stand the sight of her own blood, majel said smiling.
“In other words, I fainted,” Azriel quipped.
“I thought you were dead!”
“Disappointed?” the Tauran asked.
“I ought to wring your neck. When the call cme through to the bridge it was so garbled that Eyjan and I got the impression that someone was trying to say that there was an accident and you had died.”
“Ah… that was my fault, Colonel. I kinda got a little hysterical when I called in. “ Allas scuffed at the floor with the toe of one of his boots. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any undue alarm.”
“Alright. I’ll note that n the daily report, Lieutenant. Go back to your duties.”
“Yes maam.” Allas saluted and beat a hasty retreat from the ward. Majel finished cleaning up Azriel’s wrist and cleaned up the tray table.
“I’m still gong on that landing party to Sagittara tomorrow.”
“Oh no you’re not,” Phoenix said.
“Oh yes I am,” Azriel vaguely knew the limits to which she could push an argument without Phoenix pulling rank. The two women had shared a sort opf psychic bons since the Tauran woman had been assigned to Sentinal Squadron as Phoenix’s wingmate back when Phoenix was a Captain. “Eyjan’s going to be in that party and I’m not going to let him go down there alone.”
“He won’t be alone. I’m sending Sentinal Squadron down as his escort.”
Azriel laid a hand on the Colonel;s shoulder. “I’m going Phoenix.”
Phoenix turned to Majel. “Doctor?”
“I do want to keep the Captain here for the rest of the day to make sure that the drug I gave her is doing its job and replenishing what blood she lost. Other than that she’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”
“Very well. We’ll see you in the morning. Captain.”
☆★☆★☆
Caprica.
In one corner of the Life Center bomb shelter two women clung to each other in fear. Outside destruction continued to fall upon the city like sheets of rain. People were still coming into the shelter carrying the wounded with them. Babies and small children cried more out of confusion than fear as parents and strangers tried to pacify them. As the women watched the activity their fears disapated. They were safe now.
“Why, Ila?’ the dark skinned woman whispered. “This was to be a day of joy,. Now it’s turned into a nightmare. Oh I wish Tigh were here.”
The woman, Cleopatra, or cCleo as her friends and husband called her, was still a striking beauty for a woman of her yahrens. At the age of eighteen she had won the title of Miss Caprica and later became the first runner up in the Miss Universe pagent.
In celebration of of the end of the war, Ila and Cleo had decided to start out early in the morning for a day of shopping and planning the big feast that would take place when their families were together again. They had stopped for lunch at an outdoor café where they planned the menue then went to see a holo-film at the Presidium Theatre. During the movie the attack on Caprica began and they, along with the other patrons, were ushered to shelter at a nearby Life Center.
“Cleo, the bombing has stopped,”
Both women listened.
“:You’re right,” her companion replied. Ila pulled away. “Ila, no. Don’t go out there!”
“I’ve gotta go home,” the blonde woman called back over her shoulder, “Adama’ll be looking for me.”
Cleo started after her friend but an orderly caught her and held her back. He apparently hadn’t seen Ila leave.
“Stay here, maam. It’s too dangerous for you out there,” he said.
no subject
Moonlight illuminated the road before her so she left the transport’s running lights off in case the Cylons returned. She was at the bottom of the ridge to their home when she saw dozens of small lights making their way slowly to the summit. Pressing the accelerator further, the groundcar picked up speed. As the transport rounded a curve it rocked violently throwing Ila across the compartment. She struck her head against the control panel and blacked out. The groundcar came to rest in a long deep ditch that stretched across the road. Later it would be learned that the ditch was made by Cylon lasers.
☆★☆★☆
Sagittara.
3 Days after the destruction of the Colonies.
Commander Eyjan led SENTINEL Squadron intot he capitol coty of the largest contenant on Sagittara licated in the middle hemispohere and Phoenix took CAVALIER Squadron to search the cooler, northeren hempsphere. AVENGER squadron scouted the far southern hemosphere while GLADIATOR Squadron made ariel sweeps of trhe entire planet. Phoeni had chosen the north of a particular eason: Her parents lived on one of the smaller islands there., The eveingni before, Phoenix had told Eyjan that she didn’t expect to see her parents alive again. She knew that their chances for survival were slim and was preparing herself for what she knew she would find.
Three of the four shuttles under Eyjan’s command veered off on their mission to search for survivors, keeping low over the tree tops. Damp as the jungle world was, raging fires had swept across the land transforming everytnign in it’s path to ash. Gathering what few survivors they could find the warriors shuttled the battle-shocked citizens mid-continent to a gathering place where they would be protected, given food and medical attention then transferred off planet because not all if the fires had burned out.
The stench of charred flesh waft tot hem on the winds,. Eyjan wrinkled his nose in disgust. Captain Azriel looked as though her stomach might turn. The commander had always been proud of his keen sense of smell, but now he wished he could not smell so well.
With the last fo the survivors in their sector, the squadron made their way along the clifftops above the reservoir. Suddenly Eyjan signaled the group to hault and listened.
“Down flat,” he whispered.
A young pregnant woman said something in the ancient dialect of Sagittara and Eyjan replied fluently, telling her that she and her baby would be safe.
The droning of an engine became audible as a launch with six Cylon Centurions came into view, skimming the water of the reservoir in search of surviving humans. When they had passed, the group resumed their march.
☆★☆★☆
In the small family cemetery behind her hone Phoenix laid the last shovel full of dirt over the couble grave where she and Major Hera had just buried her parents, and wiped the sweat off her brown with the back of her durty tunic sleeve. She forced back the tears that welled up in her eues until she could no longer hold them. Salty drops streamed hdown her cheeks. As a last act, she picked flowers from her her mother’s garden and lay them on the mound of dirt.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I loved you two very much.”
Tossing the shovel down she walked to the tree where her gun abd sword hung from a branch by the belt. She fastened the belt about her waist and reached into the crook of the tree branches and withdrew a hologram cube of her parents that she had taken from the living room of their home. Then Phoenix and Hera walked back to the shuttle.
On the way back to the capitol. Phoeinx thought od the differences between her homeworld of Sagittara and that of Caprica, their first stop in the morning. Ther were scheduled to be at Virgon in four centars. Being somewhat closer to the sun than Caprica or Virgon, Sagittara was known as the Jungle World. There were large cities covering thousands of kilometers where a good portion of the population lived, leaving much of the jungle uninhabited. Here the different sects of the planet flourished. The people of these sects made it an unwritten rule to preserve the very ancuient rituals and practices of their forefathers from Kobol even though not many of the other colonies shared their entheusiasm. One of the main practices kept alive by the people was the practice of Matriarchy, or Amazon culture. Almost everyone of the populace belonged to one or more of the many cults.
Upon returning to the gathering place, Phoenix learned that SENTINEL Squardron hadn’t been heard from in almost two centars. They had gone to check out a distress signel from one of the small provences at the edge of the swamplands. There were several small towns out that way so she and CAVALIER Squadron set off in groundcars, Phoenix being alone, leaving the shuttle for transporting people back to the STAR KOBOL.
Sounds lf laser fire drew her attention as her groundcar entered the town square. She programmed the onboard computer to reverse direction ewhen a laser cut in half the fountain statute that had been on her right, Abandoning the vehicle she took refuge om a building at one end of the square. She caught a glimpse of a Cylon in a window on the 3rd floor of a building diagonal form where she was. The centurian aimed his laser and fired into a window in the main floor of the building across from it. Then she saw a human return fire.
“Just great,:” she said to herself. “I leave him alone for a few centars and he has to go get himself into trouble.”
She snuck out the rear exit and made her way around the back of the buildings intil she came to the structure where she had seen the human.
“Eyjan<” she called out softly, stepping into the dark interior, gun drawn. “Eyjan, are you in here?”
A figure stepped out of the shadows brandishing a blaster.
“FREEZE!” a woman ordered. The Colonel stopped, startled. He heart lept to her throat.
“Gods, Azriel!,” Phoenix called, recognizing the voice.
“Sorry Colonel,” the captain apologized, lowering her weapon. “I didn’t know it was you.”
“That’s alright. Where’s Eyjan?”
“Up front,” Azriel replied, leading the way through the building. “He was shot by the Cylons when we entered the courtyard, The distress signel was a trap.
She stopped Phoenix before they entered the front room, “He’s hurt real bad.”
Commander Eyjan lay on a pile of old blankets and pillows in one corner of the room. Most if the warriors were stationed at the windows and doors of the first color. Three warriors were on the second floor. Eyjan opened his eyes as the two women approached.
“You finall did it, didn’t you?” Phoenix said as she sat beside him. “You just had to go insulting them and they shot you in return.”
“I guess IM; not as fast as I thought I was,: the nam said, pulling back the gauze bandage from the wound on the right side of his chest. Blood oozed slowly from the wound. The young woman looked away and laughed half-heartedly.
“Be thankful they didn’t get you where you sit.”
“Yea. I’d be a real goner.”
The smile faded from his face replaced by pain. The Colonel met Azriel’s gaxe. The Captain shook her hear and turned her attention nack to the battle.
“Phoenix,” Eyjan whispered. “There’s nothing you can do. It’s been almost a centar. “He coughed violently, every muscle in his body contracting against the pain. Phoenix put her arms around her commander and eased him back onto the blankets.
“Do you know what happened in the past few centars?” she demanded. “I buried tow of the three people I love dearly in this universe.” Anger flared in her eyes. “Don’t you dare die on me, Old Man!”
“Listen to this. My Colonel is giving me orders.” Then he took on a more serious tone. “What was once mine is now yours. Take good care of my ship… Commander.”
☆★☆★☆
It was Eyjan’s wish that no fuss be made over him when he died, but Phoenix was determined to see that he got all the military honors that were due him – and a few more. After the ceremony Phoenix consigned the commander’s body to the cold vastness of space, chooseing an appropriate course. A centon later she dismissed the crew, but they stopped at Azriel’s command.
“There’s one more ceremony that has to be attended to before we go on and now is just as good a time as any.
Azriel pinned the badge of command to the front collar of Phoenix’s tunic and placed the last symbol of command about the young woman’s shoulders – one of Eyjan’s command robes. The Captain stepped back and saluted, and everyone in the room did likewise. The new commander of the STAR KOBOL returned the salute.
☆★☆★☆
“Hello, m’dear,” Cleo said when Ila finally opened her eyes. “How are you feeling?
Ila recognized the recovery room around her and wondered how she had gotten back to the Life Center.
“Terrible,” the blonde woman replied. “What happened?”
“You tell me. All I know is that some people found you in a groundcar in a ditch outside of town and brought you here.
“Adame!” Ila exclaimed, remembering the lights heading up to her home. “He was there. He was home looking for me, but I couldn’t get to him.”
She was almost in hysterics. Cleo put her arms around her friend to fomfort her as spoke in her normally softly accented voice native to one of the islanmds in the southern hemisphere of Caprica.
“Shhh. Hush darlin’. It’s alright. At least Adama and your children are still alive.”
Cleo’s eyes clouded with memories if the day before. She had learned that the GALACTICA had survived the ambush without any loss of bridge personnel. That would mean that her husband, Tigh, was still alive.
“How long have I been unconscious?” Ila asked.
“About a day and a half,” Cleo replied. “I’ve got some good news for you and some not so good news.”
“Oh?”
“It seems that ships have been rendezvousing in space with a Battlestar, the Galactica, for a long journey to seek help for us. Any ship that could fly has already been launched. “She paused, not wanting to say any more. “They left yesterday.”
Before the news coujld fully sink in, Cleo went to the closet and returned with Ila’s clothes.
“The doctor says the bump on your head isn’t serious and you can get up whenever you feel like it. Why don’t we go down and get something to eat. You must be famished.”
“I’m going to find them, Cleo. If it takes every ounce of strength I’ve got I’m going to find them.” Ila was saying as they made their way through the emergency room corridors. They barely had enough warning as the emergency room doors swung open and two attendants flanked by a couple of Colonial Warriors raced into the building carrying a litter with a young pilot on it. The young man’s face was turned towards the women.
“ZAC!” Ila gasped. “Cleo, that’s Zac!”
“He can’t be. Zac’s aboard the GALACTICA.”
“That’s my son, I tell you, and he;s hurt.”
Ila raced after the attendants.
“Wait! Please stop!”
The attendants stopped and all four turned their heads. Ila knelt beside litter and stroked the boy’s right cheek.
“Zac,” she whispered. The young man opened his eyes an squinted, trying to focus his vision.
“Mother?” he choked, deliriously.
“Yes, darling. I’m here.”
“I Don’t want to die, Mother.”
“You won’t die, Zac. The doctors will take very good care of you and I’ll be close by in case you need anything.”
In through another door came two men supporting a young woman between them. She was a few centons taller than them and her head was slumped against her chest. Blood soaked bandages were wrapped arounf her middle and he head. The two men seemed to know where they were going and carried the woman directly into an empty room ignoring the head nurse’s outbursts.
Ila had recognized her as being Selket, Zac’s fience’. Selket had taken leave from the Colonial Fleet two yahrens ago when her parents had become too old to care for their small farm by themselves. Since then it had been rumored that she was working with the Caprican Underground Assault Team. The news people had made the the CUAT out to be terrorists and planetary militia had found nmo clue as to the location of their headquarters. Selket was under suspicion, but they could find no evidence to back up their suspicioins. Ila made a mental note to see Selket later.
A female pilot gently pulled Ila away from the litter and the attendants carried Zac down the hall to a waiting examination room. The door closed behind them and the second warrior stationed himself outside.
“What happened to my boy?” Ila demanded.
Don’t worry about him, ma’am. He’s tough. He’ll make it.” The major assured her.
“But what happened?” Ila insisted.
“Perhaps we’d better sit down,” the warrior suggested, gesturing to the lounge.
no subject
☆★☆★☆
FROM THE COMMANDER’S LOG:
We’ve been space bound for almost two sectons.. A thorough search of out home worlds has uncovered fourteen ships. Some space worthy, some not. The ones that were able to fly were not in the best of condition and had to be fixed up before I would even begin to think about transporting our people to a safe haven away from the Cylon Empire. One of the ships discovered was a scientific laboratory ship from Libriana, the COPERNICUS MOON, which the engineers converted into a Life Center. During the course of our journey the fourteen ships are being joined together to create three larger ships, thus increasing living space and conserving heat by limiting the amount of exposed surfaces to the coldness of deep space. Most important it will lessen the risk of out losing any one ship in the event of an attack. The ships are being joined together in such a way that the mopst important veseels are in the center safe from harm.
The GALACTICA has come and gone taking with her two huindred and twenty ships and as many people with her as possible. We, too, had to leave many behind for lack of space, but at least they are safe for a while. The caverns of the planet Ariana, our outermost colony, will serve as a temporary sanctuary until we can return for them. GLADIATOR Squadron has been left behind to protect them until our return.
Signed Phoenix, Commander, Battlestar STAR OF KOBOL
☆★☆★☆
With Lieutenant Allas’s help, Captain Azriel had moved Phoenix’s things into Eyjan’s quarterds and had the late Commander;s belongings put into temporary storage. Everything except the commander’s holographic viewer which sat on a small table in one corner of the office. In the commander’a quarters, Phoenix sat at her desk with her head buried in her folded arms. The two sectons of problem ridden space flight had just about taken its toll on the newly appointed commander’s already overworked nerves.
Phoenix was tired. She had been unable to sleep for the first four days of their h=journey on account of one disaster after another cropping up. Since she had no executive officer to share the workload with she did it all herself. Sometimes she took on too much, as Captain Azriel had often pointed out to her.
She sat like that for some time before raising her tired head. Her gaze fell upon the holo picture of a very handsome man who had once meant a great deal to her.
There was a meeting on Pisceria where most of the Battlestar commanders had been called to. At the centon Phoenix couldn’t recall what he meeting was about, but she coujld never forget the event that went on in one of the corridor intersections of the building.
The young Sagittaran woman shifted the pile of reports in her arms as she hurried to the conference rom of the military academy on Pisceria. Commander Eyjan had sent word for Colonel Vrall to have a warrior bring down the written daily reports for the past six sectons. Since Major Phoenix was already on the bridge at the time and not in the Colonel’s current favor for an embarrassing incident involving a brawl in the Officer’s Lounge to which she insisted talking the blame for, Vrall sent her.
The way to the conference room was clearly marked making it easy for her to hurry without getting lost as she had done once before on Caprica. Also an embarrassing incident. Phoenix didn’t see the man in blue enter the intersection at the exact same micron she did. Paperf flew int o the air creating a mock snow blizzard and when the white flurry settled she found herself sitting on the deck looking across at a handsome Warrior who had also landed on his ranking posterity.
“I… I’m so sorry,” she apologized as he got to his feet and reached out a hand to help her up.
“I should be the one to apologize. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
His voice was deep, his eyes as blue as the Sagittaran sky and his smile was warm as the summer sun.
Holy frack!
Her heart skipped a beat, or was it just the embarrassment of the incident in general?
“No really. The fault was mine,” she insisted, stooping to gather up the papers she had dropped. “I should know better to run in the corridors.”
Her embarrassment was showing now and she felt her cheeks flush with color.
The man was tall, taller than she had first surmised. A bridge officer of some kind, she thought to herself.
They busied themselves gathering up the mess, but when they both reached for the same piece of paper, it ripped in half. Groaning in despair, the young woman in pilot tans hung her head.
“I haven’t done one thing right today. Maybe I just should have called off sick and stayed in bed.” After a pause she handed him her half of the paper. “I’m afraid to look. Whose is it?”
“I think it’s mine,” he said scanning both halves. “Yes, definitely mine.”
“she groaned again.
“I’m sorry.”
“Let’s make it simple. We’ll both share the blame then straighten this mess out, and since we are sharing the blame I think I ought to know your name. I’m Tolen, Executive officer of the PAGASUS.”
FRACKIN HADES! A COLONEL? Now she really did want to die. This day was getting worse by the micron.
“Major Phoenix, Sentinel Squadron, STAR KOBOL.”
Only when he chuckled did she realize that her voice had cracked. So young. So handsome. So utterly Frackable!
“Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands and Phoenix almost melted into a puddle right there.
“Any suggestions?” she asked.
“Well we certainly can’t stand out here in the hallway. There’s an Officer’s Lounge back down the corridor a few doors. What do you say we go there to sort this mess out? I’m buying.”
“Great. I’ll have more nerve to face Commander Eyjan after I’ve had a drink or two.”
“I know what you mean. I have to explain all this to Commander Cain.”
“Thee Commander Cain? The Juggernaught?”
She’s heard about Cain. EVERYONE had heard about Cain. The man who was quickly becoming a warfare legend. Anything he wrote was required reading at the Academy.
Tolen nodded.
“If you’re buying, Colonel… I’m definitely drinking.”
no subject
They had found that they had many interests in common, and soon they had made plans to get together on Caprica for three days of camping. Neither one had said they were going with anyone, and Eyjan had the impression that she was going on one of her usual Survival 101 trips.
After that Tolen and Phoenix continued to see each other between assignments. When she was promoted to the rank of Colonel and made Eyjan’s XO because of Vrall’s retirement Tolen had slipped away for an evening to celebrate with her when the PEGASUS was stationed at Satittara.
Phoenix turned the silver ornait band on her left middle finger as she thought back to that one night before he left for Molecay, when he went down on one knee and asked her to be sealed with him. He took a small box from his jacket pocket, opened it nad removed the band. Placing it on her finger, he said that when he returned they would make the arrangements.
He never returned from that mission.
Her emotional fallout because of the 5th Fleet’s loss was apocalyptic in more ways than one.
A knock on the door brought the commander out of her reverie. At her command Captain Azriel made a quick entrance to stand before the desk and saluted.
“Take it easy, Az. Nothing’s changed between us.”
“Things have changed, ma’am. You’re the ships commander now. You’re entitled to all the respect and loyalty the crew can give you.”
“Oh so I wasn’t entitled to the crew’s respect or loyalty when I was a mere Colonel? Is that it?”
“That’s not true and that’s not what I meant,” the blonde amended in haste. “I just meant that now, more than ever, we have to look to you to make the final decisions. Trust you to make the right ones for us all.”
“No pressure, is that it?”
Phoenix shook her head.
“Don’t put me on a pedestal, Azriel. Please. I couldn’t live up to everyone’s expectations.”
“Don’t worry about that. When they forget, I’ll be there to remind them you’re only human. By the way, how are you doing?”
“I’ll hold. I always do. How are the people holding up? Do they have enough food and water?”
“There’s enough water to go around for a while, but food’s getting awfully low. The only thing that’s saving us are the fasting rituals of the Dorani and Ishtaka sects of Sagittara, the Ottories of Gemini, and other various smaller Colonial religions. Security has confiscated three new stores of food in the past secton from the elite who apparently don’t know or have forgotten that it’s better to give than to receive. All in all everything seems to be in working order. Oh, I almost forgot. The Life Center ship is low on blood, but Dr. Majel is working with Dr. Logan in going through the fleet looking for doners.”
“What about all military personnel? Is everyone donating as well?
“Some are. Not all though.”
“Alright. As of…“ Phoenix checked her wrist chronometer. “As of 2400 centars all personnel are required to donate to the Life Center ship unless a prior medical condition exists to exempt them from doing so. In return, the medical staff will keep a record of who has donated. The how much and when I’ll get in their daily reports anyway. I’m making it your job to report those who fail to comply. Said personnel failing to cooperate will be delt with accordingly.”
Azriel was suspicious now.
“Just how will they be delt with, Commander?”
“I have no idea,” Phoenix replied, looking the Captain straight in the eye. “but I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
There it was. The delegation of duties.
“You’re pushing this off on me, huh?”
“I can’t do everything by myself. Besides, you need something to keep you busy and out of trouble.”
“Speaking of trouble, I found a man on the Life Center Ship that you’d better see right away. He claims to be Supreme Admiral Thorbin, and he wants to see the fleet commander.”
“The Supreme Admiral? Why wasn’t I informed about his presence in the fleet sooner?”
“We wouldn’t have known about him for sectons it at all if he hadn’t been in an accident aboard that scientific lab ship, the POLARIS SUN.”
“What accident?”
Azriel shrugged. “I don’t know. The doctors didn’t say. They just informed me that he wanted to see the fleet commander.”
“Well let’s not keep the man waiting.”
Phoenix rose from the chair, straightened her skirt and sword belt (which was really starting to nag on her at this point) and left her quarters with Azriel hot on her heels.
When they were on the shuttle heading to the Life Center Ship, the commander turned to the Captain.
“Oh, Azriel, I’d like to be the first to congratulate you. You’re on my list of upcoming promotions.”
“I’ll get my Major’s pins so soon? “
Azriel had been promoted only a little more than a yarhen before. She didn’t expect another for a long time to come.
“There’s going to be a lot of that in the near future. As you know we lost a lot of good pilots and crew members over the past few sectons. I’m going to need all the experienced officers I have to start training new recruits.”
The Tauran caught Phoenix by the arm and she lowered her voice so the shuttle pilot could not overhear.
“That’s all well and good, but I don’t want a desk job, Phoenix. I want to fly patrols like I always do. I’m not ready for this.”
“I’m not ready to become a battlestar commander, either, but it’s something I have to do now. Goddess knows I’m not prepared for this one yet, but Eyjan left his ship and all of you to me, and I take that very seriously.”
“But Phoenix – “
“Am I to take it you don’t want the Strike Commander position, Azriel?”
Confusion flashed in the Captain’s eyes.
“Strike Commander?”
Phoenix nodded sadly.
“Major Kolton succumbed to his wounds this morning. After his wingmate finishes prepping his body for the Libran funeral rites we’ll be sending him on his way into the afterlife.”
Azriel deflated like a balloon losing half if it’s air in a single exhale.
