Chapter Six
'Home, Hot Home'
One day post invasion
Tau Ceti star system
Home:
Six 'Race' years earlier, a Tau'ri ship had arrived, and with its presence signaled a series of events that would shock the Race to the cores of their beings and placed them on a path that would forever change how they viewed the universe. The race of Lizardians believed that they were the epicenter of scientific and cultural evolution in the universe. They believed that everything centered on them and their beings. In most ways that counted they were like most other species in the galaxy that had never encountered, or had encountered intelligent species less advanced than they. For the Race, the aliens of Halless and the Rabotev systems were such sentient creatures. Once discovered by the Lizardians, they took their time to carefully plan and conquer their neighbors.
Armed with huge star-faring ships, filled with radar-guided missiles, machine guns, and fighter jets called Killercraft, and land cruisers (tanks), they arrived with several million soldiers with the intent to subject the helpless aliens for the glory of the Race. Both the Halless and Rabotev aliens hadn't a chance to protect their homes from the invaders. Both species defended themselves against the Race using what weapons they had – with arrows, spears, catapults, and stone.
The Race had nuclear weapons capability, an unfair advantage true, but when the Race came conquering they came to win. With aero-jets capable of sub-orbital launch and tanks able to withstand anything the catapult throwing aliens could attack them with, the Race quickly conquered them. The ships sent to conquer those worlds were packed with every advanced weapon the Race had, including nukes. The philosophy of the Race was that if you were going to war then you went to war to win and the configuration of the conquest fleets reflected that. On each world, less than a dozen members of the Race were killed in battle. The Lizardians war machine was swift and efficient, taking both worlds easily, and within a few generations the Hallesses and Robotevs were fully incorporated into the Empire of the Race.
The Lizardians of the Race had reached out and conquered their neighbors, species that although alien were remarkably similar in anatomy to their conquerors. Using those observations, they made the assumption that most other species in the galaxy would follow the same evolutionary track, so it didn't really occur to them than some worlds contained species that would look radically different from anything than they had imagined, not that they had real imagination as Humans would understand the word. They were an old, stable species, set in their ways, trained for thousands of generations to follow their Emperor and to obey. When they died, their religious beliefs dictated that their spirits would go to serve the dead emperors' spirits of the past forever. To serve the spirits of their emperors pasts – that was their concept of heaven.
To the members of the fifty thousand year-old dynasty, obedience and servitude to the Emperor was ingrained into them and their culture. It was one that almost abhorred change, taking slow, deliberate steps and they progressed carefully, concerned about any advance that could possibly destabilize their civilization. The aliens incorporated into the empire were given equal rights but this term was a misnomer as they could not enter politics or the military – ever. That was a condition imposed by the Race in order to maintain their control and to nullify any possible rebellion, as impossible as that might have been. In short, they loved the way things were. However one of the problems of such a stable society lasting more than a hundred thousand years without conflict was an increase in population. A fundamental core of the Race was their strong belief in manifest destiny; that they had the right do conquer others because they could by right of strength. Before the first expedition was sent conquer their neighbors, the desert world of Home was home to over fifteen billion Lizardians and growing. As with any empire and population, it needed to expand into new territories or the repercussions would be horrible as resources were used up. The race was conservative and protected the resources of Home with a dedication that most human civilizations couldn't match, but there was only so much they could do.
Once conquered, both Rabotev Two and Halless One became home to millions and millions of Lizardians – forever. Flushed with two victories over the tens of centuries, the Race would eventually begin their search again for a nearby habitual world. Once found, the Empire would then spread once more. Interestingly, it never occurred to any member of the Race that finding such habitual worlds so close together should have been by all rights impossible. It was also interesting that the Race never had a clue that they too had been observed for thousands of years by an entity they couldn't have conceived of.
The being was an ancient creature, some say an immortal, others a demon, still others, a snake. But whatever this creature was called, ten thousand years earlier, he was power, beyond anything the Lizardians could imagine and the Supreme System Lord Ra, undisputed ruler of the Goa'uld was well aware of the Race, the Robotevs, and Halless. Although the Race would sneer at the thought that as little as ten thousand years earlier there was a power that would have rivaled anything that they could have imagined, the Supreme System Lord Ra knew of them and watched.
