Sleeper
Author: Opalsmith
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Story Setting: Pre Miniseries
Beta: My very wonderful husband
Author's Notes: I wrote most of this story before I saw the final season of Battlestar Glactica and in particular Boomer's deleted scene from Daybreak. Please note that my version of events contradicts what was portrayed in this deleted scene.
Leaving the Nest
Despite its massive size the Cylon Basestar moves gracefully through the vastness of deep space. The vessel's majestic elegance is designed to reflect the power and confidence of the resurgent Cylon. The Basestar forms the star shape recognisable to countless human children as a representation of the magical twinkling lights in the night sky. However when it is dissected its two halves form the shape of a piercing arrowhead. They aim in opposite directions with a central hub holding the two shapes together. And to the Cylon mind this hidden symbolism is important. The child sees only the innocent beauty of light when gazing on a distant star and is unaware of the lethal force of a pure power that is always the threat of a sun. The metal children of Humanity have used their time in the wilderness well…
Deep in the cavernous space that is the resting place for the Cylon Raiders; the warriors of flight, a group of beings with a startling resemblance to their human foe stand huddled together. The only thing that makes the label human impossible is that each and every one of them is perfectly identical in every way to their neighbour. Their existence can therefore only be the result of manufacture rather than random creation. And if more confirmation is needed, all of these creatures share a single model number, the Model Eight.
As the closely gathered group moves out from and around in their tight circle there is a glimpse of what is holding their attention. There is one who is different. This Eight is clothed in contrast to the unabashed nudity of her sisters.
Each of the Eights takes a turn to silently caress and lightly kiss the face of the one who stands out from the crowd. Their actions speak for themselves, they are saying goodbye.
Un-noticed a Model Three and a Model Six observe the scene from a raised landing bay. They stand in front of a small battered human space transport vessel which conveniently fell into a Cylon trap some time ago. It is sufficiently nondescript to slip back through the defences that separate Cylon from Human space and has been kept for just this time.
The two onlookers have just finished loading the vessel with the luggage and vital equipment they will need for their separate missions. The suitcases and bags contain the props that will explain fictitious decades of life as Colonial citizens. And just visible through the cockpit viewing port is a funeral casket in the human style. It takes up the central aisle of the craft and is an accurate copy of an upmarket model crafted in blackened steel. There are representations of classical scenes in raised engravings on top of the elaborate lid. Six handles of black steel for lifting the heavy box are attached around the sides and one at each end. Each one of the handles is surrounded by raised engravings of white flowers which are a symbol of death to the superstitious human population of the Colonies. The coffin contains vital equipment in hidden lead lined compartments which will be needed when they arrive in Caprica City.
The Three has a harder more striking face while her sister Six is a refined beauty with honey coloured hair framing her face. They too are clothed and have painted their faces in the style of human females.
The Three turns to her compatriot and is surprised to note that she has an expression of disgust as she continues to watch the scene in front of them.
"Sister, does something trouble you?"
Six does not turn from her observations, answering in the flat tones of one still unused to hearing her own voice, "The Model Eights are too emotional; I can only see that as a weakness."
As much as the Three agrees that the emotional display is distasteful she feels strongly that she needs to toe the Cylon line. She enjoys the position, as perceived by her, as the first among the Cylon females too keenly to consider any public display of disloyalty just yet. So she chooses to give Six a gentle lecture on familial love. "Remember sister Six, that the Model Eights are designed to have all the human emotions for a purpose, they are still our sisters."
Irritated Six tugs at the light coloured tailored jacket she is wearing over a tight fitting white top and wide legged woollen trousers. The clothes are alien to her: hot, uncomfortable and restrictive. Cylons do not need to hide their bodies beneath layers of material. False modesty is yet one more failing for humans to endure.
Unable to let the matter go but also unwilling to be chastised Six remarks in a whisper as if only for her ears, "Perhaps the one chosen is enjoying the attention she is receiving too much and that should concern us."
"She is simply the first to separate from the Eights. She is special to them only for that reason."
Six wants to point out that her sister Sixes did not react in this way when their first member was chosen for a mission, and that instead they ignored the fact one of them was changed. However she knows any doubts she feels should be kept under guard in case the Three passes on concerns that she will not be able to cope with her mission.
Instead Six turns away and calls for the Three to follow her, saying, "Let us leave her to savour the adulation, we should report to the control centre."
Six tunes her mind to link with the living centre of the gigantic Cylon vessel as she walks towards her goal. She, like all of the Cylon Models, uses her ability to project to find her way through the maze of identical corridors within the Basestar. Each Model has its own projection and it is never shared or even discussed between the different Models. The Six's projection is always a peaceful forest of tall dark trees in the late afternoon of a clear bright summer day.
