Just a quick note to say that I own nothing and am playing in other people's playgrounds.
World's War Z
Or Colonials, Cylons and Zombies OH MY!
First Infection
Planet Caprica
Military installation outside of Caprica City
"Admiral Nagala sir, if you will follow me I will gladly show you what we've got."
"Thank you Doctor Baltar, what can you tell me now?"
"Well sir, it was picked up by a mining vessel out near the galactic void. It is roughly the size of a Raptor. We know it's hollow but of yet we haven't been able to get it open, also it is or was organic in nature. The outer hull has calcified or hardened into a new substance after it's long travels. You see we carbon dated a section of the hull, it's nearly three million years old."
The Admiral stopped and stared slack jawed at the Doctor.
"You mean it's of alien origin?" he asked in shock.
"Admiral it's trajectory brought it in out of the void between galaxies, it most definitely is alien in origin."
They started walking again and came to a locked, Baltar slid his badge through a card reader. A light turned green and they hear the lock release, he pulled it open and waved the other man in.
Following behind and pulling the door closed until he heard the click of the lock re-engage. They both walked up to a wall of floor to ceiling windows and looked down into the room below which was a beehive of activity. Hazmat suited scientists worked feverishly trying to learn all they could about the craft sitting in the center of the room.
The first thing Nagala noticed was the color of the material, it was a sickly green that looked gangrenous. The surface was a scarred and pitted from micrometeoroid strikes, it was ovoid in shape and slightly larger than a Raptor. There were strange limb like protrusions reaching out from the surface, some had been broken off. He felt nauseous just looking at it, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
"Have you found a way in?" he asked as his throat went dry.
"You are feeling it aren't you?" Baltar asked looking at him. "Most everyone that has laid eyes on it has felt a form of revulsion. And yes we have found an area that looks like a hatch but all of the surface scarring has caused the materials to buckle and fuse together, we will have to cut it open. We have some specialized cutting equipment coming in tomorrow and will hopefully have it open not long after."
"Call me once you are setup, I want to be here when you do get it open. I will also be increasing security for the duration of this operation. Now Doctor if you will excuse me I have a meeting with the President, I've got to fill him in on this discovery. And Doctor Baltar please be careful, that thing gives me the creeps!"
As Admiral Nagala left and the good Doctor stood watching the chaos below an infiltrator step forward running a sensor over the outside of the object. Her mission had changed, it had originally been to get close to Doctor Baltar any way she could and then place the malware to the defense mainframe. Now it was to get as much information as she could concerning the alien object, the Colonials could not gain anything from this that would stop the plan created by the Cylon race.
She could feel the same revulsion the humans had been complaining of, she stepped closer looking at the black pits and scars. She felt flush and began to sweat heavily, breathing became harder and a headache was beginning to form behind her eyes. This was a new experience for her and a part of her analytically dissected all of the bodily reactions. Another part of her though was frightened and wondered why it was happening.
Her vision swam and everything became blurry, she made to take a step back but stumbled and over compensated leaning forward. She reached out automatically to steady herself, her hand coming into contact with one of the strange protrusions. She felt something sting the palm of her hand through the thick glove of her hazmat suit, she quickly pulled it away and looked down in confusion. There was no tear or puncture, did she imagine it all?
"Doctor Natasi are you alright? Did you puncture your suit?" asked one of the technicians reaching out to steady her,
"I'm okay I think, I'm a little dizzy must have been something I ate."
"Are you sure you are okay, you don't look so hot in there?"
"I'm fine, but I think I'm going to call it a day. It's doesn't help we have been at this for two days." she replied.
"Yeah I know what you mean, I'm gonna need some rack time myself. Feel better Doc and I will see you tomorrow when we open this thing."
She felt horrible, she wasn't sure if she would make it to her small apartment. Once she walked through the door she collapsed on the couch. Her entire body was on fire, her joints hurt and her head felt as if it would split in two. Something was terribly wrong with this body, she needed to grab her gun, she would just suffer the consequences of downloading into a new body. Even though she knew something was wrong she didn't have the strength to get up for her gun. She would just close her eyes and hope sleep would come, the pain so intense she eventually did lose consciousness.
Now the way human form Cylons were made a small neurol chip embedded in their cerebral cortex would activate when synaptic functions fell below a certain point and they would be sent through subspace to a resurrection ship and into a new body. What Doctor Natasi or rather Caprica Six had contracted from the alien craft attacked her body on a cellular level. She was the first, it would be four days before someone finally decided to check on her as she had missed the opening of the craft. It was the Cylon race that would begin not only the destruction of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol but also their own.
