CH 2
Laura went back to her tent after the meeting. It was getting late, she'd yet to make anything to eat and there was school in the morning. Sam walked her back to her tent. Although the cylons kept an eye on her, they had not harassed or tried to arrest her, yet.
Getting to her tent, Laura said, "Thanks Sam."
"No problem. You really think that woman can't tell the difference between us and cylons?"
Laura shrugged and asked, "How would she? My guess is she is angry and most likely fearful of everyone she's seen."
Yeah, and deadly too," Sam reminded her. "Don't ever forget that."
"I won't night Sam."
"Night, Laura."
Laura offered him a smile and went inside her tent. She found the lantern and lit it. At first she thought she had a hump of clothes on her stool. Looking at the form Laura realized she didn't own a shawl, or a jacket that looked like that. Someone was sitting on her stool. "What are you doing…" she froze and swallowed hard. In the light, she could see pink hair peeking out below the jacket. Her question was caught in her throat. She was scared to speak, move, or even breathe.
The woman's voice said, "Make no mistake, I fear no one. Come sit."
Laura wanted to offer a greeting or something. All she got out was , "I …"
"Come sit," the woman commanded.
Laura went over to sit on the bed frame, giving this frightening woman as wide a berth as possible. In her nervousness, she caught the corner of her bed frame and tripped. The lantern flew from her hand. Heart in her throat, knowing the lantern was going to burst open and cause a fire, she let out a yelp. She fell, but the lantern hung in the air briefly and settled down on her small table.
"No noise," the woman intoned.
This close Laura stared as the red eyes as the woman looked at her. "Sorry," she said in a quiet squeak.
Reaching into a pocket, the woman took out a food pack and handed it to Laura. She said, "You are Laura Roslyn, ex President of your people, who are now under Cylon rule. I saw you in that man's memory. What I want to know is, why should I help you at all? I saw your history in that man's mind. You are overbearing and had a war with the cylons once before. They wanted freedom, you tried to put them down. They came back and slaughtered your kind."
"You saw it in who's memory," Laura got the nerve to ask. The woman was talking, that gave her the courage to speak.
"The man in the tent with all the food. I probed his memory to find out your language, his personal history and everything I could. Unfortunately, probing his mind killed him," the woman stated calmly.
Laura noted she'd said it calmly, as if killing someone hadn't bothered her at all. The man's body had no marks on him. Quietly, she asked, "You know my name, will you tell me yours?"
"In the place they held me since I was young, they called me Lucy, which added to my hate for them. My name is Kaede, or as some called me in whispers, Kaede No Kaze. Translated in your language, it means : Wind of Death."
"That's your name?" Laura asked weakly.
Kaede glanced at the food pack Laura was holding. "You should eat that. That fool who brought you here to this planet, where is he?"
"President Baltar is on Colonial One, the ship we designated as the President's ship. He has Cylons near him constantly," Laura said, then asked, "He tells Cylons everything. He's nothing but their puppet now."
"Puppets have strings that can be pulled," Kaede said thoughtfully. "How much influence do you have now?" she asked.
Laura could tell something was working in Kaede's mind. "Some with our … group. Nothing politically any more. Why do you ask?"
"The thought of Cylons killing all the humans here is a pleasant thought on the surface," Kaede said in a musing tone. "They themselves though are bullies, so they are just as bad, if not worse that you are. They need to be gotten rid of. The question is, how?"
"If you kill them, they just resurrect," Laura told her.
Kaede let out a snort and said, "If you kill them. If I kill them, they are not coming back. The two that held me? I destroyed that metal device in their heads along with their brains. There was no transmission of anything. It was instant, total death. How many of them are there?"
"I don't know," Laura said honestly.
"Too many to do one at a time?" Kaede asked.
"Yes. There are eight models, but many copies of each model."
"Where is this Colonial One where President Baltar is?"
Laura swallowed and said, "I hesitate to tell you, because Baltar will have Cylons with him, and they will learn of anything you speak with him about."
Kaede grew a sadistic grin and said, "Let me worry about that." She got up and added, "Tomorrow, you will show me to someone who can take me there. Know now, if there is a trap, the next time I see you, you won't see me coming."
"Where will you be?"
Kaede pointed to Laura's storage space. "Right in there, where I was most of the day today. Get some sleep, Laura Roslyn, I'll return tomorrow."
