The Aphil
by AJ Marks
Part 1
Apollo flew his viper towards the system hoping the patrol might find something the fleet could use. The last few systems they had come across had been completely barren. Nothing had been usable at all which caused some concern with Adama.
"Apollo, are you looking at your scanner?" Starbuck asked suddenly. Apollo glanced down looking at the scanner wondering what Starbuck had screen. The scanner indicated a lot of asteroids floating around the system. The patrol would have to maneuver carefully this time.
"Seems pretty active to me," Apollo stated. "We're going to have to be on our toes for sure going through this."
"Just what I wanted to do today, fly through a large asteroid field the size of a solar system," Starbuck replied.
"Yeah, well we need information if there is anything worth stopping for on those planets," Apollo said. He understood Starbuck's reluctance to flying in there. He felt uneasy about it as well. "We should stick together for this."
Apollo led Starbuck into the system heading towards the first planet in the system. The scanners had already indicated it as a gas giant but there might be some useful moons nearby. He kept a close eye on the asteroids which appeared to be everywhere. He maneuvered closer to the planet to get an accurate scan for the Galactica to go over later.
"Um, Apollo, you might want to look around," Starbuck finally said breaking the silence and Apollo's concentration.
Frowning Apollo looked up out the canopy looking in slight shock at what his eyes fell upon.
"Um, that's a ship, or part of one," Apollo finally stated looking at the large shell of a ship that even he knew had suffered extreme damage.
"Yeah," Starbuck said.
Apollo wondered what had destroyed the ship. If the size meant anything it easily matched the size of the Galactica. He moved the viper around then a glint caught his attention. Nearby he noticed more debris this time the ship appeared slightly smaller but also seemed to have suffered severe damage.
"I'm getting a bad feeling here," Apollo finally said several minutes later as they had now passed a dozen different ships all destroyed.
"Me too, let's check out the smaller planets, there might be something there," Starbuck said.
Apollo had to agree turning his viper towards the closest planet that might sustain life.
The way there they passed several smaller looking ships and various looking fighter type craft with large areas that had been destroyed. The closer they got to the planet the more Apollo wondered what had happened. Ships of all types loomed all around with several many times the size of the Galactica.
"Whatever happened the planet's surface looks scarred from it," Starbuck said.
Apollo agreed with the comment as he looked at the surface. From space it appeared heavily cratered from an orbital bombardment.
After several more minutes of scanning Apollo finally came to the conclusion there was nothing on the planet's surface.
"Apollo, look at that," Starbuck said.
Apollo glanced up to see on the far side of the planet a large mass. He flew closer realizing that at one time this was part of a large complex station larger than anything he had ever seen. Whoever built it held technology vastly superior to anything they had.
"Let's quickly scan the other planets and get out of here," Apollo said. He knew he would get no argument from Starbuck. They both wanted this patrol to be over.
BSGBSG
Adama sat along with Tigh as Apollo and Starbuck entered to give their briefing of the system. Adama hoped they had found something they might be able to use.
"So, anything?" Adama asked seeing an uneasy look in Apollo's face. He waited to hear what happened this time.
"The planets we scanned appeared to have suffered extreme damage from orbital bombardment," Apollo said.
"Orbital bombardment?" Adama asked. That meant at one time there was probably life on that planet and it had been at war.
"Yes, but that's not the only news," Apollo said. "The entire systems appears filled with the debris of destroyed ships of all types and sizes."
"Warships?" Tigh asked.
"It appeared so," Apollo said. "Heavy concentrations around the main planets but from what we could tell it covers the system."
"At one planet we noticed a large station, destroyed but it appeared to have been even larger by the amount of damage it had taken," Starbuck said.
"How big?" Adama asked.
"Large enough to probably house the entire fleet in," Apollo said.
Adama sat back exchanging a glance with Tigh at that news. "From what you've said think we can rule out the Cylons."
Tigh nodded in agreement. "It appears so commander."
"Any idea how long ago the battle was?" Adama asked.
"No sir," Apollo replied. "Long enough that there appeared to be no survivors."
The news left Adama with a problem. He had no idea who, or why, there had been a fight in the system. From Apollo and Starbuck's descriptions the battle too place all over the system and no idea who won or how long ago the battle had even been fought. The amount of ships require for a battle like that boggled his mind.