Armageddon had begun and it would be the end of two races, unless they could unite as one to fight or flee an evil of unimaginable proportions.
6 hours after Second Infection
Cylon Resurrection Hub
Near Colonial controlled space
"What the frak is going on in here?" Cavil One bellowed as he charged into the pod room.
The noise was deafening especially for Cylon hearing. He looked around as both humanoid and mechanical models alike worked to pull hundreds from the resurrection pods. A good half of them were pulled out screaming as if the hounds of hades were tearing into them. Others just sat in whatever position they had been placed in, their eyes vacant. There were several dying of coronaries only to resurrect again in a new body and die all over again.
A Six stepped up beside him a look of shock and horror etched across her face.
"We haven't been able to get a coherent answer from any of them, somehow the Colonials found out about us. The first came through four hours ago, they are from every planet in the colonies. If they have found out about us the plan is void, there is no way we can win against the combined might of twelve worlds."
"Leave this to me, I'm going to head there now and get some answers!" he snarled.
He turned and strode from the room, leaving behind utter chaos. Thirty minutes later his personal Basestar flashed into existence far into the Helios Alpha system near the most inner planet of Icarus, as close to the sun as possible to hide from Colonial dradis systems.
He shoved his hands into the liquid interface opening himself to the flow of data. Within seconds he pulled them back out and looked at his compatriots.
"What in the name of God is happening here?" he asked.
As one they all reinserted themselves back into the flow of information the Basestar was receiving.
News feeds from Caprica, Gemenon, Picon and Tauron were all showing the same images. It looked like riots had broken out on all of the planets, groups of snarling gore soaked people jumping through crowds ripping and tearing apart others in the crowd.
News anchors giving reports detailing an unknown outbreak that was causing aggression and violent behavior.
If what the Cylons were seeing was true, then outbreak had started a little over twenty four hours earlier. It was now being reported on all twelve worlds!
Wireless chatter could be heard from both civilian and military vessels warning of infection. A large cluster of all types of ships were hovering out near the edges of the system past Persephone's orbit.
Military vessels all over the system were destroying any vessel that did not answer their hails.
The entire system was in complete and utter chaos.
"I've got a small vessel closing fast on our location, looks like it's systems are offline and it's inertia is keeping it moving. Caroom seven seven one declination two five zero it's current trajectory will take it into the sun." a five spoke up from across the console.
Cavil perked up "Bring it on board, may we can get some answers from their data banks."
The same Five regarded him coolly "Is that wise, this is a viral outbreak of some sort and we don't know how it is transmitted or how it will affect us?"
"Then this is our chance to find out, bring it on board. Seal of that hanger and have the Centurions do the work, they will not be affected as they have no biological systems. Do I have to think of everything around here?" he sneered.
A Raider was sent out to grapnel the Raptor into the bay. Movement could clearly be seen through the front windows, but of what they couldn't tell as the inside of it was coated with red.
The Centurion squad leader stepped forward and released the hatch, those in the Command Center watched the video feed as four human shaped missiles hurled themselves through the opening. They bypassed the Centurions completely and savagely attacked the biological components of the bay walls and floors.
A loud gasp and then a blood curdling scream rang out through the Command deck, the hybrid that controlled the craft thrashing in her liquid bath.
The lights went out and those still interfaced in the liquid console stepped back as the system crashed. For five long minutes they tried everything they could to bring the systems back up, the entire time the hybrid screamed in terror and pain.
Then an eerie silence descended, they could hear each other breathing heavily. Then a new noise of water splashing and a ripping sound almost like someone tearing a sheet of paper in half. Then the clicking started all of them on the deck frozen in fear none had moved!
The emergency lighting finally kicked on, when it did those present began to scream and run for their lives as the hybrid leapt forward to tear into them, her teeth a hammering out a constant staccato of death.
Four hours after Second Infection
Planet Caprica
Quorum of Twelve Building
Laura Roslin sat trying to stay awake as the current politician a most officious and boring man from Sagittaron droned on about the civil unrest which was the whole topic of the current meeting.
She was exhausted from her final round of chemotherapy. She sat drumming her fingers on the desk she leaned so heavily against lost in thought. The doctors were convinced they had gotten it all this time, but she wasn't so optimistic as that's what they had told her the first time. What she knew with certainty was she could not go through another round of chemo, she would rather deal with the pain and let the cancer take her.