"Good night," Laura offered and watched Kaede go. Not long after Kaede left, the impact of the last few minutes hit Laura. Her hands shook and she let out a sob. Although Kaede spoke calmly, what Laura learned about the woman terrified her. The things she could do, a hint at being held someplace, that surely added to the woman's deep anger she exhibited. The fact Kaede didn't like humans either, and would not be bothered if they all died. Worse yet, her very name, Wind of Death. Somehow, Laura knew that name was a deserving one.
.
Kaede didn't want to stay on this planet, she wanted to go back to Earth. Not knowing how she got here, she couldn't do that by herself. Thinking over possible options, she decided to help these hateful humans. They were slightly better than those cylons. If these were humans like on Earth, then she could also infect them and make them have diclinous children. Then it would no longer be her against all the humans on Earth.
She was going to make her place, starting with this dismal planet out in the middle of nowhere.
Heading towards where spaceships were parked to get a look at them, Kaede heard a challenge of, "You there! What are you doing out after curfew?"
Kaede stopped and eyed the two policemen who were coming towards her. One brought a light up. She turned her head away before the beam hit her.
"We're going to have to take you in. You should know you can't be out at this hour."
Kaede asked, "Are you human or Cylon?"
"Hands behind your back!" one ordered.
The other said, "Wait, below her coat, and her head, look!"
SPLAT SPLAT
Both headless bodies fell to the ground.
Kaede brought the light to herself and shown it on the ground. The ground was soft enough to leave tracks. She turned the light off and dropped it back on one of the bodies, then lifted herself up and over two rows of tents before she settled back to the ground and walked away.
.
Laura could hardly contain herself during the school day. Last night when she tried to sleep, she kept seeing Kaede's face staring at her. Between the lack of sleep and her conversation with Kaede, she was a wreck. She had no doubt that if she displeased Kaede, she was a dead woman. She also had no idea if she could trust Kaede. Where did that woman come from!
Tory noted her anxiety. At the end of class, Tory asked, "Laura, what's with you? Did you get interrogated by the cylons?"
Laura shook her head and said, "Worse. Tory, I need you to do something for me. There is someone in my tent in that storage area I made. Show them where Colonial One is, then get out of there."
"Who is it?" Tory asked.
"Don't ask, don't tell anyone. Please just do it. You'll understand when you see them," Laura said firmly.
Tory nodded. "OK. I take it this is important?"
"Our lives depend upon it," Laura said firmly. "No questions, just do"
"All right." Tory agreed.
Tory walked to Laura's tent, checked to be sure no one was watching and slipped in. She asked, "Hello?"
There was movement behind the canvas of the storage area and a fully covered figure came out, head down. "You are taking me to Colonial One?" a female voice asked.
Whoever this was, didn't want to be recognized. Tory tried to place the voice, but couldn't. "Yes, you wanted to see it, right?"
A nod.
"Follow me. Stay close," Tory said. She peeked out, then hustle them out and down the row of tents.
Along the way, the woman didn't speak or raise her head. Tory got to the fence separating the landing area from the rest of the city. She pointed out Colonial One. "There, see that tall ship that has a narrow top?"
The figure looked up. "Yes. That is where President Baltar is."
"They won't let you in, and centurions and police guard that ship and the gates." Tory stated.
"That is not your concern. Leave," the woman stated.
Becoming angry at the woman's abruptness, Tory hissed, "Hey I'm doing this as a favor. Who are you anyway?"
Kaede spun her head to Tory and barked, "LEAVE OR DIE!"
Tory's mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. She backpedaled and stumbled to sit, then scrambled up and fled.
Kaede let out a snort and walked away. Stupid humans! She walked around the fenced area to get a good idea of where the metal androids were, and how the humans were placed. Once she had a good idea of how to get in, she walked away to grab a bit to eat and get some rest.
.
Tory looked back to see if she was being followed. She then went straight back to Laura's tent. On the way she saw Galen. She grabbed his arm and said, "Come with me."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Galen asked.
Tory put her mouth to his ear and whispered, "I just led that pink haired monster out of Laura's tent and to the spaceport, I want to know WHY! I'm sure you do too."
"Her tent?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yes! Laura told me someone was there. She failed to mention WHO it was."
Galen paused only when he saw Sam, He gave a whistle. Sam looked, Galen motioned him to follow.
Coming to Laura's tent, Tory, Galen and Sam went in to find Laura sitting on her bed. Laura looked at their stern faces and said, "Last night, I found her here, sitting on that stool. She told me to come sit, I did. She told me her name, Kaede kaz… I don't remember the last part, but I do remember what her name means. Wind of Death. She has no love for cylons or us, and has no problem killing anyone. The woman on the roof she killed for her clothes. The supply manager, she got in his head to get his knowledge and memories. That killed him. She knows our language because of that and much of our history. She did insist on someone showing her where Colonial One was. She's got something planned, I could tell by what she said. What that is, I have no idea."