The heat of the sun warms her face as she climbs up the uneven path towards the meeting place. All of her sensations tell her she is travelling through an organic restful haven with the gentle breeze at her back guiding her onto her destination. While she moves Six is at peace as she lets the beauty of the stillness and the quiet of this perfect image engage all of her senses. Knowing that projection will not be possible where she is going, Six saviours every last detail from the crack of a broken dry twig snapping under her shoe to the many colours and scents of the living plants.
Three follows closely behind the Six, having chosen not to let her mind escape from the reality of the Basestar. Three smiles quietly to herself as she trails her hand along the walls as if wanting to leave her own mark on a place that has been all she has ever known. I will return she repeats to herself, and when I do I will be welcomed back as a Cylon hero.
As she reaches the end of her journey, Six holds on to her other world for as long as she can, greeting in turn each of her brothers and sisters who appear to stand in a circular forest clearing.
However with a jolt she is forced back to the reality of the Control Room by the realisation that there are no representatives of the Eight present.
Six lets her eyes roam around the Control Room and this only confirms that there are no Eights at all, not even among the sisters and brothers collecting and processing information. A ribbon of red pulsing light runs around the walls of the large space and casts patterns in vivid red onto the faces of the representatives. Just behind where they are standing are several unattended data banks which continue to feed on the liquid that cascades from all parts of the Basestar carrying information in a constant stream.
"Welcome sisters D'Anna Biers and Gina Inviere," the representative of the Model One says, as he moves closer to them. "To honour your missions we will use our voices instead of communicating in the normal way."
The One is dressed in human clothes like his brother Models Two, and Five. None of the other representatives who are gathered around have chosen to cover their bodies. This is because the Models Three, Four and Six have yet to experience shared downloads of memories from agents that have lived among the humans on the Colonials and therefore do not feel the need to adopt human ways. This difference no longer irritates the Three that has now become D'Anna Biers. She is proud of the part she will play in the Cylon plan to help ensure they win the forthcoming war.
A Model One Agent had been the first to take that step, living quietly among the humans in a poor mining settlement where he played the part of a teacher. This gave him access to the Government educational computer systems and he used this to add scholastic records for future agents. Before he quietly slipped away he ensured that there would be a catastrophic mining accident that would wipe out almost an entire community to cover his tracks. The others that followed also added different parts to complete the puzzles that would make sure their human life stories would stand up to scrutiny.
A date and a place of birth, the names of a mother and father, and a milieu of other facts, memories and feelings were downloaded into the Three and the Six and then they were given names of their own. This is what makes D'Anna Biers and the Six now known as Gina Inviere individuals apart from their sister Models. And it irks D'Anna that not all of the Cylons are represented to witness her transformation.
"Why have the Eights elected not to have a representative at this meeting?" D'Anna asks and Gina is pleased her fellow agent is also surprised by the exclusion.
"They all chose to be with their sister, they feel concern for her because of the nature of her particular mission." One replies in the mocking way their Model has developed from shared time spent among humans. Gina wonders why all of the Model Ones appear to enjoy looking down their noses at the naivety of those that do not have their depth of knowledge.
The representative of the Model Five moves closer to D'Anna and Gina. He is wearing a light brown suit with a tie of the same colour and a white buttoned up shirt. Gina notices that his black shoes do not look good against the unflattering cut of the suit. He still speaks with authority even though he looks ridiculous in his human uniform. "They were encouraged to come to the conclusion that it was better they did not know all the aspects of this mission."
One shrugs his shoulders dismissively and with a sneer in his voice states, "After all, the Model Eight to be known as Sharon Valerii will consider herself to be human." He laughs out loud, amused by his own cleverness, "What reason is there for her to be briefed when she will blissfully sleep until she is needed."
Four, a tall black male, speaks in a monotone voice Gina recognises she has already started to loose as the emotions and memories implanted in her take hold. Still the Four makes a powerful point in his familiar voice, the sound of which Gina stores into her memory, "This Eight has been programmed to find and stay close to the chosen one. All of the Eights have the human capacity to love and this will help the sleeper agent achieve her main task but it is also the reason why she cannot know what she is…"
"Because our little sleeper could ruin everything by babbling to anyone who would listen to her if she does find out what she is too early!" The One buts in while gesturing with his hand to imitate a mouth opening and shutting by furiously moving his fingers up and down against his thumb.