The droning from the front of the room stopped as first one scream was heard coming from somewhere outside of the Quorum chambers and then many more followed.
The ceremonial guards stepped up to the doors yanking them open to see what the commotion was about. When a rolling wave of gore covered humanity came crashing through the door.
Stunned and horrified but transpired around her, she watched as some were bitten and within seconds joined the roiling wave of horror. Others were torn to shreds being eaten alive by their fellow humans.
She scooted down into her seat until she was covered by the table and silently wept at what was transpiring around her.
She didn't have the energy to run or fight thanks to the chemicals that weakened her already fragile body.
She had already resigned herself to death thanks to the cancer that had eaten away at her but was given a second chance and now it looked as if she would be taken out by something even more hideous.
Even though she was resigned to the fact of death the flowing miasma of sickened creatures parted around her as if she were a boulder cutting a river in half.
It was over in minutes as hundreds of Quorum members including President Richard Adar joined in the hunt, being drawn out of the chamber by the sounds of screams and gunshots.
Silence descended on the hall as the horror of what she had just witnessed gripped at her heart, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
She stood and glanced around the destroyed hall her eyes skipping over the gore that could be seen coating every surface. She new fundamentally that she was in shock but turned and walked from the room.
In the corridor leading to the outside world several infected ran past her as if she didn't even exist, the same happened upon exiting the building.
Once on the street she stopped and stared at the devastation around her, a large military vehicle sat parallel to the front of the Quorum building. It had run over several smaller vehicles, it's driver snapping and thrashing in the front seat unable to remove the safety harness from his shoulder and lap.
Other vehicles had their windows shattered, blood and gore visible everywhere.
She sank to her knees, large tears rolling down her cheeks. A question leaving her lips "Why have you forsaken us?" she asked the Gods that obviously weren't listening.
6 hours after Second Infection
Olympus Carrier 879 Luxury Liner
Cockpit
Entering atmosphere of Sagittaron
"I say again Sagittaron flight control, we have riots in the passenger berths. We will need immediate military response upon landing. Make sure the frakin cops are armed, from what I can see these people have gone insane." the pilot was screaming into his headset over the banging and chattering noises coming from behind the sealed bulkhead door.
He turned to his copilot "Thank the Gods they can't get in here!" he said.
"Olympus Carrier 879 you are cleared for landing at gate seven, appropriate teams have responded to your request and are enroute." the air traffic controller responded over the wireless.
"Confirmed Sagittaron flight control, we are inbound for landing at gate seven." he replied.
The great luxury liner out of Planet Gemenon slowly lowered down out of the cloud cover, the great atmospheric thrusters pushing down on the military and swat teams waiting for it's arrival.
On the flight control deck the woman who had spoken with the pilot watched as the units below rushed up to the side of the behemoth spacecraft that dwarfed them and watch as the first hatch was opened. She screamed scaring those in the room with her, all running over to watch as a mass spilled forth from the open hatches tearing into the waiting throng of local and military police.
Shots were fired and some in the mass dropped but it just rolled continued to roll over those outside adding more to itself and devouring others.
Those on the flight control deck began to panic, some running for the exits hoping to find safety.
As the passengers of Olympus Heavy 879 poured from the gangways feeding on young and old alike.
Eight hours after Second Infection
Picon Fleet Headquarters Orbital Shipyards
Picon Orbit
An older gentleman with Admirals markings on his uniform skidded in through the door of the CIC of the huge space station.
"Was that a nuke?" he asked out of breathe
"Negative Admiral that was the Battlestar Ares, she hit us at flank speed. Upon jumping into the area her Commander stated there were actual riots breaking out on board. A few minutes ago we lost all contact with them, what you felt was the Ares hit one of the outer docking arm sections. Our orbit has already been corrected by the automated systems however Admiral there were roughly twelve hundred people in that section. I have already dispatched fire control and rescue teams to the arm and the Ares."
"By the Gods! Good work soldier hopefully we will be able…." he was interrupted by a shout from the work tier above.
"Sirs you need to see this!" the young recruit shouted.
Both he and the Deck Chief sprinted up to look at the monitors that showed a rolling mass of people jamming one of the emergency docking arms that had swung out to the damaged area.
The people were covered in blood and gore, their mouths snapping closed so hard he could actually see bits of teeth flying off. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stood on end and following his gut he bellowed "EMERGENCY LOCK DOWN OF THE ENTIRE STATION NOW!" the crew of the CIC was swift and efficient. Across the station klaxons began to blare as emergency bulkheads slammed into place.