In the early days in their quests for dominance, many wars were fought for Ra's territory by other System Lords. Entire worlds were rendered lifeless, dozen of species extinguished by both Ra and the others System Lords in their quest for power and their overall paranoia. Ra, using his guile and superior technologies unknown to the others ruthless crushed his enemies and once he secured his base, he rested. Then Ra gazed upon his territory observed the Race, the Hallesses, and the Rabotev and smirked. To him, they were nothing. Their bodies would not serve his needs as had the primitive of Earth and more importantly, they were not a threat to his empire. Like the Race and the other two alien species, Ra hated and feared change as it threatened him, the status quo, and overall plans. The Race so similar in attitude to his own hated change as much as he served him well and he left them alone. He was amused by their similarity in attitude, and in that amusement, they had been granted life.
There were a few that suspected, but no one knew for sure if the rebellion by the primitive Humans and their attempt on his life had done something to him. But it had. Somehow it broke him. Daniel Jackson and several others advanced a theory that since a dying Ra had been so close to experiencing the final darkness before he took his first and only Human host, the rebellion, which could have been easily quelled given his advanced technology, forced to the surface this own primal fear of death which dominated his every subsequent action. Instead of squashing the rebellion, he ran. The other false gods even in his absence stayed away, afraid of Ra's power and the Race and other locals along with one of the richest habitual world-bearing sectors in the galaxy remained protected, isolated and then eventually forgotten.
Unfortunately for Ra and the Goa'uld, the forgotten Earthlings, Terrans, Tau'ri, or whatever their names the people of Earth are called, did change and grow, a nuclear bomb shoved in Ra's face was the final result. It was a bad day for the leader of the false gods and his annihilation signaled the beginning of the Goa'uld – Tau'ri conflict.
As for Race they had discovered Earth close to a thousand years earlier. They examined it, determined that it was suitable for their species to inhabit. In Earth's twelfth century, they sent a probe to determine the true viability of the third world they called the Tosev system. They found it inhabited (with no Ra who had left Earth thousands of years earlier, which was a good thing for them) by ugly alien clad in armor and riding huge fur-ridden creatures and throwing spears at each other.
The Lizardians were pleased at what they found and made preparations to incorporate another world into the Empire. The conquest was given the okay, the books on how to conquer other worlds and suggestions thereof, were dusted off and opened, and shipbuilding began. In a mere sixteen hundred Race years or eight hundred Sol years, they could invade and bring Earth or Tosev Three as they called it, into the Empire as they had the others. After all, the Tosevites couldn't possibly advance in a mere eight hundred Earth years, to be able to counter anything the Race had when they came to conquer. They hadn't even discovered electricity yet and if they were like everyone else (as in the Race, Hallesses, and Rabotevs) they wouldn't for another one to two thousand years. By then it wouldn't matter, since they would be good, loyal members of the Race – no matter how ugly they were. Sentients simply didn't change that quickly. Using every scientific measurement they knew, it was simply impossible.
That conclusion was perhaps the greatest mistake the Empire had ever made.
It didn't help that they added another seventy years to the already eight hundred Earth years to the overall plans to implement a small but critical improvement related to Killercraft effectiveness. To the Race another seventy years was a small period of time. To the far majority of the Tosevites-Earthlings living in the twenty-first century, World War Two was ancient history. Earth Advanced by leaps and bounds at a speed that the members of the Race couldn't hardly even grasp, let alone measure. By the Earth year two thousand nine, Earth as in the Tau'ri had the ability to vaporize the Race's massive fleet in less than a half hour and been back home in time for dinner.
The Race was not amused by that discovery; however there was nothing that they could have done to stop their slaughter if it had occurred. If they had been aware of the situation a few decades earlier, they would have decided to, without a doubt, use explosive-metal weapons (nuclear weapons) and bombed Earth flat and that would have been the end of it. Instead, they were trapped in a sort of limbo, discussing the dangers of the Tau'ri/Tosevite/ Big Uglies and the political, economic and military impact that discovery entailed. The first impulse was to order an immediate and massive nuclear strike which could be achieved in a mere forty Race years.
Warmer snouts prevailed however, thank the spirits of the emperors past, and that plan was reluctantly removed from consideration for several reasons, one of which was that the Tosevites could and would retaliate in a matter of hours with metal explosive weapons far more devastating than anything the Race currently had. Furthermore, the much accursed and feared Big Uglies defied the laws of physics with their ships that moved far faster than the speed of light. That was technological madness on its own that the Race couldn't possibly equal.