“Frack!”
“The fleet is coming up on a gas giant in a couple of days. It will be the best time to hold services and make another mass launch. Hopefully it’ll be the last one for a while.”
Azriel lapsed into deep thought. There were a lot of things to consider. Phoenix used the time to prepare herself for the meeting with a man she had only heard about and seen from a distance.
☆★☆★☆
no subject
Phoenix surely wasn;t prepared for the sight that greeted her when she stepped through the aid station’s doors. It wasn;t the injured that claimed her attention so much as it was a particular individual bent over one of the cryo chambers.
He was a tall, handsome man with skin the color if ebony and a charming smile that made many a woman melt. She knew those features all too well. He surized gaze was returned by the man behind the glass of the Intensive Care Unit’s isolation room.
He watched the two woman approach, then stepped out of the room to meet the. He wore no shirt under the cape that hung about his shoulders. His ribcage was bandaged securely as was his left arm from shoulder to hand. The injured limb rested in a sling.
“The doctor just gave him something to take away the pain and make him sleep, Commander. You’ll have to wait until morning to talk to him.”
Phoenix nodded.
“Very well… ah …”
“Chiron. Sire Chiron of Sagittara. I’m the Admiral’s personal aid.”
“Begging the Commander’s pardon,” Azriel interrupted “but if you don’t need me I’ll get to work on that assignment we were discussing right away.”
“Go ahead, Captain. Just keep me informed.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Chiron was impressed with the speed in which the pilot disappeared to go about her duties.
Phoenix indicated the man’s bandages. “Are you alright?”
“It’s nothing much. Just some bruises, a fracture and a light steam burn when some scaffolding came down around our ears. I’ll be fine in a day or two. It’s him I’m worried about.”
“I was told there was an accident on the POLARIS SUN. Care to elaborate?”
“The Admiral and I were seeing to some of the wounded. The next thing I knew someone was shouting for us to get out of the way. I came to a few centons later, but Thorbin was still trapped under a support beam. He’s got two broken ribs and a concussion. When the swelling goes down Dr. Logan says he’ll regrow the ribs. The concussion will have to heal on its own.
Phoenix nodded her understanding and looked at the unconscious man beyond the transparent wall. All medical sensors flashed and pulsed with a steady, hypnotic rhythm. She turned and noticed that Chiron seemed a bit anxious as thought he wanted to get out of Sick Bay, so she suggested they go somewhere private to talk.
“You owe me a drink anyway?” he said quietly.
“Oh? Do you figure that?”
“Remember Antillis?”
Long deeply buried memories of the bazaar world brought a smile to the young woman’s lips.
“I have to admit, that was one bet I didn’t regret losing. Shall we?”
He followed her lead out the door. Someone would come and find him if the Admiral’s condition changed.
☆★☆★☆
Sagittara.
17 yahrens ago.
Lights sprang on automatically before him as he walked into the apartment. Off came his jacket which he draped across the couch. As he started for the bar across the room he stopped suddenly when he saw a woman’s shoe lying on the floor at the other end of the sofa. Walking over he picked it up only to spy its mate laying a few steps beyond. Upon contact with that, he caught sight of red cloth lying in the hallway leading to the bedroom. It was a dress cut low in the bodice and high on the thigh… if there had been a person inside if it anyway. Curiosity piqued, he entered the bedroom to find a single silky stocking draped deliberately across the threshold. Its mate was draped across the bedroom’s only chair, and a pair of scanty, lacy underpants lay at before the almost closed bathroom door.
He could hear water splashing in the room beyond and the sound of someone moving around. Objects of his treasure hunt in one hand, he drew his snub nosed blaster with the other and quietly eased the door open just a little bit. The tub and its single occupant were the first things to greet him. The huge mirror on the wall told him that no one else was in the room, so he pushed the door open fully and stepped inside. If she happened to look up she would see his reflection, but her eyes were closed, a blissful look on her face.
Long red hair spilled over the side of the tub which was impossibly filled with bubbles that obscured all but the woman’s head. He leaned against the door frame, arms folded across his chest and watched her wash herself with the hand cloth. He watched her for a centon more before clearing his throat.
“Hello,” she purred, and opened her eyes.
Those eyes were the color of summer’s amber grog. Golden brown with a hint of orange.
He acknowledged the greeting with a nod and a smile that could melt a snowball.
“You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here.”
That was an understatement to say the least.
“The thought had crossed my mind,” he said, nodding.
She lifted one shapely leg into the air and ran her hands up and down the pale, wet flesh slowly as of exploring every muscle and bone.
“You have a charming place.”
“Is that why you’re here? Are you the new interior decorator?”
“I’m Ogre.”
So this was his contact. He’d been waiting twelve centars for her to show up. He decided that he didn’t eant to hear explination, but he wasn;t about to hold her tardiness against her either.
“Funny. You don’t look like one.”
“I’m not.”
A heartbeat later she amended herself.
“Unless you judge me by what I’m assigned to do.”
He inclined his head in agreement, still smiling.
“I’m Mephistopheles.”
Now it was her turn.
“Funny,” she mimicked. “You don’t look like one.”
Dropping the pile of clothes on the floor and returning the weapon to its shoulder holster he crossed the room and eased himself down onto the edge of the tub.
“Appearances can be deceiving. Care to take a closer look?”
The woman started to rise, but caught herself as gravity took hold of the bubbles.
“Very funny,” she scowled.
The man chuckled and scooped up a handful of bubbles.
“You have any objections to my joining you in there?”
Despite her apparent age she was a very attractive and desirable young woman.
She looked him over careful to move only her eyes. He seemed charming enough and he wasn’t all that unattractive. On the contrary, he was quite handsome. She hadn’t intended for their partnership to start out this way. The director of the Colonial Secret Service had rudely interrupted her vacation on Virga to send her home to meet her new working partner. Bad timing being typical with the big brass, they had taken her away in the middle of a date with a very blonde and very gorgeous male sociolator.
“Why not. We’ll have to get to know each other sometime.”
☆★☆★☆
no subject
His rugged, almost scruffy good looks and sun bronzed skin had caught her attention the centon he walked into the crowded Officer’s Lounge with his cronies.
She got to her feet and started across the room. Midway an arm encircled her waist and pulled her to her left.
“It’s just me, cherie’” a smooth voice whispered in her ear.
“Allas,” the woman protested. “Let me go before I lose my nerve.”
“I’ve heard of you losing a lot of things, but your nerve. That’s not the Wilda I know. You don’t have to lose anything with me, my sweet. Unless you want to that it. Tell you what. I’ll even let you seduce me.”
Captain Gyrona who had been sitting with his wingman Bader at a table behind the amorous lieutenant had heard Allas’ comment and laughed as he downed a mouth full of Ambrosia. His eyes widened as her realized, too late, what he had done. Then he started choking. Lt. Bader put a hand over his mouth to suppress his own laughter.
“You’re too willing,” Wilda returned. “I’d rather seduce that Caprican at the end of the bar.”
“Don’t bother. He’s got his head stuck so far up his astrobes he needs a recon probe just to comb his hair.”
“I have fingers that want to comb his hair,” the woman said sharply and extraced herself from the Sagittarans grasp to walking away.
Allas turned to the gasping Captain and put a hand on the man’s shoulder.
“Are you alright, mon’ami?”
Gyrona cleared his throat and grinned.
“Just because you struck out with her doesn’t mean you have to proposition me, Lieutenant. I don’t know what your type is. But you’re not mine.”
Bader could barely contain his amusement and snickered as his captain finished.
“You Sagittarans do it one way and we Aquarians do it another. It just wouldn’t work out between us.”
A hush fell around the revelers in their immediate area. It was unlikely a fight would break out between the men of different ranks, but the only thing that would work in the captain’s favor WAS his rank. Like many who possessed red hair, the normally placid and laid back Lieutenant Allas had a temper to match when provoked.
Bader’s laugh stopped suddenly as he took note of the surrounding faces all watching them. For the centon life beyond their little section of the lounge continued as if nothing were amiss.
“Gyrona, old buddy, suddenly I’m not feeling so well.”
“I think I’m through here, too,” the Captain said as he noticed that more and more people were taking note of the quiet corner they sat in.
“You’ve had a bit too much, Bader old buddy,” Gyrona said a little louder as he hauled his friend to his feet by the arm. “Let me get you out of here and sober you up.”
“Huh? Wha… Oh… yea. Maybe that’s a good idea.” B
Bader knew when to take a hint and his friend gave them both the excuse they needed to make a somewhat graceful yet hasty exit. Still, an air of tension was starting to grow. Or maybe that was just Bader. Who knew?
In the corridor the two men hurried their steps and left the area as quickly as their feet could carry them. By the time they got to an intersecting corridor they were practically running.
Around that corner, however, came three people. Two older women and a young man in a hospital gown and robe walking slowly between and being supported by them. They stopped, uncertain as to where the pair of pilots were in such a rush to get to. As the men maneuvered around the trio and raced away the blonde woman looked back over her shoulder.
“Really! I never will understand why people have to run everywhere they go anymore.”
“Mother,” the young man said, “they’re probably responding to an urgent call.”
“That’s no reason for grown men to race through the halls like wild children. I never let you and your siblings run around the house like that.”
“Father did.”
“You father was incorrigible.”
Cleopatra raised a hand to silence the pair. “Ila, let’s not forget the reason we’re talking Zac on this little walk. We’re supposed to be helping him regain his strength, and we’re not doing that by standing here in the corridors.”
“You’re right,” the other woman agreed. “When do you think Dr. Majel will release Zac from Life Center? I’d like to take him back to my quarters as soon as possible.”
“He’s made remarkable progress and what skin grafts they’ve done so far have taken quite well. If everything goes as planned he should be released in another day or two. Mind you I’m no doctor, but I was a licensed nurse before I married Tigh. I can help with changing his bandages, administering his medication and generally monitoring his condition if you would like me to.”
The young man raised his head and although his face was mostly bandaged the look of indignation was evident on his pale features.
“Hey. I’m right here, Mother. I’d really appreciate it if you two would stop talking about me as if I weren’t even here. It’s enough to make a guy feel unloved.”
“I’m sorry, Sweetheart.”
Cleo, too, nodded and gave Zac’s arm a reassuring pat. “That was rude of us. My apologies.”
Zac sighed and closed his eyes for a micron.
“I never thought I’d be saying this to two lovely women, but you’re wearing me out. I think we’d better get back before you have to get the techs to carry me.”
The three turned and retraced their steps.
☆★☆★☆
COMMANDER’S LOG
Scanners have picked up an uninhabited planet in the star system just ahead, All reports indicate a Class M planet, but signs of humanoid and animal life are not evident. The air is breathable and the gravity is somewhat less than that of Caprica.
SENTINAL Squadron has found what appears to be a city far beneath the planet’s surface. Why it didn’t register on our sensors is a mystery our scientists will have to solve. Since there seems to be no danger, I, personally, will lead this expedition planet side.
Signed Phoenix, Commander, Battlestar STAR KOBOL
Phoenix shut off the recorder and went to change clothes. She hadn’t heard the door open behind her as she stripped off her uniform and worked her way into a flight suit.
“I never should have expected you to change, Commander.”
Phoenix whirled to find Captain Charlane standing in the doorway.
“I never can seem to remember to lock that door when I’m changing.”
“What you plan for others you plan for yourself. When are you ever going to stop?”
“You disapprove, Captain?”
The older woman shook her head.
“It’s not my place. Eyjan could barely restrain you, why should I attempt to? Phoenix, you’ve been a good friend ever since you were my squadron leader, so please don’t take offense by my offering some advice: Let us handle this. You’re needed here… on this ship… with our people.”
In all her yahrens on the STAR KOBOL Charlane had come close to knowing Phoenix almost as well as Azriel. She had seen a lot of warriors come and go – had seen them change over the yahrens. Some for the better and some for the worse. Then there were those few who never seemed to change. Phoenix was one of the latter. The Captain was uncertain if this was one of those good things or one of the bad ones. Those who experienced change the most were usually the ones who held onto what they were with a vice like grip. Squadron leader, executive officer or Battlestar commander, Phoenix was one of those people who just couldn’t sit behind a desk while her warriors went to explore the unknown.
“Sorry, Charlane. I have to be absolutely certain that this is the right planet for our people. When they feel solid ground under their feet once more we’ll have a hard time getting them back on those ships. Remember the trouble we had herding everyone back on the ships after six days at Necropolis?”
Charlane remembered. She was one of those who hadn’t wanted to go back to the KOBOL. She had never felt so comfortable in a graveyard before, but the security the place afforded the weary fleet even for a short time was comforting. Almost like going home again.
Like a mother wanting the best for her children, Phoenix was bound and determined to provide the best possible safe haven for what remained of the human race. It was her Warrior’s duty.
Finished dressing, Phoenix donned her black battle jacket. The clasps slid closed with a metallic click. Picking up her weapons belt from the bed, she turned to the other woman.
“Shall we go, Captain?”
no subject
After almost twenty centons the tunnel opened up into a cavern filled with the most spectacular city any of them had seen outside of the Colonies. Gasps of awe spread quietly through the group. Captain Azriel leaned over to speak quietly to Phoenix.
“That‘s the same reaction we had when we first found this place.”
“It’s fantastic,” the commander returned. “What about the people who built this place? Where are they?”
The blonde Tauran shrugged helplessly.
“Its my guess they either migrated to another planet ot their race died out. Either way we’ve searched the tunnels and for a lot, but no life. You want to hear something strange? You can’t get lost in these tunnels. We tried. I’ve never seen anything like it. Every path leads to the city except the one we came in on.
They continued on into the city until Azriel stopped the procession in front of a pyramid like structure. Above the entrance way carved into the building itself was the universal symbol for science.
“We haven’t gone inside yet, but I’m sure our scientists will have a field day in there.”
Azriel led the way up the steps.
The top of the entranceway was high. Phoenix estimated it to be roughly four meters. Whoever the former inhabitants were they had to be incredibly tall. Her theory was proven correct when they reached the last step. Azriel, who was by no means short herself, had to have a boots to reach the panel of buttons above. Pressing the top most one, the door slid upwards and a musty odor greeted them.
“Reminds me of one of those old horror holos I saw when I was a kid,” on scientist remarked to another at his side.
“I’m thankful it doesn’t smell of decaying flesh,” the second replied.
Phoenix turned to the group.
“Gentlemen. Ladies, please keep quiet. So far we haven’t encountered any type of security system, however it doesn’t mean there aren’t any, nor that they are not audio activated.”
The group quieted as Lt. Allas, switching on a light torch, took two warriors with him to make a quick search of the first level. While they waited the scientists took notes of their surroundings just inside the doorway. The great entrance way they stood in extended onward ahead for several dozen meters, then ended at a door about twice the height and width of the first one they had entered.
Statues lined the hallway on either side standing in various poses of regal bearing. Form all outward appearances male and female figures reflected the civilization’s growths and accomplishments, each holding a symbol of one achievement or another. The faces of the statues were featureless save for large expressive eyes and a ridge where a nose might have once been had the people been human. Their heads were clean and smooth, hair not even being hinted at. Each statue stood somewhere between two and three meters in height, and Phoenix wondered if they had been built to scale. From what she had seen of the city so far she might be correct in that assumption as well.
The pilots returned a few centons later giving the waiting group the “ALL CLEAR” signal before proceeding up the large staircase to the second level. Instantly the scientist scattered to explore the rooms. Uncertain as to where to start, Phoenix slowly followed a pair of Caprican Physicists down a corridor to their left. When she caught up to them she noted the room was lit already and they were leaning over a table in what appeared to be a grand library. On the table lay a book. An honest to Goddess real book with a spine, back and front covers, and many pages. A fine layer of dust rose from it as one of the men turned a brittle page. Both coughed, waved at the air before their faces and backed off a couple of steps.
A com was produced and one of them spoke into it.
“We found a library with a real book in it. We can’t read the language so if someone can translate take the first left corridor off the main entrance. Just follow the coughing. It’s dusty in here.”
He released the mic button and coughed some more.
The commander decided to explore. Shelves of what her people would consider antique reading materials lined the shelves between what appeared to be nick nacks. Objects of art meant for decoration, or in some cases bookends.
A particularly large geode sliced in half and turned cut sides out supported a group of books who’s widths were as wide as her body and quite a bit taller. The geodes stood almost her height.
“I’m impressed,” she said aloud to no one in particular. Her voice carried through the room and the two men turned to look in her direction. The sound of slippers slapping the floor at a furious pace made everyone turn to the doorway. A woman with dark hair caught up in a pile on her head and robes fluttering about her hurried into the room. The sight that greeted her made her stop dead in her tracks and look around, mouth agape in astonishment.
“Whoa!”
Like a kid in a toy store, the newcomer stared at the shelves around her.
“You the translator?” One of the physicists asked.
Jolted out of her rapture, the woman composed herself and went to the table. “
“Archaeologist, actually. What do we have here?”
A pair of spectacles appeared from the folds of the many layers of fabric that made up her dress and robes. Perching the item on the bridge of her nose the woman bent over the book, then caught up some of her robe to cover her nose and mouth.
Aries, if Phoenix wasn’t mistaken.
“What are you doing?” the second Caprican asked.
“I don’t want to blow dust in my face,” was the deadpan reply.
The men nodded then turned away. Unless it was a book related to their fiend of expertise they were uninterested.
Curious, the commander approached the table. “Can you read it?”
The archaeologist was muttering to herself something about punctuation, syntax and damnable handwriting. She sounded a little peeved.
Finally she stood and faced Phoenix.
“It looks like Tanopese.”
“Bless you,” one of the men interjected.
“That wasn’t a sneeze, funny man. It’s the name of a race. More specifically, the name of the race of people who once lived here. By all accounts the Tanopians are the stuff of myths and legends from long before our fore fathers even formed the tribes of Kobol. It was said that they were the ones who seeded the galaxy with the known races before they decided to leave the children to their development and moved on to more interesting pursuits.”
“What kind of ‘interesting pursuits’ are we talking about?” Phoenix asked.
The older woman shrugged. “Who knows? Could be anything really. Enlightenment. Physical advancements. Seeding other galaxies. Kicking back on some alien beach with their equivalent of Ambrosia in hand and getting a sun tan. Whatever they were interested in. They certainly got bored with this galaxy because legends state they haven’t been around for eons, and there is no evidence they have ever come back to visit.”
A snort of laughter came from the pair across the room. The woman looked in their direction and frowned.
“You have something to say, funny man? Come on. Speak up.”
The younger of the pair turned. “I just can’t see these people lounging on the beach with a drink in their hand. They’re not human. It doesn’t make sense to ascribe human traits to an alien race we know nothing about.”
“I can’t see you being a real scientist either, but there you are.”
The woman sighed and returned to her conversation with Phoenix.
“Morons,” she muttered under her breath.
“Can you translate this,” Phoenix asked.
“I need my reference materials from my quarters,” the archaeologist said, pulling a small computer pad from another pocked hidden in her robes making phoenix silently wonder how many pockets she had and were they all full of… anything? Everything?
“Make a list of everything you’ll need and I’ll have one of my warriors see how much of it we have on the ship to bring down for your use. In the meantime, don’t touch anything.”
Not touch anything? Who was she kidding? These were scientists she was talking to. The term “curious as a catlet” didn’t even begin to describe a scientist with a new interest and telling them not to touch anything was like telling a child in a toy store not to play with the toys.
“Just be careful,” she amended, turning and walking out of the room. “The cleanup crews will be furious if they have to climb all the way to the top of this nice high vaulted ceiling to scrape what little remains of your bodies down for identification if you accidentally trip some unknown security device.”
The Physicists looked up from the metallic globe they had found on a lower shelf to stare at the Commander with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. The red haired woman didn’t even turn around as she reached the open door, but her last words made them pause in thought.
“Or I could always leave your bloody grease stains up there as a warning for the others.”
The globe was gently returned to its resting place on the shelf.
☆★☆★☆
Azriel went off on her own straight to the huge doors at the far end of the main hall. The controls to this door were located on a disk centered directly above the doorway. Knowing there was no way she was reaching this on her own she searched the nearby rooms for something to stand on. A centon later she returned with a table, then a box which she set on top of the table. She climbed up and stood on her tip toes on the box, bracing herself on the door.
Success. The disk depressed as it should, however the pilot was in for more surprises than she had counted on. Immediately the door split down the center and swung inwards, toppling the woman from her precarious perch and propelling her forward into the darkness of the room. Caught off guard thinking that this door would open as the others, she gave a startled cry before flailing her arms trying in vain to catch hold of something, anything, to stop her fall.
The floor came up and hit her rudely as she tried to tuck and roll, and her hip and shoulder took the brunt of the impact. She did indeed roll, but ended up several meters inside the dimly lit room.
“It came from over here,” someone called out.
Running footsteps grew louder and shadows approached, lights shining wildly about, searching around before focusing on her.
“Found her!”
More shadows, this time in her face like the light that made her squint. Rising to a sitting position, she held up a hand to shield her eyes she saw her skin discolored a hue darker than normal.
“Captain, are you alright?”
Azriel nodded and coughed as the dust that had been disturbed by her fall filtered into her nose, throat and lungs as she breathed.
“Fine, I didn’t expect the door to open inwards is all.”
Fine wasn’t exactly the operative word here for her body ached in every place that even remotely touched the floor when she fell, and the shock was still reverberating though out her body.
“I think you broke it, mon Capitan” a voice said.
Allas.
Azriel groaned.
“And you undid all of Dr. Majel’s work from your previous injury. You’re bleeding again.”
“Frack!”
As people milled about the lights sprang on and everyone flinched at the brilliance.
“I think she found an observatory,” someone said.
One by one the group looked up into what appeared to be open sky and outer space hanging high above their heads. Clouds passed seemingly within reach, but were unattainable when hands reached upward to grasp them. Beyond that planets moved, satellites shifted and revolved, comets shot by and disappeared. A gas giant flared to brilliance and then out of existence. Whole constellations moved, formed then re made themselves into new patterns. Stars winked and twinkled. One planet made a direct run at the group only to disappear before coming within arm’s reach.
A shadow fell over the Tauran sitting on the floor and she turned and looked up into the disapproving face of her commanding officer.
“Take her to Life Center,” Phoenix growled. “And make sure she stays there this time.”
no subject
AVENGER Squadron had almost completed the circuit of their assigned area parameter when Captain Gyrona gave the signal to hault. The pilots ceased what little conversation they has been whispering between themselves and froze in their tracks. The Aquarian motioned for the group to stay put and waved Bade to follow him.
When they reached a bend in the path, both men dove for cover behind a pile of boulders. Gyrona was the first to poke his head up over the rocks.
“Did I see what I think I saw?” Bader asked in a guarded whisper.
Sitting on the ground with his back to the boulder beside his wingmate, Gyrona nodded.
“You did. From the looks of it they must have been here for a really long time. Did you get a good look at the armor?”
“No. I was too busy eating dirt. Why?”
“I remember my grandfather showing me old holos of the Cylons he fought as a warrior. The same ones his great grandfather fought when the war first started. These are the exact same design.”
“The First Ones? The original drones? Oh buddy old pal, We’re fracked!”
“No, Bader. The FIRST ones.”
“”Oh I get it now. Motion sensitive. They don’t see you unless you move. The oldest series in history. In that case what do we do now?”
“We find out how many there. Their armament, ground support, arial support, where they’re deployed, entrance and exit points of their base… standard field work. And we find out if there are other listening posts in this planet.”
“Just listening posts? How do yu know they’re not a fully equipped outpost?”
“There are three listening dishes on that mountain across from us, but only one looks like it might be operational. The second looks like they’re just starting to build it and they have the base for a third all set up. There are too few Cylon Raiders to qualify this as anything but a listening base. Let’s get going. We’ll rejoin the others in fifteen centons. I want a closer look.”