"So you had me show her where it was," Tory said.
Laura nodded, "Yes. Tory, believe me when I say cooperating with her saved our lives. I looked into her eyes, she's ready to kill at the drop of pen with no remorse whatsoever. Our best option is to do what she says and try to find out what it is she's after before we do anything else."
Galen said, "Well, Laura, you're the first person that's seen her and didn't get killed right away, so maybe you can find out more."
"How did she get into the supply manager's head?" Sam asked.
"She didn't elaborate. It had to be something very intrusive, even though there were no marks on him," Laura replied.
"Think she is going to make some kind of deal with Baltar?" Tory asked.
Laura shrugged and said, "She called him a fool, so I doubt whatever she has in mind for him is very pleasant. She knew I was the previous President. She agreed he's a cylon puppet."
"Think she is going to kill him?" Galen asked.
"With Baltar's ravings, she just might," Laura said.
.
Guias Baltar, president of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, and puppet of the Cylons got a rude interruption, tumbling out of bed with Caprica Six. He felt the mattress tip up, then they landed on the floor. Untangling themselves from the sheets, both cursed and looked around to see what happened. It was dark out, and the lights in the room flicked on.
A firm female voice said, "Get up."
Caprica Six turned to see the pink haired, red eyed woman who bore horns, staring down on them. She grabbed Guias and tried to shield him. "What do you want!" she tried to growl, but her voice came out weaker than she intended.
"I will deal with you after the President," Kaede stated. "Will you wait quietly here, or do I sent you to your resurrection chamber?"
Caprica knew when to shut up. She stepped aside.
Kaede looked at the terrified Guias Baltar who looked like he might wet himself. She let out a snort of "Pitiful." Looking at the wide-eyed president who was holding a sheet up to himself, she asked, "Do you have any dignity at all? or are you completely pathetic?"
Baltar swallowed and said in a squeak, "I do what I have to do."
"So you claim to have a backbone?" Kaede asked.
"I do what I must," he said again.
"Then pick. Who do I kill? You or her?" Kaede asked.
"Me! Kill me," Caprica quickly said.
Kaede grew a crooked grin and asked, "Have the ones I killed when they first brought me here resurrected?"
Caprica cast Kaede a stunned look.
"They haven't and they won't. When I kill you, you will stay dead. Never to come back. Do you still want me to kill you?" Kaede asked.
Caprica only stared at her.
"Is that possible?" Baltar asked weakly.
"So, I kill you then?" Kaede asked him.
"Wait!" Baltar said quickly, "Whatever you want, I'm sure we can make an arrangement so no one has to die."
"You do not understand. I am not negotiating anything," Kaede said firmly. "I will kill one of you here, now. I am giving you the chance to choose who it will be."
"Me," Caprica said in a hollow tone. She took a step forward and said, "Kill Me. Guias needs to live."
"No, he doesn't, but you will do," Kaede stated. To Guias, she asked, "So, I kill this Six then?"
Guias looked scared. He shook his head and said, "If you are going to be cruel, no one can stop you. If you are asking me who your victim is going to be, I will not cooperate. You kill whoever you want!"
"I will," Kaede agreed.
Baltar's back blew out, splattering blood, meat and bone across the wall behind him. There was a visible hole through his body as he toppled back and dropped on the bed, his sightless eyes staring upward.
Caprica opened her mouth to scream, then found her airway cut off by nothing. Her arms were forced to her sides and she was turned to face Kaede.
"You have enough air left to listen," Kaede said firmly. "When you return to your resurrection chamber, tell your people this. Leave. I am not interested in politics, negotiations or excuses. Go, or I will make you go."
Caprica then felt something slice through her neck. She heard her body fall. Her head stayed in place as her vision darkened and went black.
Shortly afterwards, she awoke in a resurrection bath and yelled the words she'd meant to voice a moment ago. "WAIT!"
.
Laura got up in the morning to find Tory already in her tent. She sat up and said, "Morning, any news on Kaede?"
Tory cast her a sad gaze. "Baltar is dead, so is his concubine Six. She was decapitated, he died from a huge hole through the middle of his body. Police, centurions, and bio-cylons are out in force. Everyone is being questioned. They will probably get to us very soon."
"She killed them," Laura stated.