One day prior to invasion
Caprica City- Caprica:
The third Red phone began ringing.
The secretary froze, her heart nearly skipping a beat.
Long distance.
She knew who it had to be.
She waited.
It continued ringing.
Twelve times.
Silence.
Immediately she picked up her own phone and called the President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol and then the Secretary of State.
It took five minutes before the Secretary Mencona answered.
"It's the third phone," she said.
"How long ago?" he immediately asked.
"Eight minutes."
"He'll call back in two minutes. Answer the phone, tie the translator in, and tell him I'll be there shortly. And tell him the President will be on to speak to him within twenty minutes. You've contacted the president?"
"Yes, Sir. I contacted his security."
"Good."
One phone was disconnected while she glared at the other. This was going to be a late night for her.
President Antonius Goesel of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol rubbed his cheeks, trying to get the circulation going again. His wife was unconscious, still sleeping despite the constant beeping of the phone on the nightstand. He swore that that phone was making his hair grayer each time he looked at it, like some kind of evil aging device. He was still in his late forties but that phone and the job was aging him faster than he'd like. Each time it rang, it was a guarantee of another headache – and just how long had he had this job?
"Yes?" he asked. It wouldn't do to snap at the very people whose job it was to wake him in the early morning.
"Red Phone number three," the secretary had told him.
This would happen just before he could finally get some real sleep, Antonius Goesel thought. Less than an hour after he'd finally gotten to sleep, this the phone rang. "Have Secretary Mencona talk to him when he calls back.
"Yes, Mister President."
It took a few moments to gather his bearings before he grabbed his clothes. Kissing his still unconscious wife, he exited the bedroom. Grabbing his coat he opened his door to be greeted by two security men. Nodding they headed to the car. Five minutes later, he and his shadows were ushered into the capital building. Stepping lightly, he was met by two CFD commanders. Quickly, he and three of his aides, along with the commanders filed, into the elevator which swiftly transported them to the Presidential level. The door slid opened and two more aides appeared along with two high ranking military officers.
Tomas Stiles, a young man in his middle twenties started speaking as soon as Goesel's feet hit the hallway. "It started ringing twenty minutes ago. Twelve rings as per usual and then stopped. He's on now, waiting."
"The transmission. Can we track it this time?" grumbled the President already knowing the answer. It was a waste of breath, really.
"They're using their subspace signal to piggyback onto one of our own satellites from wherever their probe is. We're still trying to track it down."
"That's all I ever hear," he grumbled. "Find it. It's a stealth probe. It's not invisible."
"Yes, sir. We're trying."
Goesel merely grunted. The stealth probe that the Tau'ri used to spy on Colonial territories was as good as the three they had in the Apellai system. The Apellai probe had never been found let alone detected. Two years of dedicated searching and still the thing had evaded the CDF. It could make phone calls for the gods' sake!
Since the defeat of the Cylons the Colonials had subspace communications technology but their understanding was still in the early stages and only a few ships had prototype systems installed, but obviously the Earthers were ahead in the field. "Why does he call in the middle of the night, all of the time?"
"We believe that he does it on purpose," Tomas answered.
The others said nothing but most suspected that the President of the Thirteenth tribe did choose these times on purpose."
"No doubt," Goesel said, giving proof that he suspected the very same thing.
"Did Mencona say why Hayes was calling?"
"He wouldn't tell him, not this time."
Goesel felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air-conditioning in the building.
'Did they know?' he wondered, not for the first time.
Home:
Imperial Place - City of Preffilo
In his private chambers, Emperor Runshan's tongue flickered in anticipation of today's proceedings. His chambers was one of the few places where he could relax away from prying eye turrets and act as a typical member of the Race, or as much as he could given the fact that he was absolute ruler of tens of billions subjects. In another few moments he would enter the Great council hall and become the Emperor once more, using all of his considerable control to keep from biting his fellow leaders; but for now he could simply marvel at the way the blessings of the emperors past had converged to make him Emperor of Home. After twelve years, the secret thrill of living in the Palace with the power to control the lives of billions on four worlds still remained and he quietly reveled in it. But with such power came a great responsibility to rule wisely, something that the previous emperor had wore into his hide over and over again until it had become like a second layer of scales. He loved the thrill it gave him but he never forgot the dangers that hid in the crevices of his scales. With that firmly entrenched in his mind, he took a deep breath, allowing the hot, dry air saturate his single lung and cast one eye turret towards a huge, full length mirror that was two thousand years older than he was. The gold paint was as immaculate as ever and he could see no flaws. Of course, there wouldn't be any as the imperial Lassavors were so good at their jobs. From generation to generation, they had served the emperors and the court with distinction and perfection, making sure that the males and females were properly identified by their paint schemes as they entered the great hall. He laughed quietly. Those old females were the real powers in the court. Everyone obeyed them and submitted to be painted properly and even the emperor was hard-pressed to deny them when they brought out the paint and brushes.