A few anxious centons later the pair rejoined their squadron.
“Let’s get back to the citry, quietly,” Gyrona said.
“What’d you find, Captain,” Lieutenant Deneb asked.
“Quiet, we don’t want them to hear us.”
“Who’s them?” the dark skinned Gemon repeated in a whisper.
“Cylons.”
☆★☆★☆
“You said there were no life forms on this planet, Captain!”
The injured Captain Azriel had been loaded onto a tram and was about to be taken back to the STAR KOBOL for medical treatment when AVENGER squadron arrived and made their report. Now the injured woman and her wingmate Allas stood at attention alongside Gyrona and Bader listening to the Aquarian Captain’s report on their newly discovered Cylon neighbors.
“How in Hades do you explain overlooking a Cylon listening post?”
“Our scanners were working fine when we got here, Commander. This cavern and the tunnels were the first things we discovered when we first landed here. It is possible that the dust we stirred up got into some of our onboard computers and that is why our instruments have been giving us false readings.
Phoenix frowned. Azriel was not one to make excuses, especially when she was in the wrong, but there was still so much they didn’t know about the planet at this time.
“Alright. We’ll forget why they were not detected and we’ll concentrate on how to get rid of them before they figure out we’re here. We have the advantage of surprise and we’re gong to use that to our full advantage. I want six warriors to stay here with the scientsis and guard the caverns,. The rest of us will go back to the KOBOL and we’ll plot a strategy to get rid of this listening post. Azriel will be taken directly to Life Center and she will stay there until Dr. Majel releases her. No arguments.”
☆★☆★☆
Flight Officer Cerberus gave permission for the shuttles and the squadrons to land before turning back to the long range sensor readout. He requested a hard copy print out, then went to meet the incoming shuttle. “Commander’s not going to like this,” he muttered to himself as he exited the Bridge.
“What’s the commander not going to like?” A voice inquired.
Cerberus stopped, turning to the figure he’d given no notice to standing just outside the entrance to the bridge. A civilian. How in Hades did a civilian get this far into the ship without an escort?
“Ships, business, sir. I’m afraid I have to go meet the Commander or I’d escort you to your quarters. Just talk to the guard inside the door and he’ll escort you back to your ship.”
“”Do you know who I am, Sargent?”
“You’re a civilian, sir, and apparently lost.”
Their voices had carried and now the aforementioned security officer stepped off the bridge to address an apparent problem.
“Corporal, see that Sire Chiron is escorted safely back to the Life Center ship where he is quartered.”
The guard nodded. “Yes sir.”
Chiron smiled. “Apparently you don’t understand. I am here on behalf of the Admiral.
“I’ll let the commander know you want to see her, but she is busy at this centon.“
Chiron watched as the man turned and walked away. Impertinent little bastard.
Then noticed the security officer and he gave a resolute sigh.
“I suppose you should take me home, dear. Phoenix can’t come out to play today after all.”
It was smart. It was sarcastic, and Chiron didn’t give a flying rodent’s backside who he was talking to.
no subject
“Commander, you need to see this.”
The man held out the paper and Phoenix looked at it curiously, then at the Flight Officer. Cerberus was away from his post which was a rarity in the first place, but for him to leave the bridge like this… it must be important. Warriors passed her on their way to their appointed tasks leaving the two bridge officers standing in the corridor. In another half centon they’d be all alone. She decided to spare one centon to attend to this new distraction. If Cerberus thought it important then it must be so.
Taking the paper she read it and then gazed at the scanner image below.
“Bloody Hell!” she hissed before turning. “GYRONA!”
With a scrabbling of footsteps the Aquarian appeared from around the corner which he disappeared.
“Sir?”
“Gather the squadron leaders, except Azriel, and meet me in the Conference Chambers at once!”
The man nodded and rushed off once more.
☆★☆★☆
Murmurs of astonishment ran through the room as Captain Gyrona finished his report regarding the Cylon base they had found.
“Last, there are twenty five ships. Most have fallen into such disrepair that an air strike is practically unnecessary, though I’d suggest a small one anyway. Three Vipers just in case I’m wrong.”
A topographical map of the section of the planet in question was brought up and dark haired man pointed to one of the hills.
“Only one of three communications dishes is operative, and it’s my guess that there are only a few IL series Cylons in the base itself. The main building is in such a state of disrepair I doubt it would take much to knock it out in the first place.”
He returned to the table and sat in the empty chair next to his wingman. Phoenix stood and went to the star chart.
“There’s only one major problem. We have to push up our time table. There’s a Cylon supply convoy heading through this quadrant on its way away toward the Cylon Capitol We have to take out that base before the convoy come within range of any distress beacon the listening post might want to send out. Here’s what we’re going to do…”
☆★☆★☆
no subject
He nodded to Bader and the Lieutenant tossed a stone not too far away. The noise alerted the Centurian and it left the path, walking the parimiter of the building. Bader pressed himself back against the the wall and sucked in his breath. Gyrona’s finger twitched nervously on the trigger of his weapon. When the Cylon came into view two laser blasts found a new home in the automiton’s chest and back. It fell face forward and hit the ground with a heavy metallic clatter. The humans were silent, their hearts pounding in their ears. The noise should bring another in a centon and they would ambush it the very same way. They waited. And waited. No curious machine came to investigate. The Captain peaked around the corner then stepped from cover. When he realized they were quite alone he signaled the others to follow and led the way around to the front of the building to the landing strip beyond.
A lone Centurian, this one gold colored and heavily armed, paced the length of the field, turning its head to visually inspect each Raider in passing. Gyrona pointed at the two women and indicated to them through hand signals that this one was theirs.
Keeping to the shadows the woman crouched and scuttled to the nearest Raider, then made their way silently down the line of ships to get into a position to attack the machine when it passed them. Suddenly the centurian halted before them and turned its head in their direction. Fearing they had been seen, the woman froze behind one of the ships landing gears and held their breath. Gyrona sucked in a gasp.
In a flash the Cylon raised it’s rifle and fired. The blast streaked past the woman end hit the ground beyond the ship. Before the woman could draw their weapons and return fire the brush rustled and a large white rodent broke from cover and raced for the tar mac a few yards in front of the Cylon. The guard followed it with it’s weapon, firing at the animal. With the safety of the forest on the other side beckoning, the animal raced on only to jump and tumble when the killing shot from the Cylon’s weapon struck it broadside. The creature squeeled in pain, kicked its tiny little legs that didn’t even look like they were strong enough to support its mass, then twitched once, twice, and lay still.
The centurian remained motionless for a centon before moving in the direction of the little beast. Once it reached the creature, it stopped and stared at it. Then poked it with the tip of its boot.
Nothing.
The centurian brought back one metallic foot and kicked the rodent carcas off the runway before returning back to its original duty. All four humans relaxed as the Centurian passed the women’s hiding place without noticing them.
As the Cylon went about its patrol, the woman split up, one racing across the field behind the centurial playing out a line of almost invisible nylon fillament as she went. Then they crouched down in the shadows, waiting for their enemy to turn around and come back. It didn’t take long for the Cylon to reverse its direction and return along the same path it had come from. When it reached the point where the women were, the line was drawn taught, rising to catch the legs of the Centurian. The Cylon fell, rifle being trapped between the heavy body and the ground, useless in its defense. Within heartbeats the women sprinted to their emeny and fell on it with prybars. The centurian struggled to rise,. But with the added weight of two full grown human women on its back resistance was futile at best. The back plating popped and one woman reached in and wrapped her hand around as many wires as she possible could. With a triumphant cry, the yanked with all her might and the machine ceased moving.
Smiling, they rejoined their male counterparts for the final part of their mission. Rigging explosives to the Raiders.
CAVALIER Squadron made their assault from the South West. It was their job to take out the Cylon on the west path, then the second barracks. They didn’t have long to wait as the Centurian appeared around the building. It fell with one blast of a laser. As Captain Charlane knewlt to make sure the the Cylon was truly out of commission a second centurian appeared from around the fuel tanks behind them. All six warriors spun around at the shjarp, metallic command to halt, and Torm was the first to open fire. The machine dropped in mid-stride. Exchanging relieved looks, Charlane breathed a word of thanks to her son before they headed for the barracks.
Inside on the first level three functional Cylons turned their heads as the Colonial Warriors burst through the door, weapons blazing. One was working on a rifle, and the other two were polishing their armor. Their deactivation was swift, violent and oh so permanent. The group skirted around three other Cylons who were obviously being scavenged for part by their formerly finctional companions. On the lower levels they found four more Cylons which joined the ones above in deactivation hades.
Allas, Wilda and four more warriors watched the last of three centurions head for the main building along the south east path. Just as the last Centurian attempted to stride through the door Allas raised his rifle, sighted carefully and pulled the trigger. The warriors were up and running for the building before the centurian hit the ground.
Stepping across the threshold, the warriors found themselves on the recieiving end of a laser battle as the two proceeding Cylons were alerted to the demise of their companion. The humans used the fallen enemy for cover and returned fire. The hail of lasers brought down the two remaining metal soldiers who made no move to take cover.
High on adrenaline, the humans swept the six levels of the base like a plague, firing at anty metallic object that so much as moved. When they had finished they coujld claim the distruction of twelve fuinctional SI Series Cylons, one Gold commander and an IL series Cylon to boot.
Outside on the surface once more, Allas keyed his communicator.
“Sentinel Squadron to KOBOL. Mission accomplished. No injuries to report.”
“Excellent news, Lieutenant,” came the Commander’s reply. “Return to base immediately to assist in the transfer of out people to the planey. We just won ourselves a home.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Allas replied entheusiastically. He looked up at the stars. Avenger squadron and the KOBOL were up there finishing off the convoy’s escort. Soon they’d be rteturning with whatever cargo the Cylons were transporting. He nodded to his team as realized thet their real battle was just beginning.
☆★☆★☆
no subject
“I don’t care of you are the ship’s commanding officer. When it comes to your helath you’ll follow MY orders.”
Phoenix put down her writing stylus and looked up at the woman standing before her desk. Majel looked to be in a huff, but it was early in the morning and the Commander hadn’t even finished her first cup of kaffa yet so the snark level was hardly under control.
“Are we having hormonal problems today, Doctor?”
“My hormonal levels or any other mood altered mental, emotional or physical levels are none of your business, however according to the Colonial Warrior’s guidelines for health especially as pertaining to the command ranks IS mine.”
“I’ve never heard you utter so many words at this early centar of the morning, Majel. Who pulled your tail?”
“You did,” came the unamused reply. The doctor set a glass of vile looking opaque liquid on the desk next to the reports the younger woman had been reviewing. “Drink it!”
“You never did waste time getting to the point, Doctor. Before I willingly commit suicide do you mind telling me which one of your probably illegal and definitely toxic brews I’m poisioning myself with this time?”
“Hight protein nutrient. The same thing I had to force down your throat for two days after we learned of the Fifth Fleet’s destruction at Molikey,” Majel returned.
Phoenix inhaled deeply and her body went tought at the mention of the disaster. While the memories were hazy, the feelings associated with that event ran so deep that to this day almost two yahrens later it still troubled her to think about.
“Majel realized that she’d unintentionally triggered bad feelings with her mere mention of the doomed fleet. “You’ve lost six point eight kilograms in the past two sectons because from what I’ve heard you’ve been too busy to eat.”
“Majel, you damned well know I can’t ‘eat’, and you know why.”
“Oh I will never be able to forget I’m treating the only person in recorded medical history of surviving Doromine poisoning. I didn’t like the way your case was shoved onto me back then or the fact that I was not allowed to ask any questions that could have helped me understand HOW you came to injest the poison of a supposedly extinct flower in the first place so I better treat you.”
“You know why you weren’t told the details surrounding my condition.”
Majel held up one hand in a dismissive gesture.
“I know. Military Security I was told. Colonial Secret Service classified. It’s all a bunch of feldergarb. I’ve been thinking about it since the destruction of our worlds and I’ve come to toe conclusion that unless we find any survivors who actually issued me that order I am hereby released from any and all threats made against me by said branch of the now deceased secret governmental cabal you used to work for. May they all rot in Hades. Now drink your meal before I have security drag you down to Life Center and feed you through a tube again.”
Memories of the vile concoction came flooding back to Phoenix with an almost tangent churning of her stomach. Whatever sick sadist created the formula for the nutrient rich drink must have also gotten their kicks out of dissecting live crawlons.
“You’re scanties really ARE in a bunch this morning.”
“You can leave my scanties out of this, too. Drink up.”
Raising the glass to her lips. Phoenix sniffed it, fearing it might smell as bad as it looked. This concoction was not her normal nutrient formula packed with all the daily essential vitamins and minerals that Majel had sent to her quarters three times a day. This was the super formula that was packed with everything a sick or injured person was given in the event they were unable or unwilling to eat solid foods. In Phoenix’s case solid food was out of the question. When injested Doromine poison literally ate a person from the inside out. The effects were immediate and always deadly if not diagnosed and treated within a few short centars. Most never made it to medical facilities before expiring from the shock of their internal organs being eaten alive. By the time she was able to leave the medical facility under her own power Phoenix was left with a partial stomach and damage to nearby internal organs. It was only the quick actions of her then partner and former training officer that had saved her life. Her career as an active status agent for the Colonial Secret Service was over.
She looked up over the rim of the glass to see the doctor frown. Bracing herself, she decided that cannonballing the stuff was probably the best way to deal with the brew and satisfy the doctor.
It was around the third gulp that the woman realized thewre was no dusty chalk coating her mouth and tongue. Surprisingly enough, its taste was very similar to a sweet, malted dairy product she hadn’t had since she was a teenager.
“That’s… almost good,” she said, wiping a drop of the liquid from the corner of her mouth with a thumb. “That is NOT the same drink.”
Majel nodded, smiling.
“Yes it is. Well, almost. I did tweak the formula around a bit after I myself had to drink it when I contracted the flu about four months ago. It’s not perfect yet, but I’m working on it. Are you finished yet?”
Phoenix drained the glass and handed it back.
You know you are one big pain in the astrobes, doctor.”
“Just be thankful I’m not a pun filed proctologist.”
Phoenix grimaced and pointed to the door.
“On that note you can leave, doctor. I have work to do that’s less agrivating than you are.”
Majel forced a small chuckle as she turned towards the door.
“Funny.”
“Oh, and I’ll need that report from your department before the end of the day.”
“I’ll send it up later this afternoon. I still haven’t milked every last one of our warriors of their blood yet. Which reminds me, we haven’t gotten out fangs into you either.”
“I’ve been busy,” the redhead replied, dropping another report file onto the large pile of papers that threatened to flow over a good portion of the carpet behind her desk. The only reason it stayed upright for the centon was the box and the wall bracing it in support. “I don’t get much sleep because of all this.”
no subject
“What I need is a squadron. Seriously, I have to fill the squadrons and finish promotions before I can assign a second in command.” She stopped and rubbed her eyes.
“Phoenix, I have no intention of telling you your job, but couldn’t anyone finish all this for you while you get some sleep? I’m sure Major Traighton is more than qualified to step in for a while After all he filled in for you two yahrens ago when you were on medical…. Er, I mean bereavement leave. He can do it again, I’m sure.”
“Traighton is Virgon, Majel.” She scowled at the doctor. “I think you get my point, and the answer is no.”
“I don’t see the problem. Getting laid might do you some good.”
The door sounded and Azriel entered the room just in time to see fire flash in the commander’s eyes as anger spread across her face.
“That is your cue to leave, doctor! Now!”
The Major’s jaw dropped.
Majal paused before the newcomer. “This is another one I have yet to sink my fangs into.”
“Doctor, any time you can catch me sitting still for five centons you can have all the blood your little heart desires.”
“I’ll remember that during your sleep period, Major. Good day.”
Azriel felt the tension in the room drop significantly as the door slid closed behind the doctor. Phoenix seemed to deflate like a feline whose arched back lowered and the bushy tail contracted to normal when the threat was gone.
“What was all that about?”
“She threatened me with Traighton,” came the sharp reply.
“Oh. So what’s the problem there?”
“I will NOT have him as my EX O.”
“Yea,” Azriel agreed. “That would be a very bad idea. I mean., I like the guy and all, but you just can’t have a Virgon on the bridge with a bunch of Sagittarans. Nothing would get done.”
“Nothing except him anyway.”
Azriel snickered at her commander’s unintentional joke.
Major Traighton was a perfect specimen of Virgonan manhood with his fair hair, blue eyes and handsome features, but the one racial traight Virgons were most known for was the pheromones they gave off that the other tribes of Kobol found distractingly enticing. Typically, while everyone else was attracted immediately to the children of Virgo, the hormonal attraction held no sway over their own. Sagittarans being the uninhibited, free spirits that they were would eventually have difficulties being in close proximity to them for an extended period of time. For the short few months that the Major had filled in for Phoeinx when she was Eyjan;s second even her was aware of the effect his presence was having on the bridge crew. While it was egotistically flattering, it was also a distraction that the war ship could ill afford in the heat of battle.
“Still,” Azriel mused “a little one on one would do you some good.”
“Azriel!”
Phoenix shouldn’t have been so surprised that her best friend would even suggest such a thing. It’s not like they hadn’t been out hunting for a good time in the past or even shared a willing male or two between them. Still, it was all in the past and the fin had ended when Phoenix met the one man who could turn her life around.
“If you’re going to take her side you can leave, too,” Phoenix growled.
“Hey, you were the one who called me here, Phoenix. Why? Did you want me to save you from her?”
Yes, she had called the Major to her office and the reason for the visit came back to her. Ironically enough, it was about that very subject Phoenix had no wish to discuss.
“Sit down.”
A coldness started to creep up Azriel’s spine and she did as she was told without question this time.
“Why do I get the feeling I’m in trouble?”
“It’s been brought to my attention that you and Lieutenant Allas have been more than a little more obvious in your relationship than is socially acceptable for Colonial Officers to be in public. Knowing the Lieutenant’s reputation I feel it safe to presume that this is a rather recent development. In light of that I would very much appreciate it if you two would watch where you put your hands while outside of your private quarters. We have an Admiral in our community now and I’m sure your little escapades will not go over well in his eyes. Being officers you two have to hold yourselves to a little higher standard than most of the crew now. At this time I can’t condone your relationship but because of the deaths of so many of our people and the loss of our worlds I can’t condem it either. I want you two to tone it down until after I have a formal talk with the Admiral. After I get to know him better I’ll know what kind of things he will be expecting out of this ship and the crew. ”
“Just how long do you want us to ‘contain’ ourselves?”
“Just long enough for me to get rid of my headaches and assess our new superior officer. He’s Aquarian, so you know that they can sometimes be rules junkies. I’m hoping this man can be reasonable and flexible. I’m also not interested in making even more work for myself by reassigning either one of you. I know how hard it is breaking in a new wingman. Just stay out of trouble.”
Azriel have her commander an understanding nod. “Agreed. Is that all?”
Phoenix nodded. “You know, in all this I never asked about your injury. How is it?”
The Tauran held up the arm in question and flexed it all around.
“Good as new thanks to Majel and her mystic arts. It’s like the bone was never broken.”
“Isn’t science grand?”
“Yes. Yes it is.”
A centon of silence passed between the two as if they had run out of things to say. It was then that Phoenix saw the Major staring at her with a look that said she should be able to read her best friend’s mind.
“What?”
Phoenix was starting to feel uncomfortable. There was something her friend was not saying. And it must be something serious because Azriel was not known for keeping things to herself for long.
“You know what.”
“No. I don’t.”
“Yes you do. Sometime soon we’re going to have to have… that talk. You know. The real serious one.”
“No. We don’t.”
Silence. The blonde was assessing just how far she should push the issue.
“I wish you’d just cry and get it over with. Mourn.”
“I can’t. Not now.”
Azriel reached across the desk and caught her friend by the hand.
“Tolen… Eyjan… Your parents... You’re going to have to talk about it some time.”
“Not now. I can’t. There’s too much at stake right now. Later. Maybe. Much later.”
“I’m your best friend. Talk to me. Let me help.”
“Az. There’s too much going on right now. I can’t afford to let my guard down at this time.”
“It hurts me to see you like this. All rigid and proper on the outside all the while you’re dying on the inside. You’re growing old before my eyes, Phoenix. Older than what’s normal. You’ve literally aged in the last two yahrens and these past few sectons it’s only gotten worse. You’re slowly killing yourself and I don’t know how to stop it.”
Sisters by gender, sisters by cerimonial blood bond, Azriel and Phoenix knew each other better than they knew themselves at times. When one hurt the other hurt. Some called it mystic. Some called it empathic. The only thing the women knew was that the ceremony only confirmed for them that which many had professed seeking: a soul mate. Not in any sexual terms, but a person who completed something that was missing in one’s own soul. A friend. A life long companion. Another spirit that meshed so completely with your own that you knew without a doubt that you had found your other half.
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“Commander, Come quick. It’s the twins. They’re at it again. They‘re drunk and busting the place up. You’re the only one they’ll listen to.”
Azriel muttered an epithet and Phoenix rose from her chair and hurried out the door with the Major right behind her. The Gemon pilot brought up the rear. Normally Phoenix would just have security called but two things made this her business. 1: the twins were a couple of human behemoths from a high gravity planetoid colonized by a a group of Leo andSagittaran scientists who had been experimenting in Human Environmental adaptation, and 2, the twins WERE security,
As she entered the lounge Phoenix she quickly surveyed the devastation. People were pressed against the bulkheads trying to stay out of the way of the combatants. The smarter ones closer to the door had already made a hasty exit for parts unknown.
She barely took notice of the murmurs around her, intent on the pair o f warriors in black security uniforms battling it out n the middle of the lounge.
“Commander’s here,” one voice said in a tone of relief.
“ Aww, Frack, Just when things were getting good.”
“ ’bout time someone did something.”
“Shouldn’t we announce the Commander –“
“No!”
With a quick eye the redhead plowed her way around the debris and pushed a table out of her path, making straight for the two men slugging each other across the room towards the bar.
The bartender abandoned his post and ran for the safety of the nearest corner of the room.
There were gasps as the Commander saw a hole between the pair and lunged for it.
“Oh no!”
“FRACK!”
“Get a med tech!”
Ducking under an upraised arm, Phoenix drew herself to her full height and gave the man facing her the most vicious anamilistic roar she could muster.
“DON’T… YOU… DARE!”
The man froze instantly, one hand securely gripping his twin by the throat and the other clenched into a massive fist drawn back ready to deal a terra-shattering blow to the other’s jaw. Had he not checked himself Phoenix would have received a possibly fatal blow to the face.
Randor’s eyes widened in shock as the firey redhead suddenly appeared between him and his intended punching bag. Her presence and the growl that to him sounded more like a roar at that close quarters were the only reasons he stopped at all. Below them, Mandor had ceased his kicking, temporatily blinded by a massagve amount of long firey hair in his face that obscured his vision.
Nne amongst the drew present could agree on the reasons why the twins had ceased their hostilities seeing how much alcohol they had downed since coming to the club, but the one thing they could have sworn by was they were certain they were going to have to be looking for a new commanding officer at that centon. Later one pilot would argue that it was because she was the commander. Some argued that it was the woman’s small size – that those two great minutaurs were afraid of what they could do to someone so small and fragile as compaired to themselves.
Another, older pilot, just sat back in his chair and put his feet up on an empty chair and simply say it was the icy glare and the snarel that did the trick.
“That woman ever dies by one of our hands she’ll come back like a banshee and haunt the frack out of all of us until our dying days, mark my words!” the old timer muttered to his companions.
One thing was for certain, anyone who crossed the woman lost the battle. Rank notwithstanding, she had one heck of a powerful fist of her own.