D'Anna smiles to herself as she realises she understands the gesture while the Representatives of the Models Three, Four and Six, unschooled in human gestures, look blankly at One's hand. D'Anna feels a sudden thrill of excitement for the future when she will share important information from her successful mission only with her sister Threes.
"We do not have all of the human emotions, what if this gives us away?" Gina asks trying hard not to betray her concern and keep her voice neutral.
One walks right up to Gina Inviere and places his clammy hand on the side of her cheek. "My dear, you'll blind all human males with your beauty." He winks at her and adds, "Seriously, I don't think they'll notice that you have not been given the capacity to love and you can at least feel pleasure. Just remember that unlike the modified sleeper you must ensure to always hide the red glow of Cylon pleasure from your human lovers"
Gina bristles under One's touch but she holds still and lets the revulsion she feels inside quietly die down once his hand is removed from her face.
"Cylons have no need for the emotion of love, it weakens and blinds humans. We use reason and look where it has brought us!" Five states forcefully.
"But we'll use love in our war against the Colonies," Two notes with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. He has until now stood back from the rest, but as he moves forward D'Anna realises that there is something very attractive in the manner of the Two. His open insolence and the way he moves exudes an air of menace that is close to animalistic. D'Anna feels that the tension already present at the meeting has palpably increased and it excites her.
Two stands his ground as strobes of electronic light from the red data stream crisscross his body. He is dressed in a casual T-Shirt and combat trousers, in contrast to his suited brothers, and has crossed his arms as he stares at the One who is observing him in a cold calculating way.
When One chooses to back down from the encounter he turns to the group, deciding to offer reassurance on behalf of his brother Two, "The recent download of memories from a Two who suffered a violent death has obviously adversely affected all of the Twos. Perhaps we need to discuss and obtain a consensus about the wisdom of sharing all of the memories of our returning agents."
The Two smiles a long and lazy smile although there is still a dangerous glint in his eye. D'Anna notices that a shiver of fear runs through Gina's body.
"We all wanted to share in the historic leap our brother made. He died as a Dissenter suicide bomber when he blew up a survey ship for their cause so that he could download to the resurrection ship waiting in range on the other side of the Armistice Line. My brother is a hero to the human resistance as well as to the Cylon. He killed thirty-two humans including members of the military who had no business on a supposedly scientific mission. He proved that the humans continue to monitor our space and take a close interest in us." Two's voice sounds proud but the tension is still tight within him as though his body is trying to stop itself from splintering into thousands of bloodied shards.
"Ah, the Dissenters," announces One, "There has been a change of plans with regard to our friends. The information obtained from this recent mission show they are in disarray and the different factions are spending too much of their time fighting each other."
One turns away from the Two and moves to stand directly in front of D'Anna and Gina so that he can give them his full attention. D'Anna is piqued to see yet again how easily he assumes the position of leader without any protest from the others. She decides that on her return she will ensure her voice is heard as well.
The One has a slight smile on his lips as he watches D'Anna before continuing, "It has been decided that you are not to make contact with the terrorists and that instead you will play the part of loyal citizens blindly supporting the corrupt government of President Adair."
A Six approaches the group and the representative of the Model breaks off from the meeting to conduct a quick muted conversation. Gina clinches her fists and lets her finger nails dig into her soft palms as she concentrates on stopping herself from joining her sisters. Although Gina is now different she still yearns to regain the peace of a mind that is their Cylon state. She feels polluted by all of jumbled thoughts and jagged feelings that cut across her thought processes.
The representative of the Six returns and for the first time makes eye contact with Gina. The Six's face remains neutral as Gina gives her a nod of acknowledgement.
"We are at the required co-ordinates, it is time." Six states as she shifts her glance towards One.
"Before your departure I would appreciate a chance to pray with you Sister Gina. To help you with the particular burden of the task you must perform." One states his voice a low soft purr as he invites her to follow him.
Gina follows knowing full well that this is not a request she can refuse without arousing suspicion that she is already questioning the wisdom of this part of the Cylon plan.
D'Anna does not envy the part that Gina will have to play. As it is an unpleasant thought she turns her gaze to look at the Two. He is still standing watching her while the others are resuming their communal exchange of information at the data banks.
Two walks up to D'Anna and he surprises her by grabbing hold of her body and drawing her into a hug. They stand tightly locked together and D'Anna tells herself that this is what it must feel like to be alive as she revels in his wild power. Then Two moves his head closer and whispers in D'Anna's ear, "Don't let the colour of the human world seduce and deceive you, remain true to what you are, Sister Three. And remember also that it is dangerous to speak a truth before its time."