"It could have been a running battle," Tigh finally said. "Starting at one side and closing in to the planets."
"Hmm, yes, that is very possible, but still the amount of debris in the system points to an extremely large number of ships that were destroyed," Apollo said.
"And we have to assume that someone won and left so some survived," Adama said. "It still leaves a vast number of ships with the destructive capability that we cannot comprehend. Did you find any power signatures?"
"Nothing came up on our scanners. At least nothing our scanners could identify," Apollo replied.
Adama looked around at the group not sure what to think. He needed more information about what happened in that system. He also wondered if this was Earth.
"I want a team to go and see about boarding one of the remains of a ship. Try to find a computer or something that we might be able to gain information from," Adama said. "Take Doctor Wilker and Boomer with you, as well as a medtech. Let me know when you have the team ready and head out at once."
"Yes sir," Apollo said standing. Adama watched as both Starbuck and Apollo left the room leaving only Tigh.
"Not what I was expecting to hear this time," Tigh finally stated.
"No, it wasn't," Adama agreed.
"Whoever is out there they might already know we're here," Tigh said quietly.
That thought did not settle well with Adama. He sighed wondering what the recon group might find out next.
BSGBSG
Apollo and Starbuck waited in the back of the shuttle while Boomer and Sheba piloted it. Doctor Wilker and Cassiopeia sat on the other side of the shuttle making up the rest of the group. Apollo glanced outside looking closer at the wreckage littered all around them.
"Should we try a smaller ship or one of the larger pieces?" Boomer asked.
Apollo had no idea and glanced over at Wilker to see if he had an idea.
"It's possible the larger pieces will still have an intact computer but we'll get lost a lot less on a smaller ship. Take a medium ship," Wilker finally said.
"All right," Boomer replied.
"Still getting nothing on any of the channels," Sheba stated.
Apollo did not expect to find anything. They hoped to find some signal from a working ship.
"I think I see a good candidate," Boomer said a few minutes later. "I'll see if there's a way to land on it."
Apollo waited looking out at the planet's surface. The stark landscape from space gave no indication of anything surviving on it. The scans of the atmosphere indicated toxic chemicals in the air so Apollo figured nothing useful could live on the surface anymore. He turned his attention to the ship Boomer had picked out. Not as large as the Galactica but it appeared a good candidate.
He could see large holes indicating damage and a large gap on one side where it appeared the engines had blown out causing the massive damage taking out the ship. As they approached closer he could make out rows of smaller turrets still pointing up and out at some unknown enemy. He could almost imagine the turret firing upon an incoming bomber or other enemy ship.
"Hang on, we're getting some real strange sensor readings," Sheba suddenly said.
"Can you locate it?" Apollo said.
"Might be able to," Sheba said, working with the scanner. Apollo stood making his way over to them to see for himself. His eyes widen at the amount of gibberish coming across the scanners.
"Energy and gravity fluctuations," Boomer said. "We're in for a bumpy ride."
Apollo had no time to brace himself as the shuttle lurched. He landed on the other side of the shuttle before being tossed back to the other side. The others were still seated so were only tossed about in their seats. The jerking settled slightly before it finally stopped.
Apollo glanced the ceiling of the shuttle before finally standing back up.
"Are you all right Apollo," Cassie's voice said from where she sat.
"Yeah I think so, remind me never to do that again," Apollo said.
"Um, you're not going to believe this but we have a ship behind us," Boomer said interrupting any reply.
Apollo quickly made his way over. Sure enough the scanners indicated one ship behind them.
"Head over and try to contact them," Apollo said.
Apollo looked out front as the ship came into view. About the normal size of a cargo ship he wondered how it got there.
"Scanning should show something, nothing, wait, getting something. I don't believe it, one human confirmed, there might be others but can't identify it," Boomer stated.
That got Apollo's attention as he looked down at the scanner.
"The ship apparently suffered some damage," Boomer said.
Apollo saw nothing that he could see as damage. "Any contact?"
"Nothing," Sheba replied.
Apollo glanced back at the group. "Any suggestions?"
"We go aboard," Wilker said. "There is a good possibility of finding a working computer to find out some information."
"I might be able to help out the injured," Cassie said. Apollo looked at the scanner a bit worried. Something made no sense about all of this.