Major Azriel looked as though she wanted to go to her superior officer’s defense, but for the centon the woman had the situation in hand so to speak.
Phoenix took slow note of the fact that she was sandwiched between the two men in close quarters and bent backwards against one of them.
“Get… off… of… me” she snarled, teeth gritted and showing. “Now!”
Randor’s fist opened, and with a deep breath he stood, releasing his brother’s throat. As the man took a couple of steps back Phoenix stood upright then stepped to one side to allow Mandor the chance to recover as well. She glared daggers at both hulking brutes.
“I don’t care to hear any explinations out of either one of you. I don’t want to hear any of your lame, drunken excuses. I don’t even want to hear your miserable, whining voices right now. I can not even express how deeply ashamed I am of you two at this centon.”
The pair for all their size were deceptively intelligent. They knew when they had gone too far and looked appropriately contrite, bowing their heads, not daring to look at her. They had been in the wrong and they knew it. It was only now that the result of their argument a few centons before had begun to sink in. Heads bowed, each could catch glimpses of the room out of the corners of their eyes to survey the damage.
“The first thing you two are going to do is shake hands and make up.”
Heads snapped up and jaws opened to protest.
“SILENCE!"
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She’d had it with these two. Children were better behaved than this pair. They may have been Eyjan’s pet bodyguards and enforcers but they’d learn soon enough that she was not going to put up with half the feldergarb they could with the previous commander. As XO she had to tolerate her commanding officer’s indulgence of the twins, but now as the ships commander she would have none of it. If that made her unpopular in their eyes so be it.
“I WILL have order on this ship and you WILL comply or you will be stripped of your rank and you’ll spend the rest of your miserable lives in the brig. Is that understood?”
Both men nodded, not daring to utter a word.
“Second, you will put this lounge back in order just the way it was before your little brawl. The damages will come out of your pay vouchers for as long as it takes.”
The pair nodded again.
The sound of running footfalls were heard and two more security officers hurried in to the room. They stopped. Surveying the scene before them. He saw Azriel who motioned for them to stay where they were and shook he head slightly. The message was clear. Stay out of the commander’s way for the centon.
The man in the fore was tall with dark hair and black eyes. His rank showed that of Captain and the look on his face was a mixture of seriousness and confusion. By his side was his lieutenant, a Cancerian woman with long black hair that was braided down her back to end at her knees. Her dusky grey almond eyes were wide with surprise at the sight before her.
Their arrival did not go unnoticed by the commander.
“Third. After you are finished straightening the lounge Captain Jartan and Lieutenamt Myravon will conduct you to the brig, and there you will remain for the next two days while you give great consideration to your precarious position on this ship. I’d like to keep the fighting restricted to the Cylons if that’s alright with you two.”
Once more they acknowledged their agreement with a nod and the Commander turned to leave.
“I want those reports on my desk first thing in the morning, Captain.”
The tension in the room relaxed after that as the Security Officers took charge of the situation. Jartan had his orders without being directly told and Myravon went right to work executing the duties of her office. People either filed out of the bar or stayed and righted furniture they had been sitting at.
Tucked away in a far corner where the brawl had never even threatened to touch sat a dark skinned man of Scorpion birth and his wingmate, a fair haired woman with dazzling blue eyes and Caprican features. Captain Addis-Ababa sat with his feet propped on the table, chair tilted back in repose and a tankard in his hand. The woman beside him was also relaxed, but did not emulate her Captain in posture.
“You know something, Sparky?” He said, sipping his grog. “I never get tired of watching the Brass Cupcake in action. It’s like she has some kind of death wish, you know?”
“Maybe she does.” Sparks waited for her friend to take a drink before asking “So ya think she’s got rabies?”
Addis laughed and almost choked on his drink. Swallowing, he turned his head.
“Good one. You almost get me there, Sparky.” It was his turn to pause. “Maybe. Why? You want to test that theory?”
“Nope. Just making light conversation.”
Addis and Sparks had transfered from the ATLANTIA three yahrens ago, six months before the infamous loss of the Fifth Fleet at Molokai. Back then the former XO had been mildly impressive, the main draw for them being the KOBOL’s commanding officer, Eyjan. Addis had almost worshiped the man and had made it his life’s work to get a posting on the Sagittaran flagship at the earliest opportunity. That same opportunity had taken two yahrens to engineer, but when it came, the decision to make the transfer was immediate.
Sparks mother had been in the military stationed aboard the Galactica before Sealing and settling down to raise a family. While her mother professed it was the right decision for her, there were times when Sparks would catch that look in her Mother’s eyes that said she would rather be out fighting Cylons than baking treats for the kids when school was done for the day. It was something she had never forgotten.
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His name was Brandell, a pilot formerly of the GALACTICA. Wilda had made a special effort yo look up his military history. There wasn’t a lot. He seemed to be quite reserved about his past, but she did find one useful piece of information – he only noticed women who could match him, whether it be drinking, sports or flying. Quite the egotist in every sense of the word.
She seated herself in an empty chair across the table from him and put her elbow on the table, hand in the air. A silent challenge.
He was reclining in the chair, rather sprawled was a more accurate term. Smiling over the brim of his mug she just shook his head.
“Go back to the kitchen, little girl. Arm wrestling is a man’s game.”
“What’s wrong. Afraid you’ll lose?”
“I wouldn’t want to hurt someone as delicate as you. I’d hate to make you cry.”
The copper haired woman grinned.
“You know I was going to say the same about you. The other Colonies know how squishy soft you Capricans are. All those fine beds and all that rich, fattening food. You’ve had it pretty good on board the Galactica the past few months shadowing the ATLANTIA around, catering to President Adar’s every whim. Party after party your commander was invited to, and his crew didn’t lack for refreshments from what I hear.”
“Well you heard wrong, little girl.”
“Oh really? So your Strike Commander didn’t rotate the squadrons out for a little R&R after the initial announcement about the armistice was announced? You didn’t have a little celebration dance with Commander Adama’s daughter at the President’s reception party on the way to Cimtar? Oh. I suppose that wasn’t you who participated in that high stakes Pyramid game on the Atlantia where you got your pants beaten off of you by those Gemons?”
Wilda smiled. “Oh, I hear things. I hear many things. Interesting and embarrassing things about what goes on in storage rooms off of the President’s private quarters between his daughter who is also a squadron leader and a certain Warrior…”
Brandell’s grin disappeared and a hard, suspicious look narrowed his dark eyes.
“Where did you get that information?”
He cast a death glare at his friends seated around the table, all of whom looked serious and shook their heads to let him know not one of them had said a word.
“Like I said. I hear things.”
“That wrong hearing can get you into a whole lot of trouble. Besides, it’s not like you can just message her and ask, now can you?”
Wilda sat back in her chair. This was going to be easier than she thought.
“No,” she admitted. “She’s dead along with her father and her shipmates. Too bad, I hear she was worth three of you. And you know something. Come to think of it. You ARE right. I don’t really want to play this game with you after all. You’d throw the game just to let some little girl win, and then you send me away with a smack on my rear while you bragged to your cronies about how magnanimous you were being by throwing me a bone so to speak.”
She rose from her chair. “Congratulations. You’ve just become boring. I’m off to hunt bigger game. Thanks for reminding me just what big losers you Capricans are after all.”
She shoots. She scores! Wilda gave the men at the table a strut of her hips as she started to walk away.
“Wait!”
A leasurely look back over her shoulder revealed that the man had now sat up straight in his chair.
“Ok. One game. After that you go to the food prep and get me a sandwich. I’ll be hungry.”
“Oh joy!” she exclaimed melodramatically.
Reclaiming her seat she asked “Can we play by Sagittaran rules?”
“What does that mean?” one of Brandell’s friends asked. Another nudged him and grinned.
“Stupid, it means when she loses they… you know… have a little personal time.”
“Ohhhh.”
The woman laughed a genuinely wicked laugh. “Not hardly.”
“Fine! Fine. Sagittaran rules. After all, how complicated can it be?”
Wilda reached over and patted his hand reassuringly.
“Oh, don’t worry baby. I’ll keep it simple for you.”
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Still smiling sweetly, the woman removed a pair of knives from her boots and, reaching under the table, stuck the blades through a pair of slots on either side of the surface. All but an inch of the blades stood tall and proud in the lounge’s artificial light.
“Sagittaran rules it is,” she said coldly twisting the blades from underneath. There was an audible click as each tang was locked into place by mechanisms only seen if one were to lay on the floor.
“I was wondering what those holes were for,” one of the Captain’s friends muttered.
Things were about to get dramatically interesting and Brandell was not certain he wanted that kind of interesting in his life at that centon. Looking at his friends, he knew he couldn’t back out now. His personal reputation was at stake as was that of his Colony. Lieutenant Starbuck would have laughed at him if he had been here.
He finished the tankerd of alcohol, telling himself that she was just a girl and not very strong at that where as he had just finished working out in the KOBOL’s gymnasium and was well muscled. No, he’d win this round then take her to Life Center to get her hand bandaged up. Maybe he’d kiss her boo boo as well just to be nice.
Elbows down on the table’s surface between the knife points, the pair clasped hands and the crowd murmured their excitement.
The pair of Scorpions at the corner table didn’t move. They’d seen this scenario played out before and knew without even looking what was going to happen. The Captain motioned to the barkeep for another round of drinks for him and his wingmate as the signal to start the game sounded.
The twin security officers who were cleaning up the mess they had created paused to look towards the game, but their Lieutenant cleared her throat drawing their attention back to the task at hand and they reluctantly turned away from the fun.
For a couple of centons clasped fists stayed upright for the most part before wavering first one way, then the next. Strain showed on the player’s faces while those who had bet urged on their chosen champion.
Wilda was starting to worry that she had gotten in over her head, even though she had seen him earlier lifting weights. He could press just a little more than she normally did and she vowed that if she came out of this without embarrassment she was going to up her routine.
The man returned his opponent’s smile, sensing her focus shifting.
“Care to… surrender?” he asked, grunting the words out. “I’ll go easy on you. I… promise.”
“Suck fumes… flyboy!”
With renewed effort, Wilda slowly moved her opponent’s hand back. If she could just move him a few more centimeters she’d have him off balance. Once there it would take little to finish the game.
Sensing his disadvantage and a painful loss eminent, Brandell took a deep breath and mustered every ounce of strength he had left. The alcohol he had been drinking before the game was starting to wear off replaced by the adrenaline rushing through his system. He’d press her hand only so far, nigh her with he own weapons. He’d claim his satisfaction with First Blood. After all, he really didn’t want to hurt her. It was just a game after all.
Just as her hand was reaching that point where balance would work against her, Wilda gave a war cry nad exerted all of her strength, pushing her opponent’s hand backwards. Panic set in and just as his flesh touched the tip of the balance Brandell jerked his hand away, breaking the connection with the woman. In that split micron he realized that no matter what he did, one of them was going to get hurt. Blinking was too slow for the speed in which the lieutenant’s hand went flying onto the point he had attempted to avoid.
Gasps from the crowd seemed to suck the very air from the room as the sound of flesh hit wood. Three heartbeats more and everyone in the room exhaled in unison. The redhead’s hand lay flat palm down on the table, the blade of the knife sticking up from between her middle and index fingers.
“You lose,” she purred, staring at the man across the table from her. She hadn’t meant for it to sound as sensual as it did, but the excitement worked like a drug on the woman.
Lost bets were paid and winning bets were claimed. People looked either dejected at the parting of them from their coin, or elated to have a few extra cubits finding a new home in their pouches.
No one was more pleased about the outcome that the woman herself. She was certain that when the Caprican had pulled away in fear that she would be visiting Dr. Majel once more that secton, and for the very same injury. The scar on the back of her hand was a reminder and a personal badge of honor. Yes, she could have had it removed, but what would she have to brag about if she let that happen? The doctor had made her promise not to do that again.
Better she had told a gale force wind to stop blowing for all Wilda would listen. Maybe some day, but today was not that day.
After retrieving her knives from the table and returning them to the sheathes in her boots, she stood to leave. The man in the chair just started. Was he just a shade paler now than when they first started their game? Serves him right.
As she turned away she heard a chair scraping floor, and a hand lighjtly touched her elbow.
“Don’t go. Let me buy you a drink.”
He was right there at her elbow, his demeaner suddenly changed.
“Sorry, but I’m all drinked out. Maybe next time. I’m going to find something more entertaining.”
“You want some company?”
“Sorry, but I’m looking for more excitement than you can offer.”
“How do you know until you try?”
She looked him up and down. Earlier she had acted like some school girl chasing after a boy, but now the situation had changed and she found she liked this new development.
“Why not? I wonder how much trouble we CAN get into together.”
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“But I MUST see the Commander! It’s urgent that she be informed of what has happened,” the rotund man exclaimed.
“I’m sorry, Sire, but the commander left orders that she was not to be disturbed.”
Indeed, Commander Phoenix had a guard set on her quarters to ward off such visits while she was busy. In light of all the interruptions she was even further behind taking care of the most important details of her job. She regretted not having the twins on her door as Eyjan had done on past occasions, but they would be out of commission for a while. Perhaps their fellow Security officers would be impressing upon them the merits of good behavior since this little escapade had left the team with a couple of shifts to fill with the bodies they did not have in the first place.
“Young man, do you know who I am?”
“No sir I don’t, but I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
As had the last three people who had come on board the KOBOL with the express purpose of seeing the commander for whatever reasons they had deemed important enough not to make an appointment for. The guard was tired and digging deep to maintain his composure in the face of scathing remarks, preening and strutting their oh so vaunted important ranks as well as the sly verbal insults was wearing thin on the young man. Deep down he was certain that when he was finally able to retire to his bunk for some badly needed shut eye that he’d find another couple of grey hairs on his head that hadn’t been there when he woke that morning.
“You’re damned right I am, sonny.” The man drew himself up to his full height which wasn’t much higher than the guard’s shoulder and tried to puff out his chest which only resulted in his stomach proceeding him.
“I am Sire Rodan of Taura, Council elect, and Commander Phoenix will certainly hear about your rudeness young man. I have no time to waste on ground pounding muck suckers like you, sir, so step aside and let me pass.”
Great Mother Goddess, yet another fracking burecrat! This one seemed just as bad if not worse than his predicessors.
“I’m sorry, but I have my orders, sir.” The young man replied.
Lords of Kobol save me, he pleaded silently.
“Who’s your superior officer? I demand to see him at once!”
Before the ensign could answer a voice boomed from the intersection of the corridor.
“Keep it down out here or I’ll call Ships Security and have you hauled away in chains!”
Rodan turned as a tall, dark skinned man strode towards them. His left arm still bandaged, was held close to his body in the sling. The guard recognized him from the daily briefing as being Chiron,. Personal assistant to Supreme Admiral Thorbin. Just what official rank the man actually held was still a mystery. For the centon he was to be addressed as Agent or Sire. To the ensign either one seemed a little pretentious in the first place.
“Who let you on board, Rodent?”
The Tauron almost seemed to exhale clouds of smoke from his nose and his face flushed bright red at the rude nickname. In short – no pun intended – the man looked as though he could burst at any centon.
“Chiron! Talk some sense into this… this … guard daggett! I have to see the Commander immediately, but this imbecile refuses to let me pass. Order him to stand aside.”
“Is what he says true, Ensign? Are you refusing to announce this man’s presence to the Commander?”
“Yes sir. Commander’s working at this centon and she ordered me to keep everyone out until further notice.”
Chiron turned to the man in the robes and shrugged helplessly.
“Sorry, Rodentl I’ve done all I can, but orders are orders. Allow me to personally escoprt you back to your shuttle so you can return to your ship. It’s the last I can do,” he finished with a smile.
“No. I refuse to degrade myself or my station by being seen in the presence of the likes of you. I can see myself back to the shuttle bay, thank you very much.”
With that the man stalked off in a flurry of brightly colored robes swirling about him as he went.
“And don’t call me Rodent!” he exclaimed without turning around.
One the self professed council elect had rounded the corner both men breathed a sigh or relief.
Chiron snickered, than laughed.
“What did HE want to pester the Commander about?”
“Just the food shortage,“ the man replied with a yawn. If his relief didn’t get here soon he was going to fall asleep right where he stood.
“Does she know about it?”
“Oh yes, sir. Yahrens ago. I think that’s the first ting she’s addressing in the morning.”
It wasn’t as if the subject was a secret. Phoenix had made an announcement to Security Chief
Jartan regarding the rumored hoarding of food and other badly needed supplies. His team along with a handful of warriors were to search every ship and distribute what supplies they could find equally among the citizens of their small fleet.
“Well woujld you please see to it the CXommande rgets this before you go off duty?”
Chiron held out a folded piece of paper which the young man took.
“Be glad to, sir.”
“Good night, Ensign.”
Good night, sir.”
☆★☆★☆
no subject
In the city based apartment belonging to the respresntative elect from Caprica, a woman sat on the flowing couch beside a young man in pilot tans.. The bandages that once covered the left side of his face and head now only covered a portion of his face. On his hands he wor dark brown gloves. A team of doctors on the STAR KOBOL had worked almost round the clock in a series of surgeries to repair the multitude of his injuries. So intense was the heat inside his Viper that it had partly fused his boots to his lower legs. That and the exposure of his face and hands had been the worst part. The couching had ceased after the third day of treatments and his lungs were almost fully healed. He’d need the medical respirator for a few more days, but all in all his prognosis was coming along just fine.
“You intend on returning to duty I suppose,” the woman said with apprehension.
“I have to, Mother.”
His voice was still a bit raspy, but the pain had ceased to bother him. As he spoke he held up his gloved hands.
“I’m not going to let these scars ruin my life. I can’t justify that. If the commander will okay my transfer, I’d like to join the STAR KOBOL.”
“What about the GALACTICA?”
“The GALACTICA’s not around, Mother. The KOBOL is. Father was the only one who listened to Apollo and because of that they were the only ones to survive the attack and escape this holocaust. I just hope they come back soon.”
“Well, knowing your father, he won’t be back until he finds a safe haven for all those people he took with him. In the meantime I want you to consider extending your stay with me. I haven’t seen you in two yahrens since the GALACTICA was last at Caprica and I’d like to spend some time with you again.”
She reached up to brush aside a lock of hair that had strayed into his face, but he saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and shied away before he could catch himself.
“I’m sorry. I… I guess I’m still just a bit skittish. I should know better than that. That’s why I want a transfer. I have to prove to myself that I can be every bit a Warrior as the next. Even better if I work hard enough.”
Ila gave him an understanding smile and rubbed his shoulder, one of the few places on him that wasn’t injured.
“I thought as much. You’re just as stubborn as your brother you know. Never say can’t. Never give up. You know you always have my support, sweetheart.”
He put an arm around her shoulders and drew her close for a hug.
“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, especially now. I’m still having trouble imagining our home worlds gone. Destroyed by the Cylons.”
His mouth opened, but he couldn’t find the words he was looking for. He’d heard others talk about the devastations they had witnessed in the days since the Colonies had been destroyed, but having not witnessed even one of those events himself he couldn’t even imagine what it was like.
“I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it. It’s like reading a book without pictures. Some time you know the story will have to end and you can close the book and go back to your life. How do you go about your life when you suddenly realize that YOU are the main character in that book and that book is never going to end?”
The woman shook her head. “I wish I had those answers for you, Zac, but I don’t. Maybe we’re not meant to know. Maybe we just have to live that book like we live our real lives: One day at a time.”
She stood and smiled.
“Now you take off that jacket and stay a while. I’ll get some food on the table. It’ll only take a few centons.”
She disappeared through a doorway leaving the young man alone with his thoughts.
Zac slowly removed his battlejacket and gloves. Although he wor a new pair of uniform trousers, the tunic was the same one he’d had on when last he saw his brother’s Viper heading full turbo for their base ship. He’d refused to give up the jacket that by all rights he should have discarded because of the scorch marks. The KOBOL’s ‘freshers had done an admirable job of cleaning his uniform, but there was nothing it could do to actually repair the garment.
His expression grew somber remembering the night in Caprica when Selket had come to him in Life Center, took his bandaged hand in hers and pressed it to her cheek. He closed his eyes and sat back on the couch. The images came to him as if it were only yesterday and not sectons past.
There was no pain as she held his hand in hers, kissing each scar through the bandages as though the touch of her lips could miraculously heal his wounds.
“Zac, I have something to tell you,” she whispered.
Groggy, he turned his head to get a better look at her in the dimly lit room.
“I… I’ve decided to stay here on Caprica.”
“You can’t” he exclaimed weakly. “We’re evacuating soon. You can’t stay here. The Cylons will find you. Kill you.”
She smiled and shook her head.
“If the Peacekeepers can’t find us what makes you think the Cylons will? No, I’ve decided to stay and fight for my home.”
It’s too dangerous. I need you. Oh please, Selket. Please come with me.”
She silenced him with a finger laid gently against his lips.
“Ypu have your duty and I have mine. You have to be the best Warrior you can be for the sake of our people. Don’t worry. We’ll see each other again. I promise.”
Then she was gone.
“Selket! Don’t go! Please… don’t go…”
Ila knelt beside her son who by all appearances had fallen asleep. It was his voice calling out that had drawn her from the galley to the main living area. She shook him gently by the shoulder and spoke his name several times before he finally opened his eyes.
“You had a bad dream, sweetheart,” she told him. “Everything’s alright now. Food’s on the table. Go wash up and then come and eat.”
He sighed and then nodded. In his mind Selket was still near. If only he could have stopped her.
If only…
☆★☆★☆
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“We need the fastest ships we have in the fleet. That’s where you come in. The people have to give me as many of those ships as I need in order to be able to help you,” she said, laying her noted down on the table.
“That you’ll have,” replied the spokesperson from Scorpia.
The others seated around the table nodded their approval.
“In fact,” replied the spokesperson from Leo “you can have all of those ships if it will be of any use to you. The more you have the more supplies you can bring back with you.”
“Agreed,” a woman from Libra said.
“We need livestock, grains, textiles… The housing and protection provided by this city is most satisfactory, but we will need a lot of the basics just to be able to survive.”
He commander nodded.
“I want you all to poll your people and make a list of all the necessities we need and then prioritize them in order of importance. I will warn you right now, Councils, that expensive 300 thread count linen sheets from Leon are NOT high on the list of necessities. Keep it simple. Keep it basic.”
“What about pets?”
All heads turned to the representative of Virgo.
“What on Kobol are you talking about?” The Leon spokesperson asked. “Pets?” His tone said what his words did not. Why something so ridiculous?
“Oh you think it’s not important,” the woman said, glaring at the Leon. “but I have a daughter that won’t eat, doesn’t want to play and cries herself to sleep every night because she was forced to leave her katlet behind. We were SUPPOSED to be evacuated to the Galactica’s fleet, but when my daughter tried to bring her katlet with her we were told no pets by one of the Warriors and the animal was taken from her arms and set free. Gede jumped out of my arms and ran after it, and I ran after her, but not before administering a harsh slap to that callous Cylon spawn’s face. He had no right to do that. In those centars of panic I could have easily become separated from my daughter and she ould have grown up without me. I can’t have that. I lost her father to this damnable war. I will NOT lose my only child, too.”
She shopped, tears welling in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, I just…”
She dug in her pocket for a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes with it. The man from Scorpia who sat next to her reached over and gave her other hand a reassuring pat.
“It’s alright, Hestia. We understand. I think I understand more that others what your little girl is going through. My mother raised equines and from her I inherited not only her love for those amazing creatures but her heard as well when she died. I had a magnificent stallion I called Thor. He was a beauty. When the Cylons came to Scorpia I set the whole heard free. I was not about to see them slaughtered in captivity. I still remember the last time I saw Thor. He was last of the herd to flee to the mountains. I don’t think he understood what was going on or why I was not coming with them. I will miss him greatly, but at least it was my decision to part ways with my dearest friend. Were I in your daughter’s shoes I would kill anyone who ever tried to force me and my best friend apart.”
