Nial Fry, host of Caprica's most watched historical talk show, took his familiar centre seat. His guests on this evening were Arisa Costella, a member of the Pikon Archaelogical Commission's board of directors and advocate of continued out-of-system exploration. Elvin Kafta, long time friend of fellow Caprican Nial, a decorated author of famous political analysises as well as essays on Kobolian myth. Persphone Atlan, young Quorum attache from Tauron, and the biggest anti-Kaftaist on all twelve colonies. And, with his first television appearance since before the Cylon War, Leon Martar; a devote Realist who's views on colonial religion had been well published and harsly received by the church loyals.
-14.32
Welcoming the guests before the show was a custom Nial liked to upkeep, he felt it allowed him to assess what sort of people he was about to open a forum for, and what sort of show he was going to put on. Being an old college buddy of Elvin Kafta the two had met the previous evening for dinner at a quiet resturant serving only the finest homegrown Caprican delicaces. Arisa, Nial had met once previously at last yahren's Peace Banquest on Sagittaron, and their aquaintance was quickly renewed. Persphone, a slender and attractive young woman who's brilliance in the field of research into ancient texts and a like was second to known, was overshadowed by her hatred of Kafta; mainly due to his older brother's involvement in her mother's untimely demise before the Cylon War. Nial had met her only for the first time in the green room where the guests were prepped before going before the camera; the overall impression he'd gotten of her was one of fierce intenseness, that should prove very interesting. At the very least, Nial, figured if the show's material wasn't working he could always just pit her against Kafta and see what happens. The final of his quartet on this particular evening's edition was Martar, a man who's works Nial had heard of through his normal circle of socialites, but had never had the time to read with all his teleivison projects etc. He knew the man was very opinionated by reputation but the man he'd met in the green room shortly before coming to sit in his chair was a quiet reserved, if somewhat antiquated, man; who seemed just happy to be considered a peer in such company. Either he's playing an angle, or the reports are wrong, Nial decided; just reviewing the last of his production notes before he went on the air.
"Ready?" a stage hand called. Nial gave him the nod and the set went very quiet and very dark all of a sudden. "Cue guests," the director said from his raised seat; that almost mimiced a lifeguard's vantage point. In slow succession the four guests filed out from the green room and took her assigned places on the set. The basics had all been rehearsed; from their seating arrangements, to their opening uninterupted arguments... the rest, as Nial was famous for saying, was "Pure Gold".
-13.98
"We're rolling," one stage hand said. "And we're go," said the director; hushing the last few determined remnants of backstage gossipers. All eyes were on Nial; his live show "Caprica Indepth" had gone out without any technical hitches twice a week for the last 13 yahrens making it the second longest running non-fiction show on all Colonial networks. A fact Nial would share with anyone within the sound of his voice at the few dinner parties he was still invited to.
"Hello and welcome to tonight episode of Caprica Indepth. This evening both myself and my guest columnists will be discussing: Kobol. Legendary homeworld of mankind? Or a myth cooked up by zealots to keep the masses from asking the real questions that plague our society today"
He paused, knowing the camera would take that moment to zoom out to encompass the entire studio; showing the audience the show's guests.
-13.92
Nial had been introducing his guests, each had offer a smile and a nod with their recognition. "And lastly, Leon Martar active realist." Nial was about to launch into his first question; which would then lead onto each speaker's first and guaranteed uninterupted speech expressing their particular viewpoint, but was interupted by Martar. It wasn't in the script. "I must point out at this time that realist has a very negative connatation with it and I'd prefer to be known as a Campaigner"
Nial was caught unaware for a moment, the plucky young man who'd started on this show 13 yahrens ago was gone and his current self was a little too used to his usual routine. "Thank you," he said simply, hoping that would be the only outburst from the guy who had been the quietist before the show. He paused a moment, screwing up his forehead trying to remember what was next. When his thoughts returned, and the panic of a flawed live show gone, he put the floor open to the first statements.
-13.57
"I for one believe that Colonial spending could easily siphened from say; the military or useless prisoner rehabilitation programs to fund extra-solar research and exploration into the matter of our origin. I'm sure Quoroum attache Atlan would second that," Arisa paused a moment, hoping for somesort of response from her peer. When Persphone refused to even bat an eyelid at the invitation Arisa surrundered and continued: "I believe it to be vital not only to the completion of historical records, the verficiation of religious claims, but perhaps the key to our very creation? Maybe even our ancient ancestors are still living on Kobol? I mean even the most cynical of capitalists wouldn't turn down the opportunity to perhaps open up a thirteenth market? And nobody could deny our worlds are becoming more and more overly populated by the day, a stress that would possibly be relieved if we found a thirtheenth inhabitable planet."
-13.20
Having heard the first argument from his peer Kafta took his time to cough and shuffle through his notes in the silence as the audience; both at home at the others in the studio, waited. "As a child," he begun; his monotonous voice was already started to fester anger in his peer; sitting opposite Persphone Altan. "My mother raised me believing in the scrolls; their sacredness, their holiness, but surely I am not the only one who has come to question those teachings? Maybe it's just the generations born since the war but some far of distant origin just seems obsurd. I follow the principle of the findings of doctor Barclay, the ancient ruins found under our very own Caprica City are almost unrefutable proof that life originated here on Caprica"
"Phhh," said Persphone. It was quite an interuption, more a releasing of air in an appropriate way, at a appropriate time. "I take it by that Ms. Atlan that our resident attache to the Quorum doesn't agree with my statement"
"Now," Nial intruded, "We are supposed to have uninterupted opening speeches, are you waving yours Mister Kafta?" Nial looked to his old acquaintance, who returned a nod. With the ok Nial relished the floor back to Persphone.
