Battlestar Galactica:

Dawn of an Infinite Night

-Chapter 1-

The sun began to crest the mountains as the nights chilly air began to slowly warm, today would mark a dawn of a new day. Braidon watched the horizon waiting for his prey to move closer, sitting in the same spot for the last few hours his father had trained him well. Holding his breath he waits just a few more steps and the deer would be his, when all of the sudden there is a snapping sound as the deer looks ever so cautious it stands still. Fearing that he would lose the shot he takes aim slowly pulling the trigger the bolt surprises him as the gun fires he watches as the creature falls to the ground.

Getting up he moves towards the fallen beast ensuring that the prey was dead he takes his knife slitting its throat. Cleaning the blade on the side of the creature footsteps approach from behind "Jest I told you to be more careful you almost spooked it, and we would have been out of meal for another few hours."

"Sorry Braidon… I just got a little anxious I swear I won't let it happen again."

Shaking his head he continues with the cleaning of the creature so that they could move. Jest was a good kid he was born after the genocide raised in a world that was difficult he still tried his best to give what he could. Granted Braidon had no memory of the genocide he was only three when it happened his parents told him the stories of how they were on vacation on Canceron camping in the mountains, it was then when they heard the first explosion.

His father was a career soldier a Sergeant in the Colonial Army seeing the signs he knew he wouldn't be able to return to his unit and fearing for the safety of his family decided to take their camp further into the woods and higher into the mountains to avoid the possible fallout from the explosions he saw. For awhile they were alone never seeing another soul his father and mother did what they could with what they had to teach him and his sister and prepare them for the life he now had to live.

Many winters had passed when the first signs of civilization had begun to sprout first finding a few hikers their party slowly grew. His father still cautious though kept them at a distance afraid of whoever brought this life to them could be there with them, he never would trust anyone but family.

At one point the group had grown to over thirty people, but it was then that he learned that the ghost stories were true. Huge silver monster came out of the woods killing many of the people in the village that had been recently created, it was then that he lost his sister as the only thing he could do was watch as they slaughtered her with a reign of gunfire.

A few of them survived but after that day his parents would never be the same, his mother would slowly become distant hating the life that she lived. One day she ventured off for some berries as she never returned, only later to learn that she had thrown herself off a cliff, his father not a doctor still could not find any signs that she was forced and assumed that she had finally given up. His teachings got harder after those days making him swear that he would never give up that he would keep fighting not only for him but for his mother and sister as well.

It wasn't until a few winters ago that his father finally lost the good fight succumbing to a sickness he fought it for days trying to get better but ultimately loosing the fight. Being alone for the first time Braidon used all of the training his parents had taught him and to this day has survived. Fortunately after weeks alone he found another group that took him in, working with them he took one of their youngest under his wing hoping to teach him the same lessons that his father taught him after some time though it finally became the two of them as they began wandering the wilderness.

The mountain ranges were vast taking many winters to get to one side to the other, Braidon had traced them all searching for anything he could find that would defeat the monster that slaughtered his family in one way or the other. His father had warned him to never leave the safety of the mountains but every so often he would venture finding supplies that would help endure the cold days and nights.

Working together Jest and Braidon carried the meat to their camp only a few people left they had found a couple of stragglers but since then they hadn't seen another soul in a long time. Hearing Gabriel he shook his head he wondered how many times he would have to tell her to keep quite worried that the monster might hear he didn't want the same thing to happen to her like what happened to his sister. Finding it difficult to talk to a girl who was only a few winters old was difficult at best, she so loved to hum but he knew that would be her undoing. Still it was amazing Gabriel could keep such high spirits, she had lost her father on one of their scouting missions not sure what had killed him he simply collapsed with his last gasp of air he warned them to stay away, and away they stayed never going back to that area again. Her mother Sarah fell into his care feeling partially responsible for her partner's death he did what he could to make sure they were cared for.

Two others Michael and Arial brother and sister or what everyone believed they were, both orphaned when they found them huddled in a cave with nobody around to care for them the rest of them took them in.

Braidon appeared to be the oldest and best trained taking the leadership role, teaching all of them the skills that his father had taught him. Of course Jest was the only one old enough to seem to get it, but he continued to try with the others.