“Thank you, Crellon.”
Phoenix sympathized with the little girl in question. “I’ll see what we can do, Siress.”
Sires Ila stood.
“While I sympathize with Councilwoman Hestia’s plight and agree with her request, I think we’re getting off track here. Let’s not forget medical supplies, of which we are in dire need. I’m told this medical technology left us is yet to be of any use until your scientists can figure out how it works. In the meantime we need to have our own medical facilities to care for our people. If equipment can be brought from the Colonies that would be a big help.”
Admiral Thorbin, now Council President, nodded. “That will go to the top of our list, Siress. I know of several facilities that have top of the line equipment and pharmaceuticals that we intend to bring back.”
As Ila regained her seat, Ranya, Councilwoman for Sagittara stood.
“Fellow Council, I find that the proposed plan outlined by Commander Phoenix and seconded by Admiral… excuse me, President Thorbin, to be sound and I call for a vote. How say you?”
Starting on her left, each quorum representative voiced his or her vote.
It was at this time while they were all still in shock from the devastating events of the betrayal and the filled with the desire to make good in the eyes of their voters that the council as a whole voted unanimously.
Phoenix was pleasantly surprised. She had thought that given politics being as it was at least one of them would cast a negative vote. The fact that Admiral Thorbin had agreed to head the Council was also something of a surprise. She’d have to ask him about that later.
As the room cleared, Admiral Thorbin quietly requested the commander to remain for a centon.
“I hear you’ve been working too hard lately, Phoenix,” he said when they were finally alone.
“You’ve been talking to Majel I take it?”
Yea, it would be just like the doctor to go over her head and take her medical observations to the admiral.
The man shook his white haired head.
“No. I haven’t seen her since my last medical evaluation. Another few days and I’ll be fit for duty once more.”
“Is that when you’re going to stop playing politics and return to the KOBOL?”
“I might. For now I think this is the place where I can get some things done in the military’s favor.”
“Well there’s at least one former Battlestar commander on that council now besides yourself of course.”
Thorbin nodded.
“Council Octavian from Aries. He retired eight yahrens ago due to a repertory illness that he never quite recovered from.”
“I heard there was a coolant leak on the bridge of his ship during a battle and he ended up inhaling more than he should have when he tried to save his bridge crew by dealing with the problem himself. He and another crewman were unwittingly standing in front of the conduit when it blew. I’m told the crewman died later.”
“Admiral. I’m sure you didn’t ask me to stay just to talk about the past lives of the current council members. Why did you as me to stay?”
“Well, like I said before, you’ve been working too hard.”
“Any time you want to share drinks and report writing duties with me you’re more than welcome to do so, Admiral.”
“Let’s dispense with the formalities, Phoenix. We’re alone here now and it’s quite private here. You know who I am. What I am besides Fleet Admiral and head of the Colonial military,”
The red haired woman nodded.
“I know who you used to be, Oracle. Say what’s on your mind.”
“What’s on my mind is you. More specifically you and your ship, the workload you’ve been subjecting yourself to. I heard about the little drama in the Officer’s Club the other day. I also know that while you’ve been reviewing your crew profiles and making decisions on promotions you still don’t have an executive officer yet. I’ve thought about this for a while now and I’ve decided to appoint Chiron to the position.”
“Excuse me? Chiron? Begging the Admiral’s pardon, but as ships commander shouldn’t that be my decision?”
“Normally, yes, but these are not normal circumstances.”
Bristelling under what she was beginning to perceive as an attack on her authority by a superior officer who looked like he was not in complete confidance of her abilities as ship’s commander Phoenix checked the words that threatened to cross her lips. What she really wanted to tell the man was not fit for decent conversation. She wanted to ask her questions and demand answers, but she knew it would not go well for her to fly off the handle like that. Tact was not exactly a Sagittaran strong suit and Phoenix had no patience for dancing around issues when it pertained to her job or her reputation.
Closing her mouth, she drew in a deep and hopefully calming breath. Her next words were tight and toned with resentment.
“Permission to speak freely, sir.”
Thorbin resumed his seat at the head of the table and sat back ready for the protestations he knew beforehand that would come.
“Speak.”
For some reason his action made her feel uneasy as though he had already made up his mind, but was willing to listen to her feeble protests anyway as a parent would a misbehaving child. Still, she knew he would give her his undivided attention and act judiciously.
“I know all too well that man is not fit to wear a Colonial uniform much less disciplined enough to put in charge of a tug much less a Battlestar. He certainly is not fit to be second in command or even, Goddess forbid I ever die in battle, commanding officer of the KOBOL. If Eyjan were here he’d not only tell you no, but Hades no! Chiron’s never been to any military academy and probably wouldn’t go if you ordered him to. He makes no effort to conceal his contempt for the military and I doubt he’d even wear the uniform. I’m not saying the man is irresponsible, but his lack of personal structure is well known. He does things as he sees fit and couldn’t’ take an order even if he worked in the food servos industry.”
“Now that is where you’re wrong,” the admiral said, raising a finger. “Chiron has been to the Warrior’s Academy on Sagittara, and he has served as a Viper pilot. He mustered out after achieving the rank of lieutenant, joined the CSS and afterwards petitioned the Academy to seal his military record. Even I don’t know why since he refuses to talk about it, but I do know he WAS a Colonial Warrior.”
“He’s arrogant, unfeeling, insensitive. I can’t have that on my ship, Admiral. Certain ly not in a command position. The ships XO is the conduit between the ships Commander and the ships crew. He or she is the other parent. The one who is supposed to listen to the crews concerns, see to their needs and make sure moral does not slip. The XO makes sure things run smoothly so the Commander doesn’t have to. He can’t do that.”
“Give him a chance. A lot has happened in the yahrens since you two worked together. I think you might change your mind about him if you work with him now.”
Phoenix sighed. There were a lot of other protests that begged to be aired, personal observations that she wanted to bring to her superior officer’s attention. The main points had been touched on. Besides, the Admiral already knew about the incidents from her days in the Colonial Secret Service and bringing them out into the light would just be repeating tired old history. Perhaps some skeletons should remain in their graves and not be brought out and paraded around like a long lost relative.
“I’m not going to win this one, am I?”
Thorbin’s reply was soft.
“I want this for him, Phoenix. I could make this an executive order, but I won’t. Instead I’ll just say please.”
She started at the man with a scrutinizing gaze. In all the time she’d known him… actually known OF him, there had always been orders. New assignments. Never before had he just asked something of her.
“Alright. I’ll agree to it, on one condition. If for any reason he does not live up to my satisfaction and expectations of what an Executive Officer should be then I strip him of his position and rank and you take him back without protest. I won’t put up with his nonsense under my command.”
He knew there would be stipulations. To expect anything less was foolhardy. Yet he also knew the woman would do as he wanted even though it was against her better judgment.
“Very well. I agree.”
Well that was easy. Easier than she had expected anyway. It was now her move again.
“He will report to the Kobol tonight and pick up his uniform from supply. First meal is at oh six hundred centars in the officer’s mess. At oh seven hundred centars he will report to the ships conference room for orientation. Ten hundred centars to the gymnasium for combat practice. Second meal is at twelve hundred centars after which I will expect to see him on the bridge at thirteen hundred centars. He will be in proper uniform and you can tell him for me that he had better not be wearing that amulet he’s so fond of while he is on board. He is not a cult priest and as a man he has no right to wear it in the first place. If I see it at any time while he is assigned to this ship I will confiscate it and return it to the sect he got it from.”
The man smiled and nodded.
“Everything will be as you say, even if I have to dress him myself.”
“Oh and I want those military records unsealed and on my desk as soon as possible.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that.”
They let a pause hang in the air before Phoenix next spoke.
“Will that be all Admiral?”
“I think that just about covers it, Commander. You have a good day. Dismissed.”
Never was anyone so eager to make a run for it than Phoenix. Dignity demanded a certain stride from a superior officer’s presence, but once outside the chamber she quickened her pace and hurried from the building.
no subject
It had been three nights and four days since Sire Rodan had demanded to see the Commander and now Phoenix scanned the crowds looking for him. At last she was satisfied he wasn’t there and proceeded to her own apartment. She reflected on the possible reasons for his absence. Apparently his people hadn’t been impressed with him or his political campain promises. It was also somewhat apparent that his political colligues hadn’t put forth much support towards his election either. She remembered overhearing a small group of councilmen talking about the elections. One had expressed outright relief that the pompus Tauron had lost by a landslide. Another graphically expressed his true feelings for the man, the bulk of colorful metaphors she hadn’t heard since her time in Sentinal Squadron.
Five uniformed Warriors rose from their seats on the library steps where they had been waiting for their commanding officer. All of them were squadron leaders and seemed most anxious to hear any news the woman had for them. Instead they looked at the watery canal when the commander gestured at it.
“When in Hades did THAT happen?”
“About ten centons after you went in to chambers, Commander,” Captain Gyrona answered. “The water started rising slowly but when the children evacuated the canal it started filling faster. It didn’t take long to peak though. By all indications it appears the city is starting to wake up.”
Addis pointed upwards.
“It looks like we also have artificial lights in the ceiling. They came on early this morning and have been getting steadily brighter through out the day. One of the scientists thinks it’s mirroring the amount of natural light from outside.”
Anxious to get started, Azriel interrupted them.
“Commander, when do we leave?”
“In thirty sex centars, Major. All of you are to stop by my office later this afternoon to pick up your squadron’s assignments. I want each one of you back on board ship by midnight. You each have some instructing to do to bring your new executive officer up to speed on ships procedures.”
“Ah, Commander?”
Charlane hadn’t had any reason to say one word until the mention of a new XO.
“Captain?”
“Who’s our new XO? I wasn’t aware of any new promotions today.”
“This is one the Admiral made. We’re getting his personal assistant as your new second in command. I expect the crew to treat him as you would any other person filling that role.
“Sir?”
Frack that Gyrona. Why couldn’t he call her Ma’am like everyone else?
“Speak.”
“Does this man even have a service record? Even the greenest recruit knows that untrained civilians are not put in a position of command for the very reason that they do not know what they’re doing.”
“Let me tell you what the Admiral told me. Chiron certainly does have a military record. His mustering out rank was that of Lieutenant and he has flown a Viper. Everything else is in his service record which I will receive at the Admiral’s leisure. In the following days you all will be enlisted in conducting our new XO through a fast track version of Academy proceedings to bring him up to speed on things He’s a bit soft so don’t go easy on him. You will get your training assignments when you pick up your squadron orders later.”
She paused watching the grin widen on the Scoripon Captain’s dark complected face. The meaning was clear: Fresh Meat! A part of her buried deep down took heart in the fact that Chiron was not going to get off easy with this one.
“If you have any questions I’ll be happy to answer them when you come to see me later. For now, dismissed.”
She didn’t wait for the group to go about their business as she hurried away to the sanctuary of her assigned apartment. She had only spent enough time there to actually get the location of it and spend five centons exploring it before she was called to the council meeting. The starkness of the abode made it seem bigger, something which bothered Phoenix. She was so used to the close confines of the KOBOL. This was going to be a big adjustment for her. She found herself hoping she wouldn’t have to spend too much time planet side. Already she was feeling itchy to get back in to space.
She quickened her pace, anxious to put as much distance between herself and everyone, to hide herself away for a few centons and regroup. The Admiral had forced this man from her past on her once again. While she had no problems with Chiron himself, she hated the way she was forced to accept him as her second in command. Yes, he was probably qualified to do the job. No he probably didn’t want it, and no she didn’t want it either. They’d have to have a long talk before too long.
So enwrapped in her thoughts was she that she hadn’t noticed movement ahead of her. An unattended cargo sled loaded with crates was rolling dangerously into the walkway from a service bay on her right. It took a centon for her to register having heard a woman scream. Her name being yelled across the thorough fair, the sudden rush of people about her. When she looked up it was to see the heavy cargo sled barreling down on her. She barely had time to gasp before she was hit broadside by something… someone, and the momentum carried them both to the side where they landed gracelessly and rolled until they came to a low wall and ended up in a heap of flailing limbs. She groaned, unable to see through her own mass of red hair covering her face. She was pinned beneath someone, a large heavy someone who was groaning in as much pain as she felt. The sound of something very heavy and metallic crashed into metal and stone and wood, crashing and pounding, splintering in a cacophony of destruction. The whine of an engine crested and then died with a relenting shudder. The sled had finally ceased its flight.
Footsteps were heard and hands grabbed at her as the weight was lifted from her. Someone ordered others back and another pair of hands checked her for injuries and pronounced her fit enough to be moved. With a sweep of her arm she brushed the mass of unruly hair from her face and looked around.
The cargo sled lay on its side, boxes and crates strewn about as a child would toss aside its toy blocks. Beside her a large man sat leaning back against the low wall and rubbed his shoulder.
“Are you alright?” he asked.
Noting his manor of dress, she saw he was a civilian tall and muscular. She tried to move and a not so dull ache flared from her hip.
“I will be,” she said, whincing. “Thank you. And you?”
He nodded and rose to his feet with a helping hand from another similarly dressed man.
“Yea. I’m tougher than that, Commander.”
He extended a hand to her and helped her up.
“Galen, Dark Star Mining Corporation out of Caprica. Sorry for the body check, but you didn’t look like you were paying attention to your Warrior screaming at you.”
He hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the blonde in pilot tans leading the group of Warriors to the scene of the accident at a dead run. In her haste Phoenix had covered more ground than she had thought.
“Thank you, Galen. I certainly appreciate the assist.”
The man looked hesitant before speaking. “Just a word of advice, Commander, You might want to pay more attention to your surroundings. I don’t know how our sled got away like that. I know I powered her down before I left it. It’s procedure after all. All I can do is apologize and hope it never happens again.”
While the others surrounded her, Phoenix saw Gyrona climb down from the wreckage of the vehicle and join Charva before they approached her.
The Aquarian held something in his hand.
“This was attached to the steering controls, Commander.”
The color drained from the woman’s face as she read the four words printed on it.
THE OGRE MUST DIE!
☆★☆★☆
COMMANDER’S LOG:
Preparations have been made and we are en rout to Carrilon with three of the fastest ships we have. The one I have chosen to be a decoy and lead the Cylons away has no environment left and I have no intention on wasting resources to remedy that problem. The pilots will have to wear pressurized environmental suits until we get to the point where we send it off into deep space with a distress signal blaring. We will leave just one of our dead on board to make the rouse look real. Not many know this and I want to keep this little secret just between Mariah and I. Once the Cylons catch up to it and hopefully get within close enough range the ship will run out of fuel and a timing mechanism will set off the explosives in the cargo hold. Hopefully it will be enough to damage them and buy us time before they decided to retrace the ships origins. Obviously there will not be the need for a live human pilot to stay on board to run things. I wouldn’t ask any one of my crew to be a human sacrifice for a mission like this.
☆★☆★☆
Chiron figured the Commander had it in for him. Part of his so-called schedule wold continue for only a meer four sectons, others he knew would last longer. One thing was for certain, he coujldn’t rely on the close comradeship he and Phoenix once shared to be able to get away wioth things he used to yahrens ago when he was her training officer in the CSS.
Deep down he knew part of the reason why she was treating him like this. She wouldn’t show favoritism to a new comer. Someone not originally from the STAR KOBOL who probably should have not have been given the position when there were more qualified officers that should have been promoted from within. It made sense, but he wished she would take it just a tad bit easier on him. As it was she had unloaded an ungodly amount of work on him his very first day on the job. When he told her that he;d never be able to finish all that in one day she just smailed sweetly and said that it was the destiny of all command personnel. An officer had to be able to do his or her work when ever and where ever he or she could. Even in the turbo flush. He wasn’t sure if she was jesting or not, but he suspected a decent night’s sleep would not be had for a very long time to come. Fortunately he had found that one of the oritntation information crystals he had been given was concerned with speed reading, a skill he had at one time dismissed as useless.
☆★☆★☆
The chief of Engineering was a tall, auburn haired was a tall, auburn haired woman id Sagittaran Leon mixed blood. Her waist length locks were streaked majestically with a generous amount of silver and weaved into an intricate pattern down her back. She wasn’t a youthful beauty, far from it in her yahrens, but handsome in her own way as befitting a woman who had crawled around inside of ship’s engines for most of her life and had treated it like her own personal daily exercise regimen.
She sighed a weary sigh and wiped perspiration off her brow with the back of her jumpsuit sleeve. Her rank was clearly marked in the cuffs above the dirt smudged colonial braid. Her orange duty jumpsuit fit snugly in places, loose in others and did little to hide a figure toned by yahrens of hard work.
Slapping the door release, she entered her office to rejoin the woman already waiting patiently in the chair before her desk sipping her hot spiced tea. The engineer collapsed into her chair and reached for her own still hot mug.
“Is everything alright, Chief?”
The dark haired woman nodded.
“A weak coupling just decided to give up the ghost and blow is all.”
“No one was hurt I hope.”
“Oh no. Just a couple of minor steam burns and a few scraped knuckles. We managed to shut off the valve and change the worn coupling. No big deal.”
She sipped her drink then amended her last statement.
“ Oh and one apprentice needs to change her panties and switch to decaf is all.”
Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh at the image.
“Those were the days,” she mused.
“You have an Oh Frack centon, too?”
Phoenix nodded.
“When I was at the Academy. Some prankster thought it would be funny to cross wire the seat movement control switch with the eject switch.”
Mariaha grimaced at the imagery. “Ooooo!”
“That wasn’t exactly what I was screaming when I was launched into the air… or when I came down for that matter.”
Mariaha chuckled.
“In the swamp…” Phoenix said firmly.
The Chief’s eyebrows went up.
“… on the other side of the Academy parimiter fences…”
“Ouch!”
“… in the middle of a clutch of bloody fracking Lagartos (1). “
“Did they ever find out who did the deed?”
“Nope, but later that night when I was released from the Life Center and allowed to return to my barracks I DID find a bottle of vintage Ambrosia in my locker with a note that just said “Sorry” on it.”
“Well, at least they apologized.”
“I almost died that day. Lag food.”
“Oh that would never happen. You stomped the snot out of then getting INTO the Academy. They’d never eat anything so tough. You’d probaby give them a bad case of indigestion and they’d end up dieing from food poisoning.”
“Watch your mouth, Sargeant or I’ll make you an officer.”
“You’d never do that. These engines purr for me and only me. They do anything I tell them to and I keep them in tip top shape.”
“Yes you do. Now. I don’t want to keep you away from your work for too long. I just stopped in to see how you were coming along with the modifications to our decoy ship. Will the solonite charges be ready by the time we reach Carrilon?”
“We’re almost done now. All I need is my deceased co-pilot. I’ll be the one to make the final checks before leaving in the shuttle. I want to make sure everythings’ done right.”
“I don’t want you on that ship any longer than necessary. You are NOT expendable.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t have a death wish.”
“I know that and I DO worry. It’s my job,” Phoenix replied, setting her cup on the desk and rising from the chair. “I want you to report directly to me when you get off that ship.”
“Yes ma’am. Oh, are you sure you really want to use a cadaver? It seems almost sacrilegious.”
“We need to make it look like a real distress signal sent by a real person. Using one of our deceased warriors from the morgue is the only way I can think of to give this mission credibility. Besides, what’s more fitting an end than luring the Cylons into a trap? One last mission. A meaningful end.”
“I guess it is when you put it that way.”
☆★☆★☆
no subject
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.”
no subject
“Thanks for reminding me that I’m still guilty of lowering that elbow when I strike.”
“My pleasure,” came the monotone reply. She was just drifting off, eyes closed and head tilted back to rest on the edge of the tub.
“Bitch,” the redhead said in a friendly tone.
Azriel just smiled.
“Love you, too, sis.”
Not related by blood, the Tauron and Sagittaran had been close as sisters could be and an unofficial adoption had taken place through their friendship. Even Phoenix’s parents had treated Azriel like a second daughter.
There was a spot on the side of Azriel’s left temple that was darkening with a bruise where Phoenix had accidentally laid the end of her staff. Her lip had also been cracked by the butt of her friend’s hand, but it was the one bruise on Phoenix’s right thigh that was one of truly epic in proportions and would be around for quite some time. A blow which the Strike Commander took exceptional personal pride in. The major took a certain amusement in the fact that it offset the rapidly healing scar on her friend’s hip from the crossbow bolt a couple of days previous.
“What’s bothering you?” the blonde asked, yawning.
“We’re running out of time,” the redhead replied.
“For what? The food?”
Because her eyes were closed Phoenix’s nod went unnoticed by the woman. Azriel remained silent enjoying the feel of the pulsating jets of water gently massaging her body and not really caring if her friend had answered.
They would arrive at Borallus when the capitol city was at mid day. Enough time to land at pre-designated points on the planet and get their assigned tasks done as quickly as possible. Then they would return at maximum speed to home base with enough supplies to sustain their people for a while before they’d have to scrounge for more.
Azriel opened her eyes as she heard her friend rise from the water.
“Where are you going?”
Phoenix was already reaching for a towel from a nearby rack and drying herself off.
“Where are you going?”
“Back to work for me. I have that semi-annual ships report to get out.”
The woman in the tub leaned forward and put her hands on the side and hauled herself half way out. “Who do you think you’re going to give it to?”
The question made Phoenix stop, opened mouth, before she realized the answer to the question.
“No one I suppose,” the Commander returned in realization. “I’m not Executive officer anymore and more and there is no Core Command to send these reports off to. I guess I’ll go back to my quarters and catch up on other paperwork.”
Azriel got out and reached for a towel only to discover that the few in the stack were damp.
”Frack, Phoenix. Watch where you’re slinging that water. You got all these towels wet.”
“Oops. Sorry about that. I didn’t notice. I guess I’m in more of a hurry than I thought.”
“No problem. I’ll just grab one from the tub around the corner.”
Without bothering to cover herself, the woman padded calmly around the corner in her bare feet. Phoenix almost lost all composure when she heard her friend from the other cubicle.
“Hi’ya boys.”
“What the…”
“HOLY FRACK!”
The sounds of startled men and displaced water could be heard.
“GREAT LORDS OF KOBOL!”
From somewhere at the far end of the gym a couple of lude whistles of appreciation issued.
“Thank you, Charva, ” the Major called out sweetly. “That’s so nice of you.”
Then a little quieter. “I’d tell y’all not to bother to stand and salute, but I can see I’m too late for that.”
Embarrassed voices spoke at once, unintelligible and highly nervous. More water splashed and Phoenix buried her face in the towel she was holding in her hands in the hopes that it would muffle her laughter enough so no one knew she had heard.
“We’re all out of towels over there. Got a dry one or two to for your strike leader?”
A pause, then “Thank you, You’re so sweet.”
Microns later she returned to the cubicle with three in her hands to find Phoenix seated on the floor in the corner with her face still buried in her towel.
“What?”
Phoenix looked up then stood. The look on her face told Azriel that her friend had enjoyed that unintentional break in decorum immensely.
“You’re evil, woman. Pure, adulterated evil.”
“Just remember who MY training officer was when I came to the KOBOL.”
“I’ll thank you not to throw my past misdeeds in my face, Major. Not without dinner and drinks anyway.”
Phoenix dressed quickly and tossed the towel aside. “I’ll see you later. Try not to give the rest for the crew a heart attack, Az. We need all the pilots we can get.”
“You really know how to suck the fun out of a party.”
Phoenix shook her head and left.
☆★☆★☆
Klaxons blared as phoenix raced the hallways to get to the bridge. Problem was everyone was running in the opposite direction and made covering distance difficult. Seeing an advantage, she cut to the right as a service corridor came within sight. It was a quicker way to get to the bridge and she had used it many times in the past on similar occasions.