Tory shook her had and said, "The hole in Baltar is as big as his head. His innards are all over the wall behind him. If a canon didn't kill him, it must have been her. You know Laura, we're going to get grilled by the cylons on this and loose what little freedom we have. Tom Zerrak is being confirmed as the new President."
"Gods help us," Laura said in a sigh.
The tent flap opened. A voice ordered, "Everyone inside, come out now!"
Laura got a wrap around herself and came out. A seven was asking questions as police searched tents. Centurions were on watch up and down the street. Laura and Tory were grilled on where they were last night and who they talked to. After the search of Laura's tent was done, they were allowed to go back in.
.
Kaede lay in the overhead compartment in the Presidential office as Tom Zerrak was sworn in right below her. She listened to his rhetoric speech and his promise to ensure justice was done. He assured everyone there was 'no need to fear', and he would work closely with the cylons to ensure the criminal who did this 'heinous' crime would be caught.
After the extra people left, more people came into the office.
"All right, what are we doing about this female … thing that's going around killing people?" Zerak asked in a demand.
A male voice said, "We're searching, and watching the searchers. Every building, tent and space is being searched, everyone is being questioned."
"Have you cylons found out anything at all? Has anyone?"
"I'll tell you what we know," a female voice that sounded like Caprica said. "A patrol picked up an unknown space craft. It was a derelict, much of it missing. Inside was a biological form that had been quick-frozen. It was taken to a lab where it was found the entity was still alive, in suspended animation. Cavil, in all his wisdom had it brought planet side and thawed it out to study it. He had Guias Baltar come take a look to see if it was an offshoot of human. She has pink hair, red eyes and these triangular bone protrusions on her head. While Guias and I were there, she woke up. She killed Cavil and Doral, their heads just … blew apart. A centurion tried to grab her. She ripped him in half and threw the upper half at us. We ducked, the upper half of centurion broke down the door, we ran." There was a pause, then, "Not once did she touch anything. After we fled, she escaped, destroying five more centurions in the process, others have turned up dead or destroyed."
"What is she?" a man asked.
"Last night, she came and informed us myself or Guias had to die," Caprica explained. "There was no negotiation allowed. She blew a large hole through Guias, then cut my head off. There is no explanation on how she is capable of the things she does, or what device she uses. Bullets shot at her deflect away or stop dead in the air, like she has some kind of invisible shield around her. That is what we know."
Zerak asked, "So this being is all-powerful and bullet proof. If we can't kill it, can we coax it to go away?"
"I talked to her just before she decapitated me," Caprica stated. "She said to leave, or she would make us leave. I am not sure if she meant us cylons, or everyone."
"Excuse me," another woman said. "If this … deity wants us to leave, we probably should."
"How do you know it's a deity? It may be an elaborate trick!" another man announced.
"No trick, I was there during the encounters, twice!" Caprica stated.
"And we're to believe a Cylon?" he asked.
"How about if you believe what's been happening?" another woman said.
"We WOULD appreciate it if you would leave," a man snapped.
"Maybe we should, then nuke this place from orbit!"
While the comments got nastier, Kaede noted no one was paying attention to anything outside their argument. She slipped out of the container and across the ceiling to lower herself down between the guards standing on either side of the door. Lowering herself down to stand in the doorway between them, she got noticed. Both guards pulled their guns and yelled," FREEZE!"
Kaede chopped their hands off at the wrist. Both men gasped briefly as their guns and hands hit the floor. They then screamed and tucked their arms under their armpits, trying to stop the bleeding.
All heads in the room turned to gape at Kaede. The room was silent except for the screaming guards.
"Amazing," Kaede said calmly as she strode up the aisle, into the group. "I give one simple demand, and you people turn it into an argument. You choice is clear, leave or be killed. Is that not clear enough for you?"
"Who are you to tell us what to do?" Tom Zerak asked in a demand.
SPLAT
Zerak's head exploded, his body pumped blood from the neck stump as it collapsed.
"Anyone else want to challenge me?" Kaede asked as she looked around. "Anyone else?" she asked again in a little harder tone.
"Do you mean everyone or just cylons?" Caprica asked meekly.
"All of you. Humans, Cylons, big metal androids, and all of your pets too! You have one week. When I return, if you are still here, you will be killed," Kaede stated. She turned and walked out. Silence reigned for a moment after she left, then the arguing began again.
.
Kaede left with her shawl over her head and walked out of the landing area. No one challenged her. Taking a few extra turns to avoid patrols, Kaede passed by a building and heard something odd.
.