Exiting slowly and regally from the inner chamber, he heard the familiar shout from the four grey painted praetorian guards. He ignored them as they commanded all to bow in his presence. The guards were ceremonial, a leftover from a time more than a hundred thousand years ago, during an age when the guards were really there to protect the emperor from real dangers. Slowly, he took his place on the throne and the huge, huge chamber doors opened. Those doors were made from a rare flame-colored, tiger-striped wood that had been meticulously made and then polished until the shown. Two hundred other members of the court graciously entered only to be confronted by the guards. It was strictly ceremonial and after the proper courtesies, they were allowed in. None of the officials missed these meetings unless they were ill or dead. The ability for real-time communication with a colony world thousands of light years away was still a stunning novelty. The subspace communications satellite given to them by the Tosevites offered an advantage lacking for the Hallessi and Rabotev star systems. Round trip communications took decades between Home and those two systems.
Today was a private meeting, not open to entertain petitions from males and females making requests for some silly or not so silly consideration. Today was the day that everyone came to hear the latest news concerning Home II. Today was official business as Home II and its progress would be discussed. Today was also to be a cankerous day as males of the royal court would start their posturing once more concerning the Tosevites and the state of the Race as it was.
Six Race years had passed and the royal court was still arguing about Home's lack of defenses and the supposed subjugation of Home II by the Tosevites, who by rights, according to several opposing political factions, should have been made a part of the Empire now and not perceived as the other way around. That same faction really refused to believe in their collective livers that Tosev III was really a star-faring race. Most of them blamed Fleetlord Atvar for being intimidated by two Tosevite spaceships and not pressing on to Tosev III and taking the world for the Race. They seemed to have forgotten how intimidated they were when the Tosevite space warship arrived with such shocking speed to orbit Home and then leave in the same manner. The loyal opposition, controlled by the Ssumaz Gradell faction, seemed obsessed with placing the blame around Atvar's neck.
The Emperor would have none of it.
Caprica:
Presidential Office
The president nodded at the news that the President of the United States of the planet called Earth (which should be called Apellai III but he wasn't about to argue the point now) was waiting for him and wouldn't discuss it with Secretary Mencona. This wasn't a good sign.
He sat in his chair, the others quickly taking their places as well. His glass was already full and he quickly gulped the ice water down. "Everyone ready, translator's on?" he asked. They all nodded. Pressing the conference button, he started. "Hello President Hayes.
"Hello, Mr. President," said President Hayes.
"I'm somewhat surprised that you called. This isn't our usual time for these friendly chats," he said, trying not to inflect the sarcasm he felt all the way to his soul.
"No, and I'm sorry that I called at such an inopportune time," the Tau'ri leader said in a way that indicated that he wasn't in the least. "But it seems that we have something of a problem in my portion the galaxy involving your people that need clarification."
"Oh, what is it? Can we do anything to help?" asked Goesel.
"Possibly. My associates and I were very unhappy with you when we found out that you have a large military presence within two jumps of Earth. Frankly it's making some of us nervous since we know that you're kind of liberal with your ideas of using nukes on civilian populations."
"I believe that you're concerned about our Colonial Star Station Makaria, he clarified. No need to deny it now. "First let me assure you that we have no intentions of attacking or threatening Earth," he stated. "Again, we have no intentions of attacking Earth or any of your territories wherever they might be. We tried reunification and it failed. Our conflict, it's over."
"Cut the crap," Hayes snapped. "The war may not be hot, but it's still cold. You have over sixty warships not to mention that oversized starbase in a perfect position to come after us. You may not be aware of it, but when we discovered your station it came close to being blown back to the colonies. Some of us here on Earth are taking this as a premeditated act of war and want to turn Caprica into a grave yard. That's something I'd like to avoid but in order to keep from going to war you will have to do some serious explaining."