"I can't believe that Caprican arrogance is still allowed in such large quantities on colonial wide networks. Your superior attitude is appalling"
"Sounds about right coming from a Tauron!" Kafta said waving his hand away as if her words were meaningless. "When my mother died..." she began, but caught herself; she had to remember she was a respresentative of the Quorum at all public appearances.
"I apologize Mister Kafta, your point is valid. And I look forward to discussing how your views conflict with my own in coming moments," with that she yielded the floor.
Nial looked back at Kafta, who wore a satisfied smirk. "Thank you Ms. Atlan."
-8.23
Persphone had just delivered her opening statement, she sounded a little more unsure of herself than she had when she begun. Perhaps Kafta's plan had worked all along, Nial made a mental note never to get involved in a political debate with him. Her points could be summed up much like Arisa's only with vague anti-Caprican feelings injected. And now, the floor was Martars.
"I am a campaigner," he began; his old and croaky voice meant hearing him had to be aided by a extra sensitive microphone fixed just out of sight behind his right ear.
"I campaign for the good of all humanity. And even if, one of the old guard, can see that this religious hearsay of a few zealots was invented thousands of yahrens ago to keep the masses quiet when hard to answer questions were raised"
Nial, knowing himself off camera, rolled his ears heavily; he knew this guy wasn't as old and frail as he pretended; he was living up to all his reputation. "Realism is a fact of life. We have twelve colonies of man known to us. We're not counting the thirteenth tribe; Earth"
"Because it doesn't exist," Kafta let his mouth run away, forgetting the rules for a moment; and gaining a disapprovingly look from Nial. Martar continued unheeded however: "And twelve major religious beliefs evolved from those worlds. All of them sharing the same mass exodus ideal. The idea that man came from a common home. I believe this to be perposterous. Based on the findings of many of my peers, and friends in the archaelogical commission have found no evidence to support that any civilization before our own exibited the technological prowess needed to leave a world; still so far away no explorers have discovered it and populate our twelve planets. If our civilization were to die out now... would our technology, the things we build of metal... those things we leave in orbit; would they not survive? Would they not still be here for our descendants to find and ponder our existance?"
-6.76
Nial had done a pretty god job of mediating between the opposing parties. Even with Persphone and Kafta at each other's throats the banter had remained mostly polite on the surface. "If Kobol ISN'T out there," Arisa began to argue, "then why is the Quorum, not offense Attache Atlan, so afraid to send out exploration parties"
"Speaking from a purely corporate point of view, looking for something that may not even exist is a waste of money. You know why funds the majority of all spacefaring?" Kafta said, he was speaking to a peer; but his tone didn't suggest he thought of any of those gathered as that, it was a side of him Nial had never seen. "The corporations! They fund it. Commercial passengers vessels make up 20 of all space flights, freight vessels 70 leaving 10 for government funded vessels such as those archaeic battlestars and other military vessels that are still waiting for the Cylons to come back!" Kafta schuffed especially hard at the last remark, "Companies fly robotic explorer probes using very advanced and accurate ftl drives to remote regions of space to scout for resources that are useful to the colonies. I'm sure my realist friend over here would agree for the need to spend what little resources we currently have out our disposal to look for things that will allow our way of life to continue."
-5.45 Persphone interupted; "Way of life? Like when the Capricans slaughtered innocent Taurons?" Nial held up his hand, "I'm sorry Ms Atlan that's a matter to discuss on another night. He smiled, pleased his presence still quietened the room down, before asking the upto this point silent Martar. "What are you making of what we've heard so far Mr. Martar?"
-5.43
Martar took a long breath out. "From the viewpoint of a Realist Campaigner, I must agree with Kafta." Immediately Kafta let out a small "humph" of victory, eyeing up Persphone from across the studio. "To some extent," Martar continued glaring at Kafta for interupting him. "I agree that strip mining what could most probably be the only twelve inhabitable worlds in the universe to continue our civilization is a bad idea. And it is true that the corporations finance the majority of spacefaring; they even sponsor several military craft, and that their exploration is based using unmanned probes is definately the safest options. But.." Martar trailed off. He seemed to be in somesort of moral dilemma; "I must admit I've had a change of heart.
Us old timers are prone to those from time-to-time. I served during the Cylon War. It was a fighter pilot," he paused for a moment; watching the others reaction. Not many veterans liked to discuss their time during the war, even less talked about it publically; those who were so ladened down with medals they chose not to leave the military and are now mostly rotting behind old memories and even older desks, and the quiet awe and respect he gained in that instant was intense.
"And I know how fragile life can be. What if our way of life were to end. What if mankind's existance was to be extinguished. Would we really want never to know the truth? Know where mankind came from? Where they were going?"
-0.56
Their argument heated up, wild accusation were thrown from Persphone and Martar towards their peers opposite. A team divide seemed to have formed up, and Nial was stuck in the middle. Struggling to keep control of what was looking increasingly like his last show, he stood from his chair in an attempt to physically calm his guests down.