As the rest of them sat around the campfire watching the food cook Braidon would take watch making sure no one approached the camp. The group knew better once the food was cooked they were to immediately put the fire out, he hated telling them that because they so enjoyed the warmth the fire provided but his father always warned even in the day fire could be seen, heard, and smelled from far away and the monsters had better eyes and ears then they had.

After breakfast they began packing the camp up Braidon always liked moving after they started a fire not liking the idea that they gave up their position every time they did it. Sending Jest ahead he always liked to take the rear making sure no one was following them. Having walked this area often he had decided to keep prime spots well stocked, creating storage areas at each location allowing them to lighten their loads as they traveled.

Moving slowly his worst fears finally were coming true today, listening carefully he hears the whine of the engines that carried the monsters. Telling everyone to take cover he watches as the silver beast soars over them heading towards the camp they had just left, smiling to himself he motions them to continue towards their next location wanting to ensure that they were safe he planned to stay behind making sure that nothing followed.

The ship began to lower finding a clearing near the abandoned camp he watches as the rear door of the ship opens, as the monsters began to emerge they seemed different this time displaying many different colors he watched wondering what had changed. Looking closely he sees one in particular that is gold in color, appearing thicker than the rest it motioned to the other monsters as if telling them what to do. Inspecting the remains of the camp the leader quickly looks around as if it knows that he was near. Fear began to swell as the leader began to be on the prowl, his father had warned him not to stay to long if he ever saw them before they saw him. Beginning to scoot back his panic alerts them as he steps on a branch he watches as the leader of the pack turns its head directly towards him.

Not wanting to lead them to the rest of the group he scrambles running in a different direction as to not draw attention to them, tears began to form in his eyes. He promised he would be strong but the overwhelming odds were against him, hoping Jest had learned enough from him he would have to carry the responsibility of leading them alone. Hearing branches snap behind him he runs to a ravine that he had used before to get away from an attacking dog that chased him many winters ago. The monsters were fast not letting him get a breath, as he wisped through the trees he could hear shouting but couldn't understand what it was saying.

His heart pounding he jumps off an edge of a cliff dropping him into the lake down below he holds his breath bracing for the impact he feels his feet enter the water. Paddling as fast as he could he swims to the edge as he crawls out of the water he looks back to see the monster at the edge, his hoping paying off that they wouldn't follow him into the water bought him some time to get to the ravine.

The air was brisk but with his heart pounding he didn't care only to get away was his only thought. Making it to the edge of the ravine he starts to work his way through it knowing deep down the path was a place he could hide hoping that he was able to draw them away from the rest of the group he could only allow his imagination to wonder their fate.

Crawling deeper he hears sounds they were close, stopping where he was at he waits hoping he was deep enough that they wouldn't find him. When all of the sudden he feels a hand grab his back lifting him out of the crevice he shakes his body trying to break free. Looking behind him he sees the leader of the monsters he screams as tears pour out of his eyes he hears a voice.

"Calm down…" the leaders voice was female as it tried calming him.

"Let me go!" screaming at the top of his lungs his only desire was to get away.

"Alright…" using its other hand it was trying to reassure him "…but you have to promise me you won't run."

Finally calming down he shook his head "…Alright… I won't run."

The leader sets him down walking over to the side it sits on the rock next to him, unclasping some device around its neck it slowly takes off its head "Are you ok?"

With an astonished look on his face he was amazed to see a woman behind the mask "You work for the monsters?"

"Monsters… oh you mean those guys I can reassure you they are not what you might think they are."

"Try telling that to my sister…"

"There are more of you…" as she stands she looks around.

"No… she was killed by one of their kind."

Sitting back down "Oh… I'm sorry. Look I know horrible things have happened to you, and I can't even imagine what they could be but I'm here to reassure you that everything has changed and we are only here to help."

"You can stop there I know your only trying to deceive me" still keeping his distance he wasn't quite sure what she was trying to accomplish, other than exposing the rest of his party.

"Alright let's try this…" picking up his rifle she hands it to him "…if this will help you be a little more comfortable, now what's your name?"

Feeling uncomfortable he holds the rifle not sure of what to do he looks around "…Braidon… my name is Braidon."

"Good… My name is Zero and I'm here to help."