Leoben Conoy went down into Kara's apartment. He made sure the door was locked behind him. Kara would escape if given the chance. Going down the stairs he saw her sitting and staring out the window. "I do have good news for you," he said coming down to walk over to the window. "You'll be leaving soon."
Kara didn't respond like she never even heard him.
"Don't worry, you'll have a nice place on the Base Star. I've seen to it," he assured her.
"So, I will becoming a prisoner like you claim I'm not?" she asked, not breaking her gaze out the window.
"I'm taking you up there so you won't die, Kara," he said firmly. "Things are changing. There's an … entity that has caused some destruction and told us we must leave or it will destroy us."
"I'd love to meet it," Kara said with a crooked grin.
"No, it kills humans too. Your President Baltar is dead, as is the one appointed after him, that Zerak guy."
Kara laughed and clapped. "Yes! got any more good news?" she asked with a smile.
"Kara, whoever is on this planet in one week is going to be destroyed! Every attempt to stop it has failed. Centurions can't even stand against it," he insisted.
Kara's smile widened. "You are full of good news today. So, what is this thing? I want to meet it!"
"No. Kara, this … woman shaped thing can kill with a look," he said firmly. "Just being too close can get you torn apart, your head might burst apart for no reason. We talked about it and had a vote. We're pulling everything back from the surface. A few brave ones are looking for this woman to tell her we will comply so we can save some lives."
"Pity," Kara said with a grin. "So tell me just what is this thing that it can make cylons run in fear?"
Conoy took a breath and said, "I haven't seen it myself. The only one I know who's seen it and was the only one resurrected, is Caprica Six. It gave her and the human Quorum an ultimatum to leave the planet."
Kara eyed him and asked, "Wait, what do you mean she's the only one who was resurrected?"
"Other bio-cylons didn't resurrect when she killed them. They never came through the system," Conoy replied.
"So, she can kill you permanently?" Kara asked with a smile. "THAT is why you are scared of her!"
"Kara," he said firmly, "She is interrupting the cycle, interfering with God's plan! That will surely lead to disaster."
Kara cast him a serious look and said, "Go, get off the planet, get far away. Although I don't really like you, it's certain death if you stay here. I will only struggle and try to get away and slow you down. Lock the door on your way out if you want, just go."
"Kara, it will kill you too if you're here."
"I'm pretty resourceful, I'll take my chances," Kara assured him. "Go on, I'd rather hear your bullshit than see you splattered all over the ground. Besides, who else can I stab and they come back for more?"
Conoy chuckled. He then returned to a serious face and said, "I will see you again."
"That bad credit always re-appears," Kara said with a smirk. "Move your ass so you can re-appear."
"Keep yourself alive, Kara Thrace," Conoy said and turned to walk up the stairs.
The moment he was gone, Kara yelled out, "Hey, pink-hair killer! Come waste some cylons for me! I'll do whatever the frack you say if you come get rid of these cylons! Come on, Pinky, come show me what you got!"
As Kara shouted happily at the window, a form rose up outside right in front of her. The figure with a shawl over her head rose up to show she was free floating in the air. Kara also saw the red eyes and some pink hair peeking out from the shawl. Kara backed up in awe. She was real!
The window shattered and the figure drifted into the room. Kara cried out, "You're my frackin HERO!"
Kaede tipped her head slightly and asked, "Why do you say that?"
"Well, you're doing what I wanted someone to do. That frack Baltar is dead, as is that snake Zerak, and when you kill those Cylon fracks, they don't come back," Kara replied.
Kaede grew a slight grin and said, "Then if I ask something of you, you will do it?"
"Frakin-A', unless it's something really fracked up," Kara stated.
"Can you pilot a spacecraft? Say, one that needs to go very far?" Kaede asked.
"Help get rid of the cylons then give me a ship," Kara stated. "Where did you want to go?"
"Home," Kaede stated. "It may be a long journey. I don't care what you do or where you go after that, but I want you to take me home, to my own planet. I also don't want you to breathe a word about this to anyone."
"Do you have a location?" Kara asked.
"No, but I do have a way of finding it. It may take time." Kaede told her.
"Got a name? Maybe we have it charted." Kara offered.
"Some call it Gaia, others call it Terra, most call it Earth," Kaede explained.
Kara grew a bigger smile. "You got it!" she said heartily and stuck her hand out. Seeing the woman eye her hand, Kara said, "We're suppose to shake hands, to seal the deal."
Kaede reached out and clasped Kara's hand. Kara pumped their hands and said, "Let's get the frack started!"
Kaede returned Kara's smile. While she shook hands, she passed some of her DNA to Kara. Yes, this was a good way to infect people.