"Open station wide." he ordered.
"Station wide open sir."
"This is Admiral Adkins, this is not a drill! This station is now under full medical quarantine, security teams will be deployed. I repeat this is not a drill, this is a full medical quarantine."
Nodding to the recruit in front of him to shut of the channel he walked down to grab a wireless set "Put me through to Picon ground control."
As the Admiral would soon find out, he saved the lives of nearly ten thousand people on the station by locking it down. On the ground far below the infection had already landed and was being spread like wildfire.
10 hours after second infection
Battlestar Galactica
Helios Beta System Virgon Orbit
CIC
"Commander Adama to the CIC, all hands go to condition one. Repeat Commander Adama to the CIC, all hands go to condition one. This is not a drill!"
"Colonel what in the name of Hades is going on?" Adama asked as he entered the stormed into the command center.
"Bill a communique just came across the wireless from Picon Fleet Headquarters, a plague has been let loose on all twelve colonies. Riots have broken out everywhere, and Fleet Headquarters are in medical lockdown. The Admiral in charge said to remain on station and await for further orders."
"My Gods, did the Cylons do this?" he asked into the hushed silence of the command deck.
"The Admiral didn't say but he did say the virus is one hundred percent communicable."
"Alright people stop all operations, I want everything that was to be taken off of this ship put back into it's rightful place. We are now on lockdown as well, any new vessels are to be thoroughly screened before they touch down on my flight deck." he spun looking at the room at large.
"You heard the Commander, hop to it people."
12 hours after second infection
Large flotilla of ships near Ragnar Anchorage
On board the Battlestar Pegasus
None of the conference rooms aboard were big enough for the crowd now spread out before her as Admiral Cain looked over those gathered. Stations had been set up with wireless operators gathering as much information as possible. Another section had been cordoned off for the scientists to try and get a handle on what they were fighting.
Arrayed before her was a gathering of politicians and news crews.
"Is this a Cylon attack?" asked one journalist near the middle of the group.
"I don't have enough information to answer that question." she replied "All we know at this point is that the virus is one hundred percent communicable. It is spread through bites from those infected, those infected are within seconds carriers. The side effects are uncontrollable aggression and a need to spread the virus to others."
"When are you going to do something?" asked yet another voice.
She gave the Politician who deemed it necessary to ask such a stupid question one of her patented stares reserved for raw recruits. "And what do you think we should be doing? All of the brightest minds we have been able to save are working on this."
"But what is being done?" asked someone from further back in the crowd.
She sighed as the weight of what they were dealing with once again began to drag her under. "Ladies and gentleman we are doing all that we can, as of this moment our only goal is to save as many lives as possible. The infected now greatly outweigh us and that number is growing exponentially."
She turned and walked away trying to stave off the feeling of despair. On the walk to her quarters she was on autopilot, only reflex allowing her to acknowledge her crew as she passed. She sighed again in relief as she crossed the threshold of her quarters and smiled when she caught sight of Gina sitting in the lounge area. A book open in her lap with her legs tucked under her, but her eyes were looking off in the distance a look of worry and confusion sat upon her face.
She turned as Helena walked in and shut the door. She took a deep breath "Helena we need to talk and you may not like what I have to say."
Cain walked over and sat down next to her wrapping an arm around her shoulder, "I'm sure it can't be as bad as what we are dealing with out there?"
"Just promise me you will hear me out before you do anything rash?"
"Gina what is this, you are starting to worry me."
"I'm just going to come out and say it, Helena I'm a Cylon and this whatever it is it's not our doing! In fact the infection has already spread to our homeworld."
8 hours after Second Infection
Cylon Heavy Raider
Caprica Orbit
A Cylon Heavy Raider tasked with finding Cavil One and the Basestar they had lost contact with flashed into existence above Caprica. It's two occupants began scanning wireless transmissions and watching in awe as masses of ships were trying to leave the planet. Many didn't make it out of the atmosphere and returned to the ground far below in spectacular fashion, with no sign as to why they would suddenly drop.
Screams of fear and pain could be heard over the open wireless channels. Some ships were being let through a blockade of military vessels while others were being blown apart.
"What the frak is this?" asked one of the two
"I'm not detecting the Basestars transponder and the Dradis is frakked with whatever this is. We need to find out what is happening here, take us down to the outskirts of Caprica City."
The Raider slid down through the atmosphere unmolested by the ships fleeing the planet. It landed in a grassy field near a Temple of Zeus.