She made the climb up one level and broke into an all out sprint. A few yards son the corridor the lack of oxygen became noticeably apparent and the climate had escalated in tempreture. Suddenly concerned that something was wrong with the environmental controls she slowed her pace to a slow job, then to a walk. When her throat began to constrict she knew there was nothing wrong with the ship or the life support. It was her. Something was terribly wrong and her heart seized painfully making her groan. Drawing in air was almost impossible and the woman sagged against the bulkhead gasping in vain to draw in air. Fingers caught on a lip of a storage room door as she fell to the deck helpless and, admittedly, scared for the first time in a long time.
They had been in the midst of a long soak when the klaxons had sounded. Naked and wet Gyrona silently cursed the Cylons for making him have to fight to get into his flight suit while still damp from the tub. Bader was having less luck dressing himself, but somehow made it. The rest of their squad mates had already launched and were out there battling the real enemy and Gyrona cursed even more. He should have been the one out there to lead them in to battle. The only small consolation he had was Major Azriel fared little better and she was only a centon ahead of them bolting down the corridors with her weapons belt in hand instead of being worn.
“COMMANDER PHOENIX PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIDGE.”
It had been the third call for the commander over the intership systems since the klaxons had first sounded and apparently the woman had not arrived. The irregularity of it struck a chord in Bader who stopped in his tracks as his wingman sprinted on ahead of him.
“GYRO!”
The Captain stopped and turned.
“Come on, Bader!”
“But Commander didn’t answer the call!”
“That was three!” Bader said holding up his fingers for emphasis.
“She’s probably there already,” Gyrons returned, anxious to get to his ‘Angel’ and join the fight.
“Then why are they still calling for her? She left long before the alert sounded. She SHOUJLD be there by now but she’s not.”
“Lieutenant!”
“What if that person who tried to kill her on Tanopia is on this ship? First the sled. Then the crossbow. Now this. Come on Gyro! She could be in real trouble.”
For a little guy his wingman made sense. He weighed the situation quickly and decided his friend just might have the right idea. Uttering an oath native to his people, Gyona turned away from the flight deck.
“Come on. There’s an emergency service corridor that runs between the bulkheads and it leads to the Bridge. If she were pushing against traffic going in the other direction she’d take that corridor.”
Gyrona’s hunch paid off. They found the woman laying on the deck barely conscious. Attempts to get her to speak were futile. The woman could barely breathe and she certainly was unable to answer Gyrona’s inquiry about what had happened to her. He surmised a respiratory attack of some sort and slid his arms under her to pick her up.
“I’ll call for a med tech,” Bader said.
The woman’s eyes closed and her head slumped against the Aquarian’s chest.
“There’s no time. We have to get her to Life Center now. Make a hole and run like the hounds of Hades are after us.”
The lieutenant was off like a shot with his captain close on his heels.
☆★☆★☆
The battle was over almost before the Major could join the battle. From what she could make out of the squak on the communicator they had stumbled across a lone Cylon patrol. Three Raiders were no match for almost four Colonial Viper squadrons and the mop up had been quick. Later in the Officer’s Lounge Captain Addis and his pilots could claim bragging rights for being the first squadron to launch and engage the enemy. By the time the others caught up the last Raider blossomed out of existence under heavy laser fire. The other squadrons would be buying THEM drinks this night.
From the seat of her Viper Major Azriel felt an unusual tightening in her chest as though she were having a panic attack. Anxiety welled within her nad she knew something was terribly wrong.
“Sentinal Leader to Kobol Bridge. Get me the Commander.
“Bridge to Sentinel Leader,” came the cold reply. “Unable to comply with your request.”
“Then get me the Colonel.”
Two heartbeats passed.
“This is Colonel Chiron. All personnel stand down from battle stations. All pilots return to base.”
Azriel broke in.
“Colonel. Where is the Commander?”
“Commander’s been taken to Life Center.”
Tha Tauron woman didn’t wait to hear any more. She climbed from her ship and raced for the sleds.
no subject
The pair of pilots stood by, watching anxiously as the medical team went to work on the unconscious woman. It had taken some medical apparatus worked down her throat and several shots of unknown medications to get the woman breathing again. Once the life support monitors started pulsating with life did he even realize that he had been holding his breath awaiting any kind of out come. Beside him, Bader breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
There was more waiting before the team slowly dissipated leaving only Majel and a male assistant to tend their commanding officer. A centon later they were raising the head of the bed and the Captain saw the patient’s eyes were open, an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth.
“Did you have any solid food?” the doctor asked.
Phoenix gave the woman a shake of her head and what quite possibly could have been a sour look, but through the mask Gyrona could not be certain. She tried to remove the mask, but the male attendant was firm in his quiet insistence that she keep it on.
The doctor selected one of two hypos from the nearby tray and emptied the contents into the side of her patients neck. The effects were almost immediate.
“You can take that mask off in a centon. Just relax now.”
Turning, she approached the pilots and stuck her hands into the pockets of her smock.
“She’ll be fine now thanks to your quick thinking, gentlemen.”
The Aquarian Captain looked puzzled. “What was that about solid foods? I don’t understand. Is she allergic to something?”
“No, not really allergic in the technical sense. I’m surprised you haven’t heard. Then again you haven’t been on board long enough to hear about it.” When the men shook their heads, Majel continued.”Some yahrens ago she contracted Doromine Poisoning. Do you know what that is?”
Bader just shook his head negative but Gyrona nodded, although not certain. “All I know is what I’ve heard. That it’s a vicious acidic poison, and that it could be fatal.”
“It IS fatal. Normally people who have injested this poison are eaten from the inside out. There’s a cure, but if it’s not treated within the first couple of centars the victim dies a horrible and agonizing death. Most people never make it to a medical facility in time and those that do are never diagnosed in time. In her case she had someone with her that knew exactly what had happened and told the attending physicians what was wrong. Timing is everything. Take too long and the patient dies from the shock of the pain and you invariably have a corpse on your hands. In the commander’s case they rushed her into surgery and a good portion of her stomach was removed. As a result she was placed on a liquid protein nutriment diet.”
“No solids food?” Bader asked. “Ever?” Try as he might the man couldn’t imagine going through life without being able to enjoy the taste of a nice juicy steak or a glass of fine Ambrosia.
No solid foods of any kind. I’ve been working on trying different forms of nutrition for her, and she’s responded favorably to some, but for the most part she’s stuck drinking her meals through a straw. I need to find a balance between what her stomach can still process and what it rejects.”
“What about liquefied food?” Gyrona asked.
Majel shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way. It all comes down to what the stomach can do to break down the matter she puts into it. The more harder the stomach has to work the more the matter will be rejected. She just cannot produce enough acids for that. The neutrament is better for her, It has all the proteins and vitamins the human body needs without having to eat a normal meal.”
“Now wait a centon,” Bader said. “I’ve seen her drinking alcohol in the Officer’s Lounge before. How can she get away with that and not food?”
“She can have anything she wants to drink. That doesn’t seem to bother her stomach or its ability to process it since it’s in a liquid form. I really shouldn’t be telling you all this, but you two really seem to be out of the loop and for most of the crew this is common knowledge in the first place. I just don’t want you listening to the rumor mill and believing the nonsense you hear.”
“Like the one about us actually having an android for a commander?”
“Like that one,” Majel confirmed. “Please, if you hear anything promise me you’ll set these people straight. We don’t need that kind of feldercarb running rampant on this ship.”
The men nodded, but before anything more could be said they all turned to the door when a woman in pilot tans rushed in.
“If you’ll excuse me, seems I have to reassure someone the Commander’s not in danger.”
Majel called out to Azriel and drew her aside for a quick talk. The Major looked relieved and the doctor left her alone before the pilot went to the commander’s side.
“What’s with her?” Bader inquired softly.
“I’m not certain,” Gyrona replied “but I’ll bet my pay voucher they’re bonded in Butri Mia-Ka’a”
“Exqueeze me?”
It wounded ridiculous and Bader wondered if he had heard his friend correctly.
“A very old Sagittaran custom that dates back to the old days back on Kobol. Sword sisters who were the best of friends swore a soul oath binding them together.”
Gyrona scowled at the surprised look on Bader’s face.
“Not like that you simp. It’s like how you and I relate to each other – only better. Like the ancient tradition of blood brothers only this binds the souls of two women together in a deep complicated ritual that lasts, in theory anyway, long past death. Their souls literally become one.”
“Soul mates?” Bader said, trying to understand. “They couldn’t just cut their hands and mingle blood, huh?”
“That’s the Caprican custom.”
“Oh. I knew I’d heard it somewhere before.”
Gyrona inclined his head towards the pair who were now talking. Azriel looked happy once more. They acted more like sisters at that centon than Commanding officer and subordinate. It was said that they had been wing mates yahrens ago but the long and lasting friendship had begun at the Academy on Sagittara.
“Texts say that it’s a bond that can not be broken except by them. Even then it’s a hard one to break. It’s said that if the bond is broken, or if one dies, each goes through the rest of their lives soulless. If they are separated by death the survivor is treated with a reverence akin to widows the first yahren after their mate passes beyond the Veil.”
“What exactly does bootie me aka mean anyway?”
“I cannot believe you just said that. Your pronunciation is abysmal, pal.”
“It’s a gift.”
“The word Butari means “Ritual”. Mia means “my or mine” depending on how it is used in the context of a sentsnse. Ka’a… well you know what a Ka is, right?”
“That’s the ancient Kobol word for soul.”
“Give the Loot a mushie. He got one right. Come on. Let’s get out of here and meet everyone in the Club.”
As they headed to the door Bader couldn’t help but dig.
“Say, Gyro old pal… and I do mean OLD… where did you learn all this Sagittaran ritual stuff anyway?”
“I read a lot.”
“Really? You mean actual books? With paper and covers and everything?”
“Yes Bader, Real books. Unlike some people I fly with, I was actually taught to read and not lick the binding solvent from the book spines.”
“Oh, that’s reall witty. Har har har.”
☆★☆★☆
no subject
Borallus.
A known Cylon Stronghold. Phoenix would just have to spring her surprise on the tin plated Cylon Centurians there. Upon arrival the STAR KOBOL noted only one Cylon basestar in orbit. Surveillance showed one garrison on the planet, and the commander knew they’d have no trouble once the basestar had been distracted.
“Sentinal Squadron, launch when ready.”
Phoenix comed the mic. “Azrial, make a special effort to stay out of trouble.”
“But Commander, I’m always good.”
“I didn’t say be good. I said stay out of trouble.”
Phoenix sighed. Trouble. That had probably been Azriel’s real name at birth, but for the obvious reasons she had to have a more socially acceptable one.
Chief Engineer Mariah appeared on the bridge in her environmental shuit, the helmet tucked securely under her arm. She crossed to the unshielded viewport where Phoenix stood watching the two cargo ships disappear into the planet’s atmosphere.
“Decoy ship is deployed and running at full throttle. The basestar will catch up to it…” she checked the computer readout on her left wrist. The countdown continued. “… in another couple of centars. Seems they took two extra squadrons with her because I used and old military distress code they could break. Not easily mind you. Just hard enough to make it difficult for them and to lend some credibility to the signal. “
“Good thinking. What about the charges?”
“I disabled the govenoers on the engins since this is its last mission. It’ll give the Cylons a good run for their cubits in any case. Once the fuel runs out it’ll drift a while until the tin cans arrive. If they stick to procedures, they’ll take the shuttle onboard their ship and that’s when the decoy detonates. I packed that cargo hold chock full of the most powerful explosives I could find. Oh, and I used the guts of one of the smaller missals, too. That should produce one Hades of a display when it blows.”
“I doubt we’ll be able to see it from this distance.” Phoenix chewed on her lower lip in thought. “Maybe I’ll send three Vipers out after it. They can home in on the edge of the KOBOL scanners and then each others. That was we’ll know when or if they come back.”
The older woman nodded. “Good idea. I’m kinda curious myself. I estimate that we only have about twelve centars before they do come back if this doesn’t work out as planned.”
Phoenix turned. “Cerberus. You heard?”
The man nodded. That man’s hearing was phenomenal and Phoenix noted he was already relaying orders to the pilots on stand by.
“Good. Launch three Vipers, and keep watch. Call me if they come back too soon. I’ll be in my quarters.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
CHAPTER
The people of the village were friendly enough what with the Cylon Centurian standing watch in the middle of the square. Dressed in old nondescript clothes and posing as brothers from a ranch high up in the mountains on the other side of the planet, Gyrona and Bader soon learned the name and location of the abode of a rancher who had livestock for sale.
While his captain got the information, Bader let his gaze wander about the village. Human and humanoids mixed easily with the native tribes of the deserts. He saw a very young and attractive human female shopping basket in one hand, the hand of a child in the other. It seemed to Bader that the child had an unusually large amount of hair for its age and seemed to waddle as it walked as though it were not yet fully developed. When the woman released the child’s hand to pick out some fruit the child turned to look around. Bader ‘s eyes widened at the sight. The child wasn’t entirely human as he had thought. Instead, it seemed to be a cross between horror and mockery. A half breed. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and turned away as he felt Gyrona tug on his shirt sleeve.
“Come on,” the captain said. “We have to inspect the livestock.”
“Inspect? Who? Us?”
“Yes us. You. Me. The whole group. This IS a family effort you know. Then we have to heard them out to the ship.”
“How?” Bader asked, falling in step with his friend.
“Deneb’s buying us some cantors for us to ride. Phoenix figures they can be bred after we get them home. Come on. The man will be back with the cantors soon enough.”
They found corral number four easily enough since it was the largest one and had to be located just outside of town for the obvious reasons of smell, noise and sheer volume of contents. The owner was also easy to find.
“Lobeck’s the name,” he said, extending an hand. Gyrona took it and they shook in greeting.
The man was tall with a graying beard, silver streaked sandy hair and ice blue eyes that stood out against a complexion darkened ruddy and lined by the sun and exposure to the elements. Gyrona could imagine old well worn tanned boots might look like that after a lifetime of wear. His clothes were mostly clean and well worn, as a patch on one elbow of the embroidered white tunic could attest to.
“I understand you’re interested in buying my hoofers.”
“Hoofers?” Gyrona had never heard the word before.
“Yeah, hoofers,” the man affirmed, hooking a thiumb over his shoulder towards the pen of animals. “I can’t rightly call them bovine anymore. They’ve changed a lot due to cross-breeding and vaccinations. Had some little fellah era about fifteen or so yahrens ago come into town and talked with my father about breeding his animals with ours. Said it would make a whole new heard. Bigger, better, stronger. Leaner meat. That sort of thing. Darned if the little guy was right.”
“Is he still around? I’d like to talk to him.”
Lobeck took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips, relaxing some. “Naw. Little feller was annoculating one of the bulls and it got spooked. Trampled the little guy to death afore anyone could git to him. Come on, I’ll show ‘em to you.”
The man led the way around the corner to the pen. The sight that greeted the warriors was impressive. Gyrona had to look up to be able to look into the eyes of the massive beast as it lifted it’s shaggy head over the top rail of the pen. He surmised that if Bader sat on his shoulders the lieutenant might be able to see over the back of the animal.
Lobeck reached out to scratch the animal between the eyes affectionately. Not a kilo of fat on them either. Yes, sir. Thebest animals you’ll find in the whole system. They’re even updated on their shots.”
The rest of the team had located the pair and were even now murmuring exclimations of awe as they stepped up to the fencing to get a better look at the animals. Deneb arrived just then with four others each pulling a string of Cantors behind them. Gyrona noted this and turned back tot eh rancher.
“I’d like to seet he papers if you don’t mind.”
“Mind? Frack, boy. I’d be disappointed if you didn’t ask.” He produced a carefully folded packet of papers from his vest pocket and handed it to the Aquarian.
“Pendara’s disease? Isn’t that dangerous?” Gyrona asked.
“Yup. It is if you don’t vaccinate them. We had an outbreak here about five yahrens ago. I figured I’d just keep them current with their shots after that. Never know what’s going to try and get introduiced into your heard without your knowing it. Better safe than sorry. Since then they’be been given everything under the sun to keep them healthy. I guess that’s why they grew about a fot or so more in that time. Passing it on to the younguns you know.”
“These animals are healthier than you and me, Gyro.” Bader laughed.
“Yup. I ‘spect so. I ‘spect you’re looking for other animals as well since that wildfire you were talking about earlier savaged your ranch.”
Gyrona looked at the man. “How did you know about that?”
Lobeck grinned. “In a town this small word gets around. Especially if you go talking about it in a tavern. Drunks can’t keep their big mouths shut.”
“Lead on then,”
Lobeck smiled. The villagers thought his prices were a bit high, but the rancher was an honest business man and in need of selling his stock to someone a little more flush with cash. These newcomers were just the kind of buyers he was looking for. If these people from the other side of the planet were satisfied they might be back. If that was the case he might just consider striking a contract with them.
no subject
Captain Charlane hopped down from one of the sleds, stiff legged and a little sore. The seat was not designed for comfort and she felt ever rut and rock in the road through her spinal column. She groaned as she tried to stretch.
“Getting old, Mother,” her son Torm teased.
“You won’t be laughing when you get to be sixty eight, young man.”
“Oh, Mother, you’re not sixty eight.”
“Well I feel like it. How many herds did we locate?”
“Two elkland, one small pride of Isikas, which I don’t want to mess with, and one wild cantor.
“I really don’t think Phoenix will want the Isikas. They’re too dangerous. Besides, if she did we can always get them from Gemini. That leaves three herds so far. After Avenger gets here we can drive the animals into that box canyon at the base of the mountains there.” She inclined her head towards the hills on her left. “Gyrona said they were going to pick up cantors in th village.”
Someone called out “repast” and the group gathered around the third sled for the meal break.
Cavalier’s job was to locate wild animals for transport to Tanopia. Once there they’d be set free to roam their new homeland, to propagate and eventually be able to help sustain the colony without them having to leave the planet in the constant search for fresh supplies.
After repast, Charlane sent three Warriors to keep watch over the animals until time for the drive. They would send back word if any of the herds made a drastic move. The sleds were parked under the protection of a clutch or trees whose branches hung almost to the ground. After assigning watches, the rest of the crew settled in to wait for their fellow Warriors to arrive.
CHAPTER
Sentinal Squadron’s job was to purchase seed grain from many of the local farmers. As they approached the fourth farm of the morning, Azriel noticed that the silos looked as though they were brim full. She hoped that this farm’s crop was as good as the last two. She hadn’t liked the condition of the first one they had toured. The last farmer had given her directions of a relative of his who lived in an almost secluded area way off the beaten path. They would never have found it on their own that was for certain. Azriel’s story was that she and her brother, Allas, were farmers from a nearby planet whose crop had failed due to blight. They needed seed for a fresh start and they needed a lot of it, hence their search beyond their own planet.
That had been all well and good for the farmer and his family. While the grain was better than average, they had been pushed out of the selling market by a rival who had friends in the marketing building. Several farmers who had good crops were not happy with the co-op that wanted to pay them far less than the grain was worth. Rather than take what little money was offered, the farmers had refused to sell to the market house. Azriel’s family had come along at a fortuitous time.
“We’ll take both silos,” she told the farmer after inspecting the grain. ‘I’ve made a deal with your relatives just south of here to purchase their crops as well.”
The man, who spoke only a derivation of Noman in the first place nodded and shook the major’s hand with a little more enthusiasm than she was accustomed to. It felt as though he were going to pull her arm off at the shoulder, but she grinned despite it.
“He says thank you not only for himself but his family as well.” Flight Sergeant Phaton translated.
Azriel turned to the farmer. “We’ll be back later with our ship. Tell your relatives to be ready and watch for us.”
As they walked back to the freighter. Allas munched on a small handful of seeds.
“So far we’ve been lucky,” Azriel said, making conversation.
“How so”” Allas asked. “You mean that no one had recognized us for what we really are?”
“Exactly. Sure, we’re dressed like them, but anyone who looks closely enough can tell we don’t come from around here.”
“I thought that’s why we had a cover story. To explain ourselves.
“We’re just good actors,” Addis chuckled. Then he turned and gave Azriel a semi-dramatic bow. “And actresses, too.”
The rest of the small group played the part of neighboring farmers and hired hands.
“How long until the Cylons return>” Azriel asked.
Allas checked his chron. “About five and a half centars. Hey, after we finish here what do you say we do some shopping?”
“Shopping?” It was a ridiculous question and Azriel could not see the point. “What would we be shopping for?”
“Sure. We have enough money left over to buy a few more things. We’ll need farming equiopment, bolts of cloth, machines to make clothes with. Someone had asked about a loom and another had asked about spinning wheels. My grandmother used to take wool and she had these two metal brush things that she kept brushing them with until it made something fluffy that she could spin into yarn.” He shook his head. “It was painfully boring to watch, and I really wasn’t at all interested in learning to do it myself, but she eventually made some really nice things with it.”
He pointed a finger at her. “You can’t deny our people need these things, Major.”
“No, I can’t,” she said in all fairness. “But she didn’t say to get them either.”
“Look, the Commander’s got a lot of things on her mind right now. She can’t tink of every little detail, you know. That’s why she sent you and me. She knew either one of us would be able to think of something else that might be vital to the needs of our people.”
The woman sighed. “Alright. You made your point. I’ll take it into consideration while we load up.”
Well, at least it was better than a flat out no.
CHAPTER
“Sold to the ranchers from the Valley fo the Winds.” The auctioneer rapped his gavel on the podium. “See the cashier.”
Gyrona had purchased one thousand head of ewelands, one thousand and seventy five head of hoofers, and a thousand assorted fowel which clucked, honked, hissed and made other ridiculous noises. Some even looked like they had fur instead of feathers. For convenience, most of the birds were confined to cages for easier transport. The price the man ended up paying for the lot was a lot less than he had expected. Hades hole, they were a steal.
“Hey boss,” Bader said, stopping the captain “How are we goint to get these animals back to the ship? Won’t they run when they’re lose?”
“If they’re as docil as Lobek says they are we’ll have no problems. Let’s get going as soon as possible. We still have a wild animal round up to help out with.”
“I think we’re better off with the docile ones,” Bader muttered to no one in particular.
CHAPTER
With the grain safely on its way to the STAR KOBOL, Azriel left orders for her people to stay put and wait for the others to return, then took a cargo sled and went back to the village accompanied by Lieutenant Allas, Captain Addis and his wing mate Lieutenant Sparks. Not much was said on the trip for they pretty much knew what they were looking for.
They noted the centurion standing in the middle of the square, but passed it by without so much as a nod of acknowledgment. No one else in the village paid much attention to the machine and they would pretend to do the same.
“Addis, you and Sparks the wagons will be safe here and the others will be joining us soon. You two go and find the farming equipment we need. Allas and I will see about getting everything else.” She handed him a pouch of cubits and a piece of paper she had written on earlier. “Use it all if you have to, but make sure we get a bit of everything on that list. If something happens and we all don’t meet back here, then the others will return to the KOBOL with the supplies.”
“Will do,” He returned with a dazzling smile. ”Woo hoo! Sparky old girl, We’re going… shopping!”
Sparks just rolled her eyes and groaned.
“What? Why aren’t you getting excited? You women are supposed to like shopping,” he said good naturedly.
“You buy me a PGMP fourteen with a power pack with grav assist harness and then you’ll see some excitement.”
“That’s my girl!” the big black man laughed. “I wish they could have gotten those specs off the drawing board and into production before the colonies went to feldercarb.”
“You’re a swine,” she said.
“Oink!”
“Meet back here in a centar,” Azriel called back to them.
“You got it!”
Azriel watched the pair walk off and shook her head. Nothing ever seemed to depress that guy.
“I wonder what he smokes,” she mused aloud.