"It's why we're out here right?" Starbuck said, focusing Apollo's attention back to the mission.
"All right, any place we can land?" Apollo asked, looking over at the ship. The smooth sides of the ship contrasted greatly with the jagged deformed hunks he had been looking at. Apollo felt he was not looking at a warship but possibly a civilian ship.
"What about right there," Sheba said pointing to a small spot near one of the sides of the ship. Apollo glanced at the opening that looked about the size of a hangar.
"Try it," Apollo said to Boomer.
BSGBSG
Starbuck made his way out of the shuttle onto the deck of the hangar. They spent several minutes making sure the atmosphere could sustain them before heading out.
Now Starbuck looked around an empty hangar with a few doors on each side. He noticed a few flickering panels near the doors and watched Wilker walk over to on.
"Sheba, Boomer stay with the doctor, we'll go with Cassie and see if we can find anyone else," Apollo said. "And keep your communicators open."
"Got it," Boomer said.
Starbuck watched Cassie walk on over before heading over to one of the doors. Walking out into the corridor he was not prepared for the shock. Lying on the floor were several bodies of an alien he had never seen before. He thought he noticed four arms, brownish black skin and a white uniform on them.
"Their dead," Cassie said quickly taking a look.
"Shall we move on?" Starbuck asked.
"Probably the crew," Apollo stated.
Starbuck agreed with that as they continued on spotting a few other bodies of the same species. Starbuck allowed his mind to wonder about what could have caused them to die. A virus? That thought made his shiver slightly and he hoped not. The last thing they would need is another virus going through the fleet.
"Find anything yet?" Apollo asked.
"Nothing yet," Starbuck heard Boomer reply over the communicator.
Starbuck turned the corner stopping slightly at what he saw. He looked at the long corridor that seemed to go the length of the ship with rows of doors that looked more like prison doors than anything else.
"Well, we might be on a prison ship or some type," Starbuck finally said.
"Yeah, let's be cautious," Apollo said.
"You have to say that," Starbuck replied. He already was cautious and feeling more nervous by the second as they continued on into the ship.
BSGBSG
Adama waited patiently on the bridge for any reports to come in from the scouting team. The news of the system disturbed him simply by the amount of destruction that occurred. He only had the destruction of the Colonies to compare it to but what Apollo and Starbuck witnessed seemed to go beyond that.
"Commander, we're getting a high frequency transmission coming from somewhere in the system," Athena said suddenly.
"What?" Adama said quickly rushing over to the console to see for himself. He felt Tigh join him as they both looked down at the screen. The power of the communications meant something had sent it. He wondered if somehow the scout team had done something.
"Commander, something that strong will gain the Cylons' attention," Tigh said.
"I know Tigh," Adama said. He would have to think quickly about that. "Inform the scouting team to work quickly and head on back. I want a new course set in and ready to go the moment they are back heading away from the system. I want to put as much distance between us and the system as possible."
"Yes commander," Tigh replied.
Adama watched Tigh head over to Omega and they relayed the orders to the scout team.
"Any idea what that message says?" Adama asked.
"Nothing our computers can translate," Athena replied back to him.
Adama figured as much and hoped the communications was not a call for reinforcements. Whatever had that many ships the Galactica could not counter.
Cassiopeia looked into each doorway wondering what she would see next. So far she had seen nothing alive. Looking into the next doorway she felt some surprise at seeing a human female with blonde hair.
"Starbuck, over here," she said quickly entering the small room. Cassie quickly checked finding that the young woman was actually still alive by some miracle.
"You found someone alive?" Apollo asked.
Cassie quickly checked the woman's vitals to see how stable she was. "She's weak but if we get her help right away she should make it," Cassie said to them.
"That's good because we're getting a recall from the Galactica," Apollo said.
"Recall," Cassie said looking up at Apollo wondering what had happened. "I'll need help to transport her to the shuttle then."
She looked between the two before they finally moved to help out. With careful movements the three of them finally made it back to the shuttle where the others were waiting.
"Found someone I see," Boomer said.
"Yeah," Apollo replied. "Maybe she can tell us what happened here."
Cassie allowed the conversation to roll over her while she continued to work on the woman now in the shuttle. "Tell the Galactica we'll need the bio-containment chamber when we land, and we all will need to head to de-tox as well."