The two human form Cylons stepped out and stared at the scene before them. Parts of the city were on fire, screams and gunfire were a constant off in the distance. They moved forward toward the temple, thumbing off the safeties on their guns. A figure rounded the corner running toward them, he put his finger to his lips and waved them to follow. All three moved swiftly up the steps and into the temple as they followed the priest.
Once inside he spoke "Help me move these benches in front of the doors and hurry!" he whispered.
Outside a clacking noise could be heard and the sounds of hundreds of feet moving across the portico they had just run up.
"What is going on here?" asked the asian looking of the two.
The priest hissed "shhhh help me block the doors and I will answer all of your questions." he whispered.
A thump of something hitting the door was heard and his eyes filled with fear "Hurry!" he again whispered.
If he had not been so afraid of what was on the other side of the door he would have noticed and questioned how to small women picked up and moved several heavy benches to block the doors.
Once he felt they were relatively safe he motioned for them to follow him further into the temple.
"It started a few hours ago, reports of riots in the streets. Not long after martial law was instituted, I was giving a sermon when it happened. They came in and attacked my congregation biting, ripping and tearing. Those that were bitten within seconds got up and joined the mass of people. I can only say by the grace of the Gods I was not touched, they just poured around me. As long as you stay quiet they ignore you!"
"What is it exactly?"
"Some sort of virus, I heard some officials over the wireless that think this is some form of Cylon biological attack."
Both human form Cylons looked at each other, "You don't think Cavil had anything to do with this do you?" the Eight asked her fellow Six.
"This can't be Cavil, if he were working on biological weaponry we would have known about it. No I think this is something else completely, but whether it's the Colonials or something else I don't know."
Pounding on the doors they had come through made all three of them jump. "Please let us in, they aren't far behind us. PLEASE!"
Screaming started from behind the locked doors and then the doors were knocked against the benches holding them closed. A gap could be seen, the Six stepped up and looked out in horror and humans of every shape and size tore into a group of survivors. She gasped drawing the attention of one near the door, it flung itself at the gap reaching one arm through with it's teeth chattering.
More from behind joined the one and the doors slowly inched open, she spun around to run back to the priest and her partner. A child covered in blood and gore squeezed through the widening gap, the Eight watched as it reached out and grabbed Sixs leg sinking it's teeth into her leg.
She screamed and then fell her body convulsing, within seconds she stood back up her teeth chattering looking around.
"Come on girl, we have to get out of this building make no noise and follow me." he whispered.
They moved through the door of an office, the priest closed the door quietly behind them.
"You should go out the window." he told her.
"What about you?" she asked
"I will try and hold them off until you make it out safe." he replied
"Thank you!" was all she could say.
She eased the window open and looked to see she had a clear shot to the Heavy Raider, all she would had to do was make it in. The system was set with an emergency recall back to the Colony all she would have to do is get in and hit the switch. It was be risky jumping from the gravity well of Caprica but at this point is was the better of the two options.
She shimmied through ran full out toward the open hatch, she turned to see a mass of writhing humanity headed for her. One broke away from the writhing mass as she reached the hatch, it followed her into the Raider.
She hit the hatch release and and the emergency recall switch just as the one who had followed her in bit down on her shoulder.
From the outside the craft shook and in a flash that took a great deal of the ground around it as well as few of the creatures clinging to its hull with it.
8 hours and 30 minutes after Second Infection
Cylon Colony
Near the accretion disc of a black hole sat the Cylon Colony an immense structure the size of moon but shaped like a starfish with eight spokes reaching out from the central section.
Near a bay that could hold a large amount of Basestars a Heavy Raider appeared, the autopilot systems maneuvered the small craft into a docking bay. The doors closing behind it as atmosphere was pumped in.
The Five working that section noticed that no one exited the craft, he pulled up information on the Raider. The computer stated it had just come from Caprica which peaked his interest. He stepped out of the control room and walked to the Raider, opening the hatch he would be the last thing he remembered.
WIthin five hours the Colony would be a husk of death and destruction. Only a few human form Cylons would remain, the Centurions helped those escape that they could. The remainder of the human form Cylon race could easily fill one Basestar. The Centurions would soon become the only hope of survival for all.
20 hours after Second Infection
Caprica City Spaceport
A small group of survivors were gathered in the empty spaceport. It was an odd assortment of young and old, many in hospital gowns as that was where they had been found.
"I can fly it, that's no problem. But it is going to need fuel and that is a problem, because the minute we fire up one of those damned trucks this place is going to be swarming with those damn things." A retired military pilot told Roslin.