“Why,” Allas asked. “You want to pick up some fumaroles for him?”
“Oh Hades no, but it would explain why he’s always in such an insufferably good mood all the time. Makes me just want to shoot him to wipe that feldercarb eating grin off his face.”
Allas chuckled. “He’d probably give you those hurt, puppy Daggett eyes and start to cry.”
The major shivered noticeably. “I’d have to shoot him three times if he did that. All head shots.”
From under the cover of a tarp the woman drew their swords out. Allas stopped and gave her a worried look. “Cher’, are you expecting trouble?”
“I always expect trouble when things run this smoothly,” the woman returned.
Ys the swords would be out of place, but they wouldn’t attract as much attention as a blaster. People had already seen Addis wandering around town with that Cylon great sword on his back so there was the chance that they would be given a cursery look before being ignored. Azriel was surprised that the guard Cylon in the middle of the square hadn’t taken an interest in the Scorpion’s war trophy. It just gave the man a look then went back to its guard duty.
CHAPTER
It was growing dark when Addis and Sparks returned to the wagon and began loading the last of the supplies they had bought. After another fifteen centons Addis checked his chron. The others had come back to the meeting place, but Azriel and Allas were nowhere to be seen even though there was evidence they had been here by the piles of textiles and other things were present. The Captain sent the others back to the KOBOL and stayed with the last wagon to wait for the pair of tardy Warriors.
As he stood next to the equine petting it’s velvety nose he pondered the pair. Azriel was a stable enough sort and no nonsense while on the job, but the lieutenant, who he had a mild disliking for, was the wild card in the Pyramid deck. Totally irresponsible and self absorbed, it served to remind Addis that while he walked that fine line between hot shot playboy Viper jocky, the lieutenant not only crossed that line frequently, he enjoyed dancing with the devil on many an occasion.
If he ever makes it past second looey, Addis thought to himself, I’ll be shocked and amazed.
A hand on his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts.
“Hey, they’re almost a half centar late, old boy. Shouldn’t we go look for them?”
“Give them a few more centons. Then we’ll have to get this stuff back to the ships.”
“And then…”
The big black man breathed deeply and sighed.
“Scout things out. See what we can find.”
Sparks nodded and went to make sure the cargo was secured once more. Everything was going so well, too. She was hoping to make it back in time for third meal. Now it was beginning to look like that poor excuse for a second meal would have to hold her for a while longer.
no subject
Inside a man and a woman stood back to back with swords in their hands. “I wish just for once you’d forget about women,” Azriel told her companion. “There is a time and place for everything and this is NOT it!”
“How was I to know she was the inkeeper’s daughter?” A man with the broken leg of a chair took a swing at him and he parried with the sword. “She wasn’t wearing a sign around her neck you know. Besides, the fat one at the end of the bar was his daughter.”
“Two brothers own this bar, you twit. They each have a daughter!”
“Now you tell me.”
“You’re an idiot!
“Try telling these good people who we are again.”
“It didn’t; work five centons ago and I don’t think it will work now.”
A man lunged at Azriel and she countered by catching him in the midsection of his torso with her boot and kicking him back towards his friends. The group stumble and fell against a table, but retained their footing. Another man took a swing at hjer with a broken bottle, it’s jagged edges glinting with reflected light. She parried, but he pulled back at the last micron with a grin.
It had been a setup, she realized as her sword arm swung around over the man’s head and cut nothing but air. The momentum of her motion brought her around to see the taven owner she had been talking with earlier holding the long handle of a broom in his hands. The end of that same broom quickly made contact with her left temple as she turned. Helpless to avoid the connection her head exploded and stars filled her vision. She staggered, and tried to swing again. Her vision came back just as a pair of legs wrapped around her waist and strong hands grabbed at her sword arm. The legs were clearly female and undoubtedly belonged to the heavy set wench at the end of the bar.
The OTHER daughter.
“You’;re not my type!” Azriel yelled, trying to extract herself from the woman’s grasp as nearby villagers rushed her.
Without protection at his back, Allas fell under the weight of a half dozen men, one of which was the first daughter’s father.
“Take them to the jailer,” the man cried out to the crowd.
A fist to the jaw took care of the blonde and her captor unlocked her legs from around the slender Tauron, smiling with satisfaction as the unconscious woman slid to the dirty floor.
At the rendezvou site, Addis had waited long enough. They had to get the supplies back to the ship. Only then could they return to look for their fellow Warriors. With reluctance, Addis turned the team of equines to the road leading out of town. When they arrived at the loading site, they had to tell Major Hera the news.
“Captain, “Major Hera said. “I’m sire the Major and the Lieutenant are fine. There’s no need to worry. They’ll find their way back.”
“Begging the Major’s pardon. But we only have three centars until the Cylons return. We need to find them. Now.”
“If it’ll make you feel better you and Sparks can return to town to look for them after you unload your wagon.”
“It’s not a matter of feeling better, Major. If we return to the Star Kobol without the pair the Commander will only send us back again anyway. I’d rather not make too many unnecessary trips. It only uses up fuel and takes up time.”
Hera chuckled. “You men are so lazy.”
“Love you, too, Major,” Addis returned, pointing a finger at her.
He turned and he joined Sparks in unloading the wagon. He knew the Major was just joking, but what really got him was he had no way of fighting back against her without getting burned. Hera thrived on friendly retribution and, while he never did wory about getting into trouble, her last pay back had been unusually embarrassing.
CHAPTER
The cell was damp and poorly illuminated and she could not tell how big it was at first glance. They had literally been thrown inside before the heavy wood and iron door was shut behind them. Clumps of old mildew straw was the only soft part of the entire stone floor. The straw even smelled wet, but not wholly from water. The key turned n the lock and voices retreated in the distance.
The stench roused the blonde and she sneezed. As she tried to rise she felt a heavy weight on her back.
“Get off of me,” she growled, voice somewhat muffled by a mouth full of straw.
She tried to move in an effort to dislodge the dead weight draped over her.
It groaned.
“Allas?”
More groaning.
“Allas!”
This time she was able to free an arm and she struck backwards with her elbow until she connected with the lump. It groaned even more.
“… frack!”
“Will you kindly get off my back.”
“wha???”
The lump rolled away and she was able to finally roll herself over. The lump was sitting upright and rubbing his head.
“They didn’t have to push so hard,” he grumbled. “I hope Addis thinks to come looking for us.”
“Not a chance. Well, not now anyway. I gave him orders to get back to the shuttles if we were separated,” Azriel said, brushing he straw from her hair.
“Great Mother Goddess, what do we do now?”
A low braaap answered him
“You say something, Allas?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing, Cher’.”
The wound was repeated and the two groped around in the shadows until they found the source.
“I think it’s still alive…. Whatever it is anyway,” Allas said. He found what appeared to be an arm and his fingers made their way to the end, which diverted into four long and thin protuberances. Fingers perhaps. He felt for a pulse in the thin. Limp wrist.
“I can’t find a heartbeat.”
“Let me try.”
Azriel frowned but the expression was lost in the gloom. There was something familiar about their cellmate’s cold. Cold clammy skin that tickled the back of her memory. Something she remembered from a class at the Academy. From what she could tell their cellmate was…
“A Debarian?” she whispered.
Feeling around she found the shoulder, then the torso of the creature. It had no neck to speak of but the bulbous head was broad and contained the correct amount of eyes which she tried to avoid as the lids closed beneath the palms of her hands. It had little to no nose to speak of, but the mouth was wide and had no lips. Oddly shaped, it stretched from one side of the face to the other. It made another soft braap acknowledging her touch. Almost like a weak purr or a trill.
“Can’t be. The Cylons wiped them out yahrens ago.” Allas shook his head. “If it is Debarian, what’s he doing out here?”
“I have no idea, but from what I remember about their race they die if kept out of the water too long. I’d say it’s been days since this poor creature’s had any water at all.”
“I can fix that.”
Allas went to the door and started pounding on it and yelling for attention. Eventually a face appeared in the tiny window cut into the wood.
“What’s your problem,” the man growled. By the tone of his voice it was obvious that he’d been asleep.
“We need water in here”
“Prisoners get water once a day and today’s not your day.”
“Our cellmate’s dying and it’s obvious he hasn’t had water in days.”
“What do I care about some stupid lizard?”
“Talking about stupid…” Allas began, but he flinched away from the door when the guard took a swipe at him with a metal tankard which clattered against the iron bars of the window.
“SHADDUP!”
The man had obviously been drinking as well as sleeping on post.
It’s not a lizard, it’s an amphibian!” Azriel called out from the darkness.
The man stared at Allas who had come back to the door.
“Amphibian… lizard… what’s the difference? Same thing if you ask me.”
“You going to get us that water or not?” Allas asked.
“NO! You get your water tomorrow,” the man said turning away. “If I think about it that is.”
Azriel joined the lieutenant at the cell door.
“If you don’t get us that water I’ll scream so long and loud SOMEONE will have to come and investigate what’s going on, especially when I start screaming that you’re raping me!
Damned stupid woman had him there. The one thing he didn’t need messing up his drinking time was some noisy slut making trouble for him with the head jailer. The village elders wouldn’t look on it so kindly either even if it was a prisoner making all of the racket.
“ok, ok. I’ll get you your water if it will make you shut the frack up!”
He went away grumbling to himself but returned a couple of centons later carrying a bucket which sloshed water over the rim when he walked. Keys jingled.
“Get away from the door.”
They complied and the locking mechanism clicked. The door opened only wide enough to allow the bright light to spill in. Allas and Azriel shielded their eyes from the glare and when the darkness returned they were blinded again. The door slammed shut and locked once more.
Allas remember the sound of a bucket being pushed across the stone floor and felt around. The heavy container of water was there.
The guard shambled off, grumbling some more.
no subject
Either one of her two suspects, though, could have easily set that cargo sled into motion and both had a dangerous knowledge as to how to set up that crossbow to fire when she tripped an invisible beam or wire set across the corridor in the Engineering section. They would have had to follow her and have a few centons alone undisturbed before she passed that way again. Come to think about it, even access to her things in the ships gymnasium was not difficult to obtain since there were so many people there in the first place. Any one of them could have poured a vile of the drug onto the towels in her Jacuzzi cubicle while she wasn’t looking. Either one of them could have done it themselves when no one was around or even could have hired someone to do the job for them. Everyone had a price and most would do most anything for money. She had discovered that early on in The Firm. The only ting that puzzled her was the motivation for either one of them wanting her dead.
To he knowledge she had never met Oracle before the Betrayal and she also had to her knowledge never done him any grief. Many were the times she would trust him with her life by following his orders to the best of her ability and he had never given her any reason to mistrust him. The thought that she was inadvertently working on something he didn’t want her involved in had crossed her mind. The last mission of any importance, however, had been over a yahren ago.
Then there was ‘Stoph. He was the best friend she could have ever had in all her yahrens with the Firm. Frack! He was more than just her friend. He was her training officer, her partner, her confidant, and sometimes lover. She hated to admit it, but they had become even closer than she and Azriel could ever be. She had teamed up with him several times after retiring from the Firm and accepting the Captaincy of Sentinel Squadron aboard the Star Kobol. Sure, they had argued at times, but because of what they had been through they never held a grudge against each other for very long. He wouldn’t hold a grudge against her. It wasn’t professional. And he was nothing if not a professional. Even when his mother was one of the unfortunate victims involving their first mission together, he never held that against Phoenix. That one incident alone should have done been the turning point for him, but he didn’t allow it to lead him down that dark path everyone talked about regarding jaded and more experienced agents.
Still, he was the most logical choice if for no other reason than that one defining centon in their history. He had every chance to do so.
She shook her head and dismissed the thought as Dr. Majel’s nurse, Haetar, tied up her arm in preparation to draw some blood. =The Commander had been summoned by the Chief medical officer herself and faced with her own orders, Phoenix was forced to comply. After all if she had ordered her crew to donate blood, then it would show poor leadership ability and it would be downright hypocritical of her to refuse.
“I see the old vampire’s not doing the blood sucking herself today, huh?”
The man smiled looked up from what he was going and gave the woman a big, sweet smile. “Afraid not, Commander. She said you’d cooperate more willingly if I attended you.”
“She’s right, you know,” Phoenix chuckled.
For a centon Phoenix allowed herself to admire the handsome nurse. His ling black hair was tied back and wrapped in a leather sheath to keep it out of his face while he worked. His brown eyes smiled even when he didn’t. His skin was sun bronzed and the small, closely cropped beard on the chin extended up into his moustache. The rest of his face was smooth.
“She usually is,” he agreed, inserting the needle into her skin.
He frowned, trying unsuccessfully to tap into the vein. Phoenix watched his effort before the pain got forced her to speak.
“That’s beginning to hurt, Nurse.”
Haetar removed the needle and proceeded to the other arm. After a few more centons of being unable to accomplish his job he withdrew the needle and gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be right beck. Don’t go anywhere.”
“What’s wrong?”
He gave her his best bed side manor smile. “Oh nothing serious. I’m apparently having an off day today.”
It wasn’t the first time they had drawn blood from her, but this time was different and it concerned her.
A centon later he returned with the doctor.
“Even when you cooperate you still give me trouble, Commander,” she admonished. After a centon, she was finally successful. Turning to her assistant she said “I want a full blood work scan on her. Boot up that machine we picked up on Tanopia and hook her up.”
It took about five centons to put together the machine and get it in working order in which time Phoenix was instructed to go behind the curtain to undress and put on a hospital gown. When things were ready she was instructed to lay down on a bed and remain still. It seemed like nothing was happening at all, but she heard Majel and Haetar talking quietly between them. When boredom finally set in Phoenix spoke.
“Can we please get on with this? I have work to do.”
“Oh we’ve been done for a while already,” Majel replied. “You can go ahead and get dressed now.”
Relieved and yet a little miffed that they had forgotten her, the woman got off the table and disappeared behind the curtain. When she emerged she found the two still staring at the computer readout, chatting and pointing things out to the other. On the large disaplay screen was the figure of a human female, herself according to the name in the upper left hand corner of the screen.
Lights blinked at intervals along what appeared to be a circulatory rout while below the image glyphs in the same language as they had found on the planet flashed. On the table in front fo them a Colonial monitor was hooked up with what appeared to be a translating program. Even in Colonial Standard, medical terms still looked lian an alien language.
“So what’s the verdict, doctor? Will the patient live?”
“Oh don’t be rediculous. Of course you’ll live. You’ll probably outlive us all.” She turned a dial and part of the image enhanced a thousand fold in a micron. “I had no idea that there were any pure blood Sagitarans still around. Well, at least on this ship.”
“Where did you find one?” Phoenix asked.
“You. As I already knew, your veins are too small and too close to the bone for me to take anything but blood samples. You sure you’re not related to royalty?”
“We both know I’m no aristocrat. I don’t have a pompous bone in my body and I’m certainly not royalty…. Unless you want to count the astrobes kicking I can dish out in a fight with the Cylons or even in a bar room brawl.”
“Well, someone in your family was descended from the first rules of our tribe back on Kobol.”
The statement gave Phoeinx reason to laugh with amusement.
“Most EVERYONE wsa descended from the first rules of our tribe. Incest seemed to be a world wide past time back on Kobol in the old days.” She paused then added with a wink at Haetar. “When they weren;t out raping, killing, plundering and burning enemy tribes that is.”
“Oh please,” the graying woman said with disgust.
“Just being truthful,” Phoenix said with a shrug as she pulled her uniform tunic on over the sleeveless undershirt. Haetar pulled himself away from the display and picked up the commander’s sword belt from a nearby chair as she closed the tunic at the neck and fastened the uniform belt about her waist. She looked down at HAetar;s hands as he fastened the weapons belt about her waist and began strapping the gun holster to right thigh.
“Attentive, isn’t he?”
Majel gave a casual glance over her shoulder then nodded and turned her attention back to the computer screen. “Always has been. I think he has ulterior motives.”
The man said nothing but smiled and shook his head.
CHAPTER
Out in the corridor, Jartan, Chief of Security waited with two of his officers: Lieutenants Randor and Mandor.
Jartan had his back to the Life Center door and did not see his commanding officer approach form behind.
“In light of the cargo sled incident Colonel Chiron wants two guards to escort the commander at all times,” he told them. The nodded, staring wide eyed past him. He turned to see the red head glaring at him.
“Since when does the ships executive officer issue orders to the ships commander?”
Jartan held his hands up in defense. “I’m only following orders, Commander. The Colonel said he’d like to see you when you had the time.”
Fuming, Phoenix turned and began walking away. “Oh he did, did he? Well, you can tell the Colonel that if he wants to see me so bloody bad then he can drag his pompus astrobes down to my office and see me there!”
The nerve of that man! How dare he issue orders where she was concerned. The…
She stopped, thoughts suddenly crashing together and turned to head back to the men. “On second thought, I WILL go see him after all. Let’s not keep him waiting, boys.”
Jartan stepped out of the way as the commander stalked past him and headed in the direction of the executive officer’s quarters. The twins hurried to catch up.
The Piscerian chief of security ran a hand through his black hair and watched the three disappear around the corner.
He had no love for the ships second in command who he saw as an interloper, a person using his influence with the Colonial Admiral to slide into a positin of rank and command second only to the ships commander. It was rumored the man had once been a Colonial warrior, but had gone on to other things after mustering out with the tender rank of only First Lieutenant. In Jartan’s assessment the man didn’t have enough experience to slop chow in the mess hall much less serve in a position of authority on the mighty warship. Rumor also had it that Phoenix was none too happy with the way Chiron was forced on her as well.
His thought were inpertupted as his com beeped to life and demanded his attention. Noting the text, he headed off deeper ingot the ship to tend to the problem at hand,
no subject
Chiron slapped the writing instrument down on his desk with enough force to send the stylus skittering off the surface to disappear into the shadows on the floor as he stood st address his superior officer.
“Where do you get off keeping an incident of this importance from me? If you’d have told me about the cargo sled in the first place I could have had body guards assigned to you and this incident in Engineering would never have happened along with the the allergen toxin poisoning as well. I could have had this maniac in custody if only you had said ANYTHING to me about it, but no. You have to take matters into your own hand and ignore everything The Firm taught you. Damn it, Phoenix. We were partners. I was your training officer. I thought I’d at least trained you to be a little more paranoid than this. You’re making rookie mistakes now. This military like you love so well has made you soft. You don’t take care anymore to even secure your personal logs properly. What happens to you is my concern, both professionally and personally. DO you know how much it hurts me to think you don’t trust me anymore?”
“About as much as it hurts me to think you could be plotting my murder,” she returned with a an angry hiss.
“Me? Not a chance!”
“There are only two people who know who Ogre is, Oracle and Mephistopheles, and to my knowledge only one had any reason what so ever to want me dead.”
“Why? What have I against you… other than the fact that you’re an ungrateful and spoiled agent who I shouldn’t have coddled as much as I did during her training.”
“Antaros Four.” She paused to let it sink in. “Your mother was there when we were ordered to sterilize the planet,” she finished flatly.
Chiron looked as though all the wind had been taken out of his perverbial sails. His shoulders slumped and he averted his eyes to the desk top as the horrifying images of death and suffering of the dead and near dead came back to haunt him once more. He was in shock, watching as his own mother’s life ebbed away with the rapid progression of the plague that had swept the planet. Hundreds of colonists had dies in the first few days, terrified and crying in pain as they watched their own flesh literally melt from their bones. His mother was a geneticist working on a way to restore forgotten memories through DNA resequencing of the brain. Unbeknownst to anyone else, a darker study was being investiogated in the lower levels of the building that held her laboratory. This lab delt with genetics weaponization to combat the Cylons on their own DNA levels. Something had gone wrong and the plague had gotten into the city’s water supply, then traveled into the planets eco system. By the end of the secton millions had died and the others were dying.
It had been his and his new partner’s job to put the people out of their misery and make sure the disease didn’t spread to the colonies themselves.
Their first act was to shut down the starport and get a list of all ships leaving planet that could be carriers of the deadly disease. Most of the ships had been recalled. The others were huinted down byu the military and destroyed. One supply ship just ten days out from the colonies was the first to note the disease. When contacted and told the origin and details of the malady that had already started to affect his crew, the ship’s captain chose to self destruct rather than spread the disease any further. The precious medicines in it’s cargo hold would never reach it’s destination. The Aquarians were better off without them anyway.
Thinking back on it over time, he was ashamed that he had not been able to bring himself to complete his mission and bring about the merciful euthanasia. Instead the messy and heartless job fell to his rookie partner. It had been her first mission and probably the most defining one of her career.
Slowly, Chiron resumed his seat.
“I never blamed you for that. They were already dead and they knew it. Every single one of them. The only one who couldn’t see it was me. I compromised our mission. I wasn’t strong enough to end their suffering when it came down to seeing my own mother put to rest. By my inaction I was condemning her to a fate worse than death. You were the only one strong enough to do the impossible.” He looked her in the eye and shook his head slowly. “I never blamed you for any of that. I was the one to blame.”
“I hope you understand now why I can’t allow myself the luxury of trusting you. Not at this time anyway,” the commander said. “You are one of two suspects and the only one of those who would have any motive at all against me. I’m sorry.”
She started for the door, but turned when he ssaid her name.
“I have a confession to make. Something I never told you before. I hated you. At first. I hated you for having the strength to do what I was supposed to have done and not had the guits to do myself. I thought I was going soft with age. Frack! I was a highly trained agent with a list of successful missions almost as long as my arm. It was a blow to my ego to sit there in a puddle if grief and watch as my rookie, my TRAINEE, carried out MY mission. MY assignment. You were only along for the ride. You killed a whole fracking world and you were only sectons into your probationary period. Hades, you weren’t even supposed to be there. I was told to leave you at home, but I didn’t see the point. After all you didn’t become a Colonial Secret Service agent by sitting at home doing as you were told having the Powers That Be dictate which assignments were too spooky for you to go on like some child at an Autumnal Equinox Festival. DO you know what I told them later? “Throw her into the deep end. She’ll either sink or swim.” That’s how I was trained. I figured it would be good enough for you, too. After that first mission I didn’t have the heart to expose you to any more like that.”
“So that’s why the distance between us,” she said, finally realizing she was not imagining him pulling away from her like that. “I thought I’d done something wrong and that you were never going to forgive me for it. I always thought I should have tried to find a way to save them.”
“No, there was nothing that could have been done for them. I felt washed up. I hated you because I didn’t think you cared about those people. About what you were doing. I you deserved your code name. I felt like my job and my position were being threatened. After a few nights on the transport home I heard you crying in your quarters and I came to realize that you hurt just as bad as I did. Even more so because of your age and your background. I was blind for a time.”
Phoenix nodded and took a seat before the desk. Chiron had put his face in his hands as if trying to keep the visions at bay.
“I admired you, you know.”
He looked up, surprise written on his face.
“Oh yes,” she continued. “You were this well trained, greatly lauded super agent who led the glamorous life, mingled with the crem de la crem of the colonies, had adventured and did what it took to keep the civilian populace safe and complacent in their ignorance of the darkness of our little section of the universe. It was like being a Colonial Warrior, only more covert, and with better food.”
Chiron couldn’t help but find amusement in the last part.
“Other agents knew you and generally liked you. You were a celebrity in Firm circles. You’d seen it all and done it all, along with none too few willing females as well. I was dazzled for a time, but Antillas changed that. I saw a different side of you. A vulnerable side that never could be put back in its cage once it had tasted freedom. You….” She paused searching for the appropriate word.