"Yeah, don't remind me," Boomer said. She knew that he understood that procedure better than anyone.
BSGBSG
Adama waited as Starbuck and Apollo entered the room to brief the commander on what happened. Adama had the report on the woman they had brought back. She was now in stable condition but had yet to wake up.
"So what happened that you found someone living? Thought all the ships were destroyed," Adama asked.
"They were, that ship suddenly appeared while we were making our decision on which ship to try and board," Apollo said.
"Just appeared?" Adama asked not sure about that. Ships did not appear out of nowhere.
"Yep, one second it wasn't there the next our instruments went crazy and the ship appeared," Apollo stated.
"Then it might have been that ship that we heard sending out that signal" Adama stated. It made sense to him that an unknown ship would send out a signal.
"A signal?" Starbuck asked.
"Yes, that's why we ordered you back. Whatever the signal was, it was very strong. If the Cylons don't hear it they were not paying any attention," Adama said. He watched them both have the same reaction he had. If the Cylons found out where the fleet was they would not be able to defend the fleet for very long.
"Doctor Wilker did manage to find a computer and gain some information," Apollo said.
"And the ship we were on looked more like a prison ship than anything else," Starbuck said.
"True, but prisoners for who and what," Adama replied. "Is our woman some dangerous person?"
He had no answer to that.
"I suggest we keep an armed guard nearby until we know more," Adama stated. He was not that concerned about one person, usually, but she might have been modified in some way. Until he had answers, he took no chances.
"The crew of the ship though was unlike anything we've ever seen," Apollo said.
"Didn't find any alive?" Adama asked.
"No, whatever went though the ship didn't leave a trace," Apollo said.
"And the de-tox came back clean," Adama said. "I guess we wait to see what our mysterious stranger can tell us then."
He watched Apollo and Starbuck leave the room before wondering what was happening. Nothing really made any sense to him, a strange battlefield, and now an unknown ship with a human on board? Had they found Earth, or some distant colony of Earth? If they had, was Earth engaged in a war? If so with who? He had too many questions and no answers.
BSGBSG
Bootsteps echoed down the empty corridor as a man dressed in dark brown pants and a tan shirt walked down. He had straight short black hair and piercing brown eyes. He stopped at a door placing his palm on a scanner waiting a second until the door opened allowing him inside.
He quickly walked waiting as in the corner of the room a cylindrical tube hissed before sliding open allowing another man to step out. He was dressed the same way but with longer blonde hair.
"Ah, General, what news?" the blonde-haired man asked.
"Sir, our outer listening posts picked this up near sector eighteen," the general said handing over a piece of paper. He watched the blonde-haired man scan if for several moments before saying anything.
"Send recon twelve at once. I want a detailed report on any survivors."
"It will be done," the general replied saluting and walking out. He felt a thrill in the fact the enemy might have returned finally.
BSGBSG
The commander of the basestar turned watching as a centurion walked into the command room.
"Report centurion," the commander said.
"We intercepted a strong communications from an unknown source," the centurion said.
"Send out patrols immediately," the commander said. He wanted to know what other civilization was out there that might threaten the might of the Cylon empire.
Once he had the information he could send it back for the Imperious Leader. He also was looking for the remains of the Colonial fleet. They were the only race that had avoided being destroyed.
There were a dozen basestars nearby looking for the Colonials. And all could converge on the Colonial fleet once it was discovered. It was only a matter of time before it happened. One battlestar would not be able to defend the remaining of the humans.
BSGBSG
Starbuck watched Cassie work on the woman they had managed to 'rescue' from the unknown ship. He wondered if she was from Earth, or knew where it might be.
"So, how is she doing?" Starbuck asked as Cassie walked over towards him.
"Honestly, fine, and that's puzzling. We can't figure out what happened to her," Cassie replied. "There are signs her entire system suffered a severe shock of some type but has recovered on its own."
Starbuck frowned at that wondering what exactly that might have been. "So, she'll probably be all right and recover."
"Yeah," Cassie replied.
"Are you staying on duty for until she wakes up?" Starbuck asked.
"Well, there is others that will be coming on duty, and I thought a certain officer might take me out," Cassie said.
"I think that can be arranged," Starbuck said, liking Cassie's plans a lot. By that time it would be time to rotate the guard anyways. He had volunteered simply because Cassie was here. It was rare that they could be together while on duty.