"The only way we are going to be able to make it off of this God's forsaken planet is sitting right there and you are telling me it's too risky?" she asked
"No, what I'm telling you is that who ever drives the fuel truck over is a dead man!" he retorted.
A younger man stepped up from the group and cleared his throat. "I'll do it!" he stated
Roslin looked him square in the eyes "You know you won't make it? What he is saying is true! We will have to get everyone onboard and lock it down before you move that truck."
"I know but I'm a dead man walking anyway, I never expected to make it as far as I have. I've got a non operational brain tumor, it's only a matter of time. At least this way I can go out on my own terms." he replied.
Roslin stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder, "I will make sure your sacrifice is remembered. What's your name youngman?"
"Zach Eliopoulos ma'am."
"Thank you Zach, you do your fellow Colonials proud!"
It took nearly thirty minutes to get the group of nearly forty people out and across the tarmac, once on the transport everyone quietly took their seats as those that had taken charge worked to lock down the ship.
On the tarmac near a the tylium truck Zach waited patiently for the signal from the cockpit window.
He watches as those crewing her get into their positions a few moments later a white handkerchief is waived.
He jumps in the truck and starts it up, it only takes a few moments to drive to the transport. It takes several minutes to pump in fuel and as he is disconnecting the hose he sees them coming. A great rolling mass of inhuman flesh!
He jumps back into the truck and speeds away, there is no way for the transport to lift off with a highly volatile truck of fuel sitting near the engines. As he is driving away he waves out the window to the pilot and then speeds out into empty streets trying his best to put some distance between him and the horrors that follow.
The transport comes alive as atmospheric thrusters are engaged and screams ring out within the cabin as the infected turn and start clammering over the outside of the ship.
A few moments later and the ship is airborne, bodies fall off of the fuselage as it accelerates toward orbit. Those inside breathe a sigh of relief as they watch the last body fall away.
Walking into the cockpit Roslin asks "Are there any military vessels near by?"
"One moment ma'am." the old pilot replies as he toggles switches.
"No ship's nearby but I have a repeating message that all non infected ships are to meet at Ragnar Anchorage."
"Then by all means let us head to Ragnar!" she says staring out the cockpit windows. She had done it, no they had done it. Saved the lives of forty people and were now safe from the horrors below.
20 hours after Second Infection
Battlestar Galactica
Helios Beta System Virgon Orbit
CIC
"Sir I just got a flash message from Fleet Command, they need a ship to mount a rescue mission to Caprica. A Doctor Gaius Baltar and hundreds of others are barricaded in a military instillation about eighty kilometers outside of Caprica City." Anastasia Dualla said from over his shoulder.
"They have got to be frakkin kidding, right?" Tigh asked from next to Adama
"It says they have vital information concerning the virus sir and are a top priority rescue." she replied.
"Damn! Mr. Gaeta set coordinates for Caprica orbit. Saul I need you to get with the pilots and set this up."
"I hope to God's they have a cure for this or those pilots and ground pounders that will be helping are as good as dead." he said in disgust walking out of the CIC.
Thirty minutes later Colonel Saul Tigh stood in the briefing room facing those that would be undertaking this suicide mission.
"And that's what we need you to do. We are now in orbit and have been monitoring all satellite feeds of the area. There doesn't seem to be any infected around but that will change once we get near the ground. From all accounts these things follow noise so that will be our biggest problem."
"Sir!" a hand went up in the front row and he took a deep breath.
"Yes Starbuck!"
"If they are attracted to noise, why not outfit several Raptors with speakers and circle the area say ten clicks out and then lead them on a merry chase?" she asked with a cocky grin on her face.
He looked at her with his jaw hanging open for several seconds and then snapped it shut "That Lieutenant is not a bad idea! Alright people we have a plan, let's put it in motion."
An hour later a squadron of thirteen Raptors landed outside of the installation, they quickly shut down all systems so as not to attract any attention.
A complement of ten Marines jumped out and entered the facility, they ran into several infected and put them down easily.
They found the secure doors to the labs and knocked. A few moments later the door was opened by Gaius Baltar himself.
"Oh thank the Gods you are here, how are we getting out?" he asked
"We have Raptors waiting for us out front, I need everyone to create groups of ten each. Each group will run to a specific Raptor and once on board we will take off." The lead Marine said to the gathered scientists. "Grab only what you can carry on your person, this is going to be a tight fit."
"What about the infected?" asked a scared female scientist.