“You changed. It wasn’t just about your mother, either. Merciful euthanasia for an individual is one thing, but to kill on such a massive scale… men, women, children. One whole planet set ablaze with a cleansing plasma fire like that…” she shook her head slowly. “I think I saw a little crack in your loyalty to the Firm then. Just a tiny, hairline fracture that was probably not evident to anyone else, but it was there. The only reason I COULD carry out that mission was because I kept saying to myself what you had said, they were already dead, they just don’t know it yet. Someone had to finish the mission and there was no one else to do it but me. You were incapacitated and time was running out.”
She paused and looked at him.
“They gave me another code name you know. I wasn’t originally called Ogre.”
“What DID they code you?”
“Prim Rose”
“Huh?”
“You heard me and no I’m not repeating it.”
“I don’t blame you. That’s a stupid code name. What were they smoking?”
“I have no idea, but after that mission I sent a rejection letter through appropriate channels and had it officially changed to Ogre.”
“Chiron sat back in his chair. “You can’t do that. They’d reject it just because you don’t have authorization.”
“Ahhh. But Commandant Estrella does.”
“You didn’t!”
“I did!”
Chiron chuckled. “You forged Estrella’s name to official documents? And it worked?”
“Yup.”
“I wish getting my expense vouchers approved was that easy.”
Phoenix sighed. It was apparent now that Chiron was not the one who had been making attempts on her life. But if it wasn’t him or Thorbin, then who was it? Replaying their conversationin her head one thing stood out.
“Chiron? I remember the attempt on my life with the sled and I remember the painful one with the crossbow in engineering, but what is this about poisoning? I wasn;t poisoned.”
“Oh yes you were,” he said, pulling a file from the top right hand drawer of his desk and handing it to her. “Remember you were in the gym the other day and you collaped in that access corridor just as the Cylons attacked us?”
“Yes,” well I did some investigating along the idea that there was someone trying to kill you and I retraced your every move. I had to have Azriel’s help in determining al the details, but I discovered something interesting. Remember those towels, the ones you wer drying yourself off with. The ones that Azriel blame you for getting wet?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t get those wet. They were already damp before you got to them. Someone had sprinkled them with an allergen toxin that, when absorbed throught he skin, caused you to stop breathing as though you were having an allergic reaction. The only reason it acted so slowly was you were sweating from running during the alert so that your body was expelling moisture as fast as the poison was trying to get into your system. When you slowed down you stopped sweating.”
“I wiped myself down with the towels… and then buried my face in them when Azriel made her surprise visit to the guys in the next cubical tub to borrow dry towels from them.”
“What was so funny about that?”
“She was naked as the day she was born, but with better looking equipment.”
Chiron burst out laughing. “I wish I could have seen that.”
“Oh just talk to Charva. He got an eye full. I hear a couple of cadets had heart failure though.”
Phoenix rose from her chair and once more strode to the door. “I’m glad we could get this cleared up. I really hated the thought of having to kill you for making an attempt on my life.”
“What, no trial for premeditated murder?”
“Nope. Because of our frieindship I thought I’d spare you the indignity of a trial and justy gut you myself.”
“That’s mighty thoughtful of you.”
“What are friends for?”
The door closed behind her and Chiron was left to consider the fate of the poor unfortunate person who was really responsible for the attacks on that woman’s life.
The Lords of Kobol protect them because the Ogre wouldn’t be so merciful.
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“Please don’t misunderstand what I am about to say,” Azriel began “but isn’t your race suppose to be dead?”
“Indeed, killing us the Cylon’s intention it was. Placed into hibernation vessels some of us were. To lead them I was. Youngest member of royalty, my job for my people to find home it is. Here I come to seek one skilled in healing. With illness my people are. New to our planet Kaarin we are. No thought to the illness in the air and water we gave. Damaged was our scanning devices. Newly dyeing my people are.”
The Debrani sounded quite educated in Colonial Standard and as the language was difficult for them, conversations normally took place with the aid if a language translator. It was impossible for humans to learn to speak the Debrani language, though there were scholars who still tried.
“I’m sure Commander Phoenix will agree to help your people,” Azriel told the amphibian. “She’s a good woman.”
“Knowledge of this PhoenixCommander I have not. Of what ship of war is she?”
“The Battlestar Star Kobol.”
“Of this ship I know. Nobel it is. Not much favored by your Council Why?’
Azriel had to laugh. “Because eit is the flagship of Sagittara. The narrow minded views of rhe Council don’t give much credit to a ship run and populated mainly by women. They think we can’t do as well as the men because we are female.”
“What reason so many females for to make war?”
Allas jumped in at this point. “What can you do when one out ever four children is born male?”
“Ahh. Understand I do. With my people long ago was same. Changed us ee vo lushion it did. Now sire as many one as the other.”
Most words were easy for the alien, but some he had to sound out. They sat in silence while the creature continued to bathe it’s skin. Then Azriel asked “How do you pronounce your name?”
“In your tongue no speech it has, But try I will.”
The burps and brapps, chirps and squeeks made no sense what so ever to the humans which caused Azriel to frown and shake her head in the darkness.
“I can see what you mean about not being able to pronounce it. Do you mind if we just call you Harkin?”
It probably was as close to a word as she could make out in the first place.
“Easy for you it is I mind not, AzrielMajor.”
“Ah, Major,” Allas asked. “How are we going to get out of here? There’s only one door with a very small window at that. And no other opening. Our guard outside may be a bit… unlearned shall we say, but I doubt he’d gullible enough to fall for any tricks.”
“I’ve been giving that some thought about that,” the woman said.
“And?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” was her only reply.
CHAPTER
Addis and Gyrona were surprised at the arrival of not only the two security officers known as Randor and Mandor, but of Commander Phoenix herself. The dark civilian clothing she wore only enhanced the dark mood surrounding her. She was not happy in the least that there was a glitch in her plan and she knew without a doubt the cause fo that glitch. Something was going to have to be done soon. The commander put it on her mental TO DO list while Addis explained the situation.
He and gyrona had gone back into totwn where they learned that two strangers, a m,an and woman, had been thrown into jail following an altercation at the local tavern. The two warriors had scouted the jail for any possible entrances, but the only one they found was the front door. There were many windows around the building, but these were secured with metal bars. There was always a=one guard outside the front door and one at the desk just inside the door.
The equine ride back to town was a quiet one. Neither of the carried on a conversation between themselves or with the security officers much less with their commanding officer. So both of them lost themselves in deep, dark thoughts. The main one being that the Cylon ship would return any time now and they needed to be anywhere but planetside.
Leaving their equines just on the edge of town, the five stalked the jail. It was exactly as Addis and Gyrona had described. Both Captains expressed concern about the most efficient method for gaining entrance through the front door to which their the redhead told them to just stay put and wait for her signal. Both men knew what she was gong to do as she slunk quietly off into the shadows.
Or so they thought.
After a centon the men saw the guard turn for the door as if he had heard something off to his left. Then he left and moved to search the darkened area. He was searching the bushes, poking and prodding with his rifle to no avail. He was taken quite by surprise when a shadow dropped down on top of him from the tree above and dragged him out of sight.
The men waited in silence.
The brief struggle didn’t seem to have attracted the attention of the guard inside the doorway who was sitting with his feet up on the desk, reading a genuine paper book.
Maybe he’s just looking at the pictures, Addis mused to himself.
In the blink of an eye the shadow burst from the underbrush and darted for the open door and around the desk. The guard inside didn’t have a chance to raise the alarm. Then Phoenix was at the door waving them inside.
The men caught only a glimpse of the guard slumped forward over the desk as the Commander ushered them through another door.
The common room, furnished like a dining hall, was empty. The twins went to work to build a barrier across the far doorway with the heavy wooden tables while Phoenix went to another door in the far corner of the room. This was made of iron bars and apparently locked, for Phoenix searched the ring in her hand for the correct key.
When asked how she figured the cells were one level below Phoenix replied “The size of the bilding is too small for cells as well as barracks so it makes sense that they would make dungeons where it was more difficult for the prisoners to get out.”
The twins remained top side while the others went through the now opened barred doorway and down the steps to the level below.
A door less entrance much like the one in the common room opened into a corridor at the bottom of the stairs. Torches illuminated the corridors and most of the cells were empty making the search for their comrades easier.
The sound of snoring led them to a cell outside of which a guard sat sound asleep in his chair which was propped back to lean against the wall. With vicious smile on his lips. Addis kicked the chair right out from under the relaxed guard. Startled and coming fully awake, the man struggled to his feet only to meet the palm of Gyrona’s hand rushing at his face before blackness overtook him on in blow. Gyrona checked the man’s pulse and was satisfied that he was still alive.
He’ll have one grandiose headache when he wakes up that’s for sure, Gyrona thought to himself.
The black Scorpion was already unlocking the cell door and Phoenix was right behind him.
“Thank the Lords,” Azriel’s voice exclaimed softly from the shadows. “Have we got a surprise for… “
“No time for that. Let’s get out of here before someone sounds the alert. We don’t need what’s left of the Cylon garrison coming down on top of us when we’re so close to getting off this planet,” Phoenix interrupted.
Their escape wasn’t all that easy. Some guard suffering from insomnia had apparently decided to prowl the building and had found the door to their barracks blocked. Being no fool, the man went back to gather his comrades and were, even as the Warriors emerged from the level below, making a charge on the barricaded door with a fierce madness.
Addis and Gyrona drew their weapons preparing to lay down cover fire, giving the others a chance to escape once the guards broke through the door.
Azriela paused to retrieve their weapons from the peg on the wall behind the guard desk while Allas helped their alien cellmate out the door following security. The two pilots brought up the rear.
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One day later
“Grateful my people be for your assistance, PhoenixCOmmander,” the Debari said, shaking her hand. He was rather fond of the curious human custom as it hgave him the chance to satisfy his curiosity to touch a human being without being rude. He delighted in the fact that the woman’s skin was almost as smoothe as his own, but the brown speckles fascinted him. She was the onely one of the whole group that had them and he could only speculate as to this meaning. Perhaps one day if they ever met again he‘d ask.
“Prince only am I, but alliance with friend humans I decree. Much have we to offer the other. Say yes?”
“The Council of the Twelve will be glad to hear your offer aof an alliance. I’m sure we can give your people whatever help you need.”
“Good is this news. Your Council when we may expect?”
“I’ll inform them upon our return,’ the Commander promised. She looked around at the faces of Colonel Chiron, Security Captain Jartan, her bodyguards and the squadron commanders. “My personal shuttle will take you down to your planet and Major Azriel and Sentinel Squadron will provide escort to Karrin.”
“Healers… stay they will?”
The red haired woman nodded. “They will administer the medicine to your people and we will come back with more soon.
With the meeting at an end, Phoenix stayed behind, looking out the viewport as the others left the conference chambers. The quietness bit into her and she finally retreated to the sanctuary of her own quarters.
She was permitted entrance only after a thorough search had been conducted by Captain Jartan as to the safety of the premises. Once again the two brothers stationed themselves outside the door. A schedule had been arranged between the two where they would take turns sleeping while the other kept watch.
Understandably the attempts on her life had bothered her but not as much as they had previously. Since confronting Chiron she had been left alone.
In light o the recent attempts on her life Phoenix found it hard to work up the ambition to finish her paperwork. She paced her quarters for a few centons, but even that only served to make her more agitated. Crossing to her desk she picked up a file and started reading, but her mind would not focus. She almost threw the file down in frustration, then realized that getting angry would do no good. File still in hand, she sighed and went to the bedroom to change her clothes hoping that the simple act of shedding her uniform and the responsibilities it signified would calm her like water fowl sheds rain off its feathered back. The file was discarded on the chair near the door along with her uniform robe and tunic. Frack it all! She was not in the mood to hang the damned thing up and decided that one night of being a lazy slob would be good for her. No one in their right mind was going to make a snap inspection of the commander’s quarters anyway. She would consider this one little act of rebelling against military norm a treat. Tomorrow she’d throw the damned thing into the ‘fresher for cleaning.
The ambition to finish her paperwork slowly came back to her as she slid her feet into a pair of soft, plush slippers that made her feet feel as though she were walking on a cloud. Yes, getting comfortable seemed to do the trick and she felt the tension in the muscles of her shoulders release little by little.
Shaking out her hair with both hands she returned to the main room and activated the computer, decided not to dwell on the attempts on her life any longer. She would find out soon enough who was trying to kill her and then she’d learn the reason why. As the computer warmed up she searched the folders on her desk.
“Now what did I do with the expense report?” she said aloud. “I just had the fracking thing in my hand! I am not that…”
She stopped as realization hit her. “Yes I AM that forgetful. I had it when I went into…”.
Ah yes. To change her clothes.
“I really do need a vacation,” she muttered to herself as the bedroom door slid shut behind her.
She found the file exactly where she had left it, in the chair under a pile of clothes, but the urge to just toss the uniform aside after liberating the reports was fleeting and she felt a little pang of guilt for her rebellion centons ago. Duty and routine ingrained in every Warrior since boot camp stirred in her and into the closet ‘fresher the uniform went. She chuckled at the fact that she could not even be a successful rebel in the privacy of her own quarters anymore.
The boom was deafening and the whole ship seemed to rock with the concussive force that threw her to the floor even though a wall separated her from the outer room. Klaxons wailed and the lighting in the room turned a blood red as she brushed the hair from her face with a forearm. Picking herself up off the deck she attempted to leave the bedroom, but the door refused her attempts to open it. Placing a hand on the door she pulled it back suddenly. A fire raged on the other side. She was trapped.
CHAPTER
The assassin stood in the crowded corridor watching the firefighters enter the commander’s quarters and smother the fire with the Boraton Mist. The woman had taken her sweet time getting back to work. Probably brooding about another attempt on her life as her edginess had begun to show. It had taken some careful planning and engineering, but the woman had finally come to suspect that her second in command was responsible for the attempts on her life. About time, too. There were enough clues left that even a child could follow if one only looked hard enough.
“TURN OFF THAT KLAXEN!” Chiron yelled above the sound of the blaring horns. As he shouldered his way through the crowd with the Admiral following close behind.
Microns later silence reigned, but the light in the corridors remained a blood red.
His time would come as well. He, too, was responsible for the Sagitaran shielsak’s actions that caused the death of his family. He would pay. They all would pay for their crimes. It was only a matter of time before they all joined his loved ones in death. Family honor was at stake here.
They’d find her body… what was left of it anyway … sitting in the chair behind her desk, blown apart by the explosion, charred to a crisp in the fire, and so irrevocably dead. One down, two to go.
The crowd had been kept back by the rescue workers. Even security was held at distance and getting ant loser was out of the question no matter what rank you were. Colonel Chiron and Admiral Thorbin both stood uncomfortable close by in the small and crowded corridor interrogating the twins as to the events that had transpired. Everyone pressed up against the bulkheads when heavy equipment was brought through the crowd and disappeared into the darkened office.
An agonizing half centar passed and still no sign of the emergency crews removing the body form the debris. The sound of metal being cut came to them and all they could do was wait and hope. It sounded like they were trying to cut through a bulkhead.
Major Azriel and Lieutenant Allas could be seen in the crowd and the look on the woman’s face was that of distraught. Her bond with the commander was well known and if the Tauron woman was upset then things must have gone well. A centon later movement inside the darkened quarters caught everyone’s attention and the Fire Chief emerged, behind him two other fire fighters led a disheveled Phoenix by the arm, helping her walk through the waves of slippery boraton foam. Her lounge ware was sooty and foam clung to the lower half of her trousers. Other than a bruise on her cheek, the woman was unharmed.
Frack it all to Hades! The assassin turned away and began weaving through the crowd. Another plan was in order.
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Fate, like Fortune, could be fickle when she wanted to be. She could bless or curse with the slightest whim. Gamblers often prayed to the goddess Fortuna, and if she found favor with their supplications she rolled the dice just so or delt that capstone card that assured them victory. Fate was harder to appease. Fate required far more of a sacrifice, but if she found favor in the offerings, she would re-write the stars for the supplicant. Change their Fate as it were.
Viper Pilots also believed in Fate as much as her sister Fortune, but prayed to the latter for the ability to prolong their winning streak and delay the final judgment of Fate. They prayed to Lady Luck to see them safely through the battle, to bring them safely back to their mother ship, to their friends, and eventually home to their loved ones safe and sound. Fate and Fortune either frowned or smiled upon everyone.
Even assassins.
No one was in sight in the launch bay when Phoenix went looking for Azriel. She had thought to find the Tauron working on her Viper as she couldn’t be found anywhere else. The main lights had been turned off and the crews were elsewhere now, tending to more important duties. It was Azriel’s habit not to turn all of the lights on when she worked on her ship anyway.
A dark figure slipped into the launch bay as her back was turned and melted into the shadows unseen and unheard.
Phoenix turned, looking all around her, but her friend could not be found.
The assassin crept around the far wall of the bay studying the quary. A heavy wrench had been left out by on a bench and the assassin picked it up. Quieter than a blaster, the wrench would do its job and cold be disposed of more easily than the energy weapon. Fortune seemed to smile as the hunter moved into position. The quary was heading for the door. Now was the time for revenge. Stepping out from behind the engines of the Viper, the wrench rose high to strike a killing blow. He’d be rid of the one person who had killed his family by setting the world on fire.
It might have been the brief glance of a shadow moving out of the corner of her eye, the sound of a breath being taken, or perhaps just that odd feeling that something was wrong, but Commander Phoenix turned suddenly and raised her left arm in defense. The heavy metal wrench came down on her forearm and a noise like the sapping of a twig echoed through the bay followed by her cry of pain.
The woman fell into the pathway of the light that poured into the bay from the outer corridor and as the shadowy figure approached her attacker’s face was revealed.
“YOU!” she gasped.
The instrument of her near demise rose, poised to strike again. Just as the man brought down the tool and Phoenix rolled away. The noise of the wrench hitting the deck sounded like thunder as it echoed off the bay walls. She struggled to her feet, one arm now painfully out of commission.
“You’ll rot in the brig for this, Jartan!” she exclaimed. A p[art of her hoped there was someone, anyone nearby who could hear them, but she doubted it. She was on her own once more. Seeing the security alarm button she made a run for it but her assailant cut her off, brandishing the wrench.
“Fortune’s smiled on you one too many times you murdering shielsak. Now I’ll have my revenge on you and your monstrous partners in crime.”
She moved off from the door and he followed, keeping himself between her and her only escape route. The only other way out was through the launch tube. If she shoes that way, then he’d be satisfied with that manor of her demise, just so long as she died.
As they circled each other Phoenix held her arm close. It was pretty much useless now and she didn’t want it flapping about making the pain any worse than it already was.
Instead, the man came at her for another swing. She ducked again and, bowed low, rushed the man, catching him in the stomach with her shoulder. The worst she could do to him through he security flack vest he wore was to knock the breath form him. Her momentum knocked him off his feet and they both went sprawling to the deck. As she rolled over onto her back the man’s full weight pinned her to the floor as he straddled her waist and his hands clamped about her throat. She tried kicking, but couldn’t connect with anything. Her good arm came up and she clawed his hands with her fingers trying to force him to release her. She gasped and the bay echoed with the struggle.
Just when she thought she was going to pass out the grip on her throat loosened.
“It’s only fair you know why you have to die, bitch. My family moved to Antaros Four from out home world of Pisceria when I was a baby. I grew up there. I was at the Academy on Caprica when I heard about the plague. The base commandant told me I had to call home immediately. I didn’t know at first what was happening. My parents were well respected politicians and scientists. Mother said everything would be alright. She said they had made a mistake, but Pallos and Father would find the cure. My brother and my father were working on the cure for that plague when you and your hellspawn of a partner came in and destroyed the planet. Millions of people died the day you set off the terra forming device. EVERY… SINGLE… LIVING… THING… ON … THAT… PLANET… DIED! ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!”
Terra forming had been a little used yet highly effective method of making an uninhabitable planet or planetoid livable for humanoid life forms. It was also the only method the Colonies had for irradiating the virulent and devastating flesh eating plague which had accidentally escaped from the laboratory it had been contained in. Not exactly one of the Colonies more shining centons to be certain.
The man’s voice faltered, choked with emotion and he paused. Hot tears rolled down his face as he glared at the woman beneath him and splashed onto her skin. The memories overtook him. Memories of being on a video chat with his younger sister during which he witnessed the plague ravaging what remained of his family. His mother’s pain filled sobs had ended, yet the boy could only stare at the screen through his tears and watch as his sister, ravaged by the disease as well, turned to see a bright white hot light coming through the very walls of their abode before the connection was lost. Jartan would never forget the sight of her former beauty peeling away from the bone, the holes in the body and the blood and gore the disease had created. She had assured him a centon before that their brother was working on the cure not knowing that she was possibly the last living thing on that planet. The meeting hall at the Colonial Warrior’s Academy on Caprica echoed with his horrified screams.
She saw a slim chance and she took it, sliding one leg back and under her, she pushed with all her strength and using the center of gravity in her hips she toppled the man off of her. As he rolled, the commander rolled to her knees, bracing herself with her good hand.
“Killing’s just a game with you Sagittarans, isn’t it?” He exclaimed, pushing himself to his feet and whirling on her. “You people don’t feel omnipotent until you’ve had your morning blood with first meal!”
She sprinted for the safety of the Viper’s wing and she heard the man’s sidearm slide free from its holster as she dusked down behind it, hoping to make herself as small a target as possible. Her voice was horse and her throat hurt, but she had to tell him the truth.
“The planetary Governor had already called for The Vote. The people were already dead and they knew it. They didn’t want the plague to spread so THEY asked for The Cleansing. The Council of the Twelve could not deny their request. They accepted their fate. Why can’t you see that?”
“NO! They wanted to LIVE!” The man shook with his sobs, the blaster wavering in his hand.
“Don’t disgrace their memory by doing this. Put the blaster away. Let us help you.”
She leaned against the ships wing and almost threw up. The pain was incredible. No longer could she focus on the Security Chief or even his location now. If he rushed her she’d be dead and there was nothing she could do to save herself this time.
Somewhere in her mind there was the sound of blaster fire and her pain consumed her as the lights went out.
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“Your plan worked,” he told her.
“Not the way I thought it would go,” she said rubbing the arm herself when Majel turned back to her medical chart. “I should have never doubted you.”
“I understand. I know what it’s like thinking the universe is against you.”
“Where’s Jartan?”
“He’s dead,” Azriel said, coming to her commander’s side. “When I heard you were looking for me I went to the launch bay knowing you’d eventually look for me there. I got there just as Colonel Chiron, Myravan and the Twins step out from behind some crates. Jartan didn’t know who to shoot first, but when he took a shot at me Myravan dropped him like a rock.”
Myravan stepped forward from the shadows wearing a look of regret on her face.
“I don’t understand how I could have missed the signs. In all our investigations I never once suspected Jartan. It makes sense though. He had access everywhere and I was under the impression that he was only making security’s presence known in order to flush out the assassin.” she said flatly. “He never gave me any indication he was the one doing these things.”
“After we talked and you left to go find Azriel to rope into our little plot I went to look for Myrvan and the boys,” Chiron continued. “I needed witnesses in case my hunch was correct and Jartan turned out to be our suspect after all. We saw him slipping into the landing bay and followed, but kept out of sight. We couldn’t make our presence known until we had the confession. Then the Major walked in and threw everything into the air.”
Myravan finished the tale. “When he drew down on the Major I stepped out and took the shot.”
Dr. Majel set the chart down on the desk and returned to her patient’s side. “As much as I like a good day time drama, I’m booting you all out of my Life Center. I have work to do and you’re not doing my staff any favors with your continual yapping. Out! Shoo! Go away!”
She waved her hands at them as a parent would dismiss a group of excitable children.
“Of all the nerve,” Phoenix exclaimed in amused indignation.
“And you’re dancing on my last one, Commander,” the older woman groused.
Chiron gently maneuvered the Commander to the door and the others followed in step behind.
Tanopia was going to be a welcome sight after this haul.
THE END
(For now anyway)