"She's waking up," Cassie said, he walked over so he could see the woman's arm move.
He stood close by watching the woman's eyes flutter open, revealing a slight shock. The woman had golden eyes. He recovered from the shock, realizing the woman's eyes held fear.
"Hello, you're aboard the Battlestar Galactica," Cassie said in a calm voice.
Starbuck stepped back slightly to avoid any making any threatening moves, but remained close enough to protect Cassie. For several long seconds nothing happened, before the woman spoke in a language Starbuck had never heard before.
He glanced over at Cassie, who frowned slightly, obviously concentrating on the words. Did she understand the language?
"What?" Starbuck asked, his curiosity could no longer hold back.
"She's speaking an ancient language, Kobal I think," Cassie replied. "But it's slightly different."
"Can you understand it?" Starbuck asked.
"Some of it, I studied it for a brief while, now I wish I had done more," Cassie replied, before speaking something back to the woman.
"What did you tell her?" Starbuck asked.
"I hope my name," Cassie replied. They waited for a second before the woman said something back.
"Well, her name, I think is Zanis," Cassie said.
"I think I should inform Commander Adama about this," Starbuck said. He walked over to the communicator calling for the bridge.
BSGBSG
The man turned watching the general walk into the room.
"What news?" he asked.
"We found a prisoner ship, fully functional," the general replied, gaining the man's attention.
"A prison ship? Are you sure?"
"Yes sir," the general replied. "Our teams have already investigated it and made an interesting find. The cells were one prisoner short according to the reports."
The general paused a few seconds as the man waited for the news.
"It appeared to have been an Aphil."
"And where is he?"
"She, there was an unusual exhaust headed out of the system. Our computers identified the ship," the general said, brining up a 3-D graphic of a Colonial shuttle.
"Well, Colonials, this is a surprise," the man said. "Any idea where they are now?"
"Yes, and there is more," the general said, a 3-D image of a Cylon basestar appeared. "They are closing in."
"I see, find out if she is with the Colonials, then we'll figure out what to do next," the man said.
"Of course," the general replied.
BSGBSG
Adama walked into the medlab where he saw for the first time the young woman that the scouting team found. She appeared sitting up and in good health from what he could see.
"Commander, this is Zanis," Cassiopeia said to him.
"Zanis," Adama said noticing her golden eyes. It took a second to get over that shock before he continued on. "Does she know anything about what happened back at that system?"
"I don't know enough to ask that question commander," she replied. "Basic communications is about all we're going to get, I think she understands that."
"I see, has she said anything that we might be usable?" Adama asked.
"Only that she has never heard of Earth," Cassie replied.
"So, that wasn't Earth," Adama said, not sure he felt relief or not. He did know it meant that Earth was still out there waiting for them.
Adama started to say something else when Tigh's voice interrupted them. "Commander to the bridge."
"See if you can find anything else out, where she was from, that type of thing, who she was, or is, anything else," Adama said. He turned heading off to the bridge and what Tigh wanted.
A few moments later Adama arrived on the bridge walking straight over to Tigh.
"Commander, it just appeared," Tigh said, turning to the scanner.
Adama glanced down to see a blip again.
"Cylons," Adama said.
"Yes, and it seems this basestar is trying to stay out of our long range scanners," Tigh said
"Ready a patrol, send them out in that direction," Adama said. He wanted to know how many basestars were out there. If they discovered only one they could either destroy it or evade it he hoped.
BSGBSG
"Report centurion?" the basestar commander said.
"Our scanners have discovered a large fleet that matches the Colonial fleet," the centurion replied.
"The Colonials, and the Galactica?" the commander asked.
"Unknown, we are staying outside of scanner range to avid contact," the centurion replied.
The commander thought about that for a second before coming to a conclusion.
"Inform the others that we've found the Colonial fleet. We'll organize a strike to completely destroy them once and for all," the commander said.
"There is one other thing, we have picked up strange communications," the centurion said. "We so far have not been able to decipher them."
"Origin?"
"Our communications have yet to pinpoint it," the centurion stated.
"Is it like the last large blast of communications?" the basestar commander asked.
"Unknown."
"Very well, continue to monitor and organize with the other basestar commanders to launch a strike as soon as possible," the commander said.
"By your command."
End Part 1