"We have drawn them away from the area using noise, but we need to hurry incase some heard our Raptors approach."
Their exit from the building was unmolested as each group loaded into the waiting craft.
Moments later they were airborne and enroute to the Galactica, many of those present sighing in relief.
Once the aircraft landed aboard Galactica Commander Adama met them in the bay.
"Doctor Baltar, I hear you have some information about all of this?" he asked
"I do sir, but I'm afraid those in command are not going to like what I have to say." replied Baltar
"Walk with me Doctor, my crew will take care of your companions." he said and headed for a corridor heading for the CIC.
"What is this Doctor and where did it come from, did the Cylons do this?" he asked as they left behind the landing bay.
Baltar sighed heavily "In a way Commander yes they did, but it is not their fault. It is ours! You see over a week ago an artifact was found coming in from the void between galaxies. We ran tests of all kinds on it and even tried to get it open. One of our Scientists or so we thought she was actually a Cylon infiltrator fell against the thing and was somehow infected with a virus that is literally millions of years old. We didn't know she had been become infected, she went home. We found out two days ago thanks to some hacking of the military mainframe that she is a Cylon. The only reason we know this is there were hundreds of matches for her from facial recognition software. I guess you could say she was spying on us, but the interesting thing is her very human body mutated the virus. She died sometime after reaching her home, or I should say she was brain dead because her body still moved. We found through research of a subject that all higher brain functions stop, but those controlling autonomic bodily functions continue. Those infected become violent and have only one objective, to spread the virus."
Baltar took a deep breath and continued "Now we can only theorize that this was either a biological weapon of some sort or a natural phenomena. There is no way for us to know for sure without finding where it came from and that Commander is impossible. The artifacts trajectory was calculated and it came in from the Andromeda Galaxy which is two point five million light years from here. There is no feasible way for us to cross the great void to find the answers that we seek."
"Can you cure this?" asked the Commander as he stopped in the middle of the corridor looking Baltar in the eyes.
"I'm sorry Commander, we have tried everything we know and where this virus is concerned there isn't a lot of information for us to go on. Since it mutated with the first infection it keeps mutating with newer infections, we are so out of our depths here. My only advice would be to leave the Cyranus Cluster and find a new home out among the stars, our worlds are dead to us Commander. The risk of infection is just too great!"
Adama sighed and started walking again "We will be heading for Ragnar Anchorage to meet the fleet gathered there once we have swept the system for survivors. I'll have a crewman show you to some quarters Doctor Baltar and thank you for being so candid with me."
21 hours after second infection
Large flotilla of ships near Ragnar Anchorage
On board the Battlestar Pegasus
"Admiral on the bridge!" the Marine guarding the door to the CIC called out.
Admiral Helena Cain was not having a good day, granted none from the twelve colonies were having a good day but hers just seemed to keep piling shit on.
Her emotions were conflicted now that she had found out that Gina was a Cylon infiltrator, but the information she had passed on. She knew she needed more information in order to make better decisions but the betrayal of the one she loved was what hung on her the most.
She had Gina arrested and placed in confinement, with orders that no one was to speak to her.
Her attention was pulled away from her inner turmoil as the dradis operator called out. "Admiral we have two ships that just jumped in near the outer edges of the fleet. One of them reads as the Galactica the other as a pleasure craft called the Persephone. We are receiving hails from both."
"Give me Galactica." she commanded.
"Adama is that you?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am it is, I come bearing gifts but I'm not sure if you are going to enjoy what they have to say. "I've got a group of scientists from a black ops facility on Caprica, they know where the virus came from." he replied.
"Do they know how to cure it?" she asked hope rising only to be dashed by the next statement.
"They do not Admiral and believe it can't be cured. I will come aboard with the lead scientist and let him give you the rundown. Also you should expect more ships heading here, Fleet Command is abandoning station. But I will fill you in on that as well once we arrive."
"I look forward to seeing you Commander." she replied cutting the connection to Galactica.
"Ma'am the Persephone is requesting permission to dock, the Secretary of Education whom they say is the senior surviving member of the Quorum. She also says she has some information concerning the survivors onboard her ship.
"Give them permission to land and have her sent to my office with Adama and his scientist." she commanded as she turned and headed moved toward the door.
22 hours after Second Infection
Large flotilla of ships near Ragnar Anchorage
On board the Battlestar Pegasus
Admiral Helena Cain's Office
"This is something out of one of those horrible science fiction movies I use to watch as a kid!" she stated after listening to what Baltar had informed her.
"I am still having trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that there are human form Cylons." Roslin said looking around the room.
They were interrupted by the phone ringing on Cain's desk.
"This is Cain!"
"Admiral we just had six ships jump in…" her XO started to say.
"Yes I was expecting Admiral Christos to be jumping in from Picon." she cut him off.
"That's just it Admiral, these aren't Colonial ships. It's the Cylons sir!"
"Set ship to Condition One, put us between those ships and the fleet. Bring all batteries online!" she shouted into the handset as she stood.
Commander Adama stood as well and headed for the door, he needed to get to his ship.
"Bill there's no time, come with me to CIC." she told him as they exited her office and rounded the corner to the Command Center.
"What are they doing?" she asked as they walked through the doors.
"Nothing Admiral, but we are receiving a wireless transmission. They say they are not here to hurt us, that the infection has spread to their world. They are saying they need our help as we need theirs."
She turned and looked at the marine guarding the door, "Get Gina up here now!" she ordered.
"Give me a line to them."
"This is Admiral Helena Cain, how do we know this is not a trick?" she asked.
"Admiral my name is Leobon, there is no way for us to prove that we mean you no harm. But I think at this time we have no choice but to trust each other. These six ships are all that is left of the thousands we had and it was only pure dumb luck that none of them have the infection aboard. Only a few hundred of my brothers and sisters survive, the majority of our crews are Centurions. They have told us we have no choice but to help you, that our two races will be extinct if we don't."
Everyone in the CIC looked shocked at this revelation, she looked at Commander Adama and he shrugged his shoulders and said "What choice do we have, you heard Baltar we can't return home. And it sounds like neither can they, bring them onboard and let's talk it over."
Gina walked into the CIC with the marine following. "Your fellow Cylons have arrived." Helena said trying not to look at her.
Gina sighed "What have they said?" she asked
"That this virus has wiped out the human form Cylons and those six ships hanging out there are all that's left of the Cylon race."
"Admiral, sixteen new contacts just jumped in. It's Admiral Christos and what's left of Fleet Command. He is arming weapons and targeting the Cylon ships!" the dradis operator informed her.
"Get me a channel to him!"
"Admiral Christos this is Admiral Cain, stand down from hostile actions. The Cylons are not our enemy and those six ships are all that remain of them."
"Admiral Cain explain!" was his reply.
And so she filled him in on all they had learned since the arrival of Adama, Baltar, Roslin and the Cylons.
"Jacob!" she said dropping all military protocol. "This is it, this is all that remains of the colonies. We have no choice but to search for a new home because ours is dead."
"Where would you have us go Helena?" he asked.
"Somewhere out there is the thirteenth tribe, perhaps they could take us in?" she replied.
"But the thirteenth tribe is a myth isn't?" Roslin said.
"What choice do we have but to try?" asked Adama
Cain looked at all of those present and then turned to her XO "Colonel Fisk plot a course past the redline, send the coordinates to all of the ships out there. We will find Earth and rejoin our brothers and sisters."
24 hours after Second Infection
Deep Space
A message sent out amongst the stars!
"A terrible plague ravaged the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and the Cylon race, in a desperate bid the survivors came together and began a journey that would lead them on a search for a mythical planet called Earth."
"There are those who believe...that life here began out there, far across the Universe...with tribes of humans...who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians...or the Toltecs...or the Mayans...that they may have been the architects of the Great Pyramids...or the lost civilizations of Lemuria...or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man...who even now fight to survive-somewhere beyond the heavens!"
A/N: Okay so for the past year I have had this idea fermenting in the back of my head about a zombie apocalypse in the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. I was originally thinking like a Battlestar Galactica and Walking Dead crossover. But I couldn't reconcile the fact of this great space faring civilization falling to a walker infestation. This past weekend at work the idea hit me that maybe I should go with World War Z instead.
And what you have just read is what I came up with in like four days time exactly and I am very happy with how it turned out.
Yes I did give an explanation for the virus, I hate those movies and books that don't at least try to give some kind of plausible idea.
This is it for now, but I did leave it open for a sequel if inspiration hits. I mean hello an alien virus that's millions of years old and from another galaxy.
I hope you all enjoy this story, it has given me a break away from Destiny's Forge which I must admit I have a bit of writer's block on. The next couple of chapters are written-ish, I am just not happy with a chapter that has already been posted and am trying to figure a way to rewrite it without such a huge MacGuffin.
As always PLEASE REVIEW!
Much love KalEl Ashkevron!