It was worse than he thought. "The CDF there is under strict orders not to provoke or attack Tau'ri ships, personnel, or properties. We intend to maintain peaceful relations with our brethren despite your belligerent attitude and threats," snapped Goesel. "Admiral Karis Mettlar will not violate those orders."
"Yes, that's what I was led to believe. The good thing is that she asserted her authority and no one got killed." He paused for a second. "I don't know if you're aware of it but your Chief Magistrate Iblison apparently has other ideas. He strongly inferred that and I quote, 'one day, you will see the error of your ways. But for now, be comforted by the facts that the Colonies of Kobol, with the resources of twelve worlds and close to eighty billion people, and a space forcefifteen times your size and growing, and a technological base that will soon be on par with yours soon enough will not attack you.' Then he proceeded to order an attack on our ships. Your Admiral stopped the attack. But this Iblison didn't inspire any comfort on our part and I noticed that he likes to exaggerate. He doubled your population numbers, not to mention that he almost started a war. Is this the type of person that you want to represent your people out here? Because if it is, then I have to tell you now, you're going to have a lot of problems and not just with us."
The Colonial president's eyes flickered, a signal to make sure that this situation with Iblison was fully explained as soon as possible. To his side, one of the officers quickly moved to the side and started making calls. 'What had happened out there?' thought Goesel. A war almost started and he had no details about except what Hayes was telling him. The man had a powerful advantage over him, leaving him floundering and looking incompetent because of his lack of information. He had to turn this around.
"As you've said," he started. "Your warships were in our territory. My fleet is under orders not to attack you. My question is, did you violate our territory to try to provoke a war with us?"
"No. We were there to make a point," Hayes said carefully. "But your rhetoric and general attitudes seen in all of your broadcasts including your own interviews, gives us a pretty good idea exactly how you feel about us. Mr. President, I'm sure you've realized that the galaxy is getting smaller and smaller each day. Mistakes happen and lots of people die and we as leaders are responsible to try to avoid this if possible."
"Yes, and this cold war as you call it, if I understand the term correctly, may well become hot at any moment if we don't proceed carefully. I have no interests in wiping one of our colonies from existence and it would be counterproductive for all concerned. Our real enemies are out there among the stars. The Lucien Alliance in its present government is a danger to us all. There are other things out there threatening Humanity."
"Exactly my point, Goesel. There are threats out here. It's obvious that fighting each other will only serve to strengthen our enemies. So my question still stands. Why are you within two jumps of Earth with such a large force?"
Again the Colonial leader bristled at his counterpart's demands. "We've been exploring," he said. "We've found a planet that is suitable for colonization. You had no claim on it; there were no others to claim it so we claimed it for ourselves. We have and will exercise our right to protect our property from all who threaten our people and that world. President Hayes, we don't have to answer to you for every thing we do. Did you have a prior claim to that world?"
Hayes' sigh was barely audible. "No, we have no claims to that system."
"And if you had we would have honored those claims as I ask you to do now. You're right when you say that the galaxy is getting smaller and smaller. You've already surveyed the colonies and you know the truth. It would be wonderful if we had eighty billion people but we have barely forty billion, many who are poor and destitute living on planets that are resource poor. Our people are all cramped in one system, easy prey for someone to find, strike and defeat without the weapons, defenses, and technology you take for granted. There is nothing in our region of space that can support life that we have found other than the twelve colony worlds. The world we discovered is perfect for human habitation and we have claimed it for ourselves. We intend to survive the Alliance and the Goa'uld and whatever else comes out way and I will not take the chance and lose it fighting our lost brethren. You have my word to the gods on this promise."
"We'll see how well you hold to your promises," Hayes countered. "In the interests of peace however, I do propose that we develop a peace treaty stipulating no nuclear weapons to be used on populated worlds or colonies of our respective governments or in our respective star systems."
"Nuclear weapons are part of our arsenal, President Hayes. I will not leave the CDF prisoner to this proposal."
"As is ours in space," Hayes agreed. "We don't want you near our system without permission. It's reprehensible to use such weapons as a first line response against populated worlds, as you people seem to want to do at every turn. I understand that your ways of wagging war against your own differs from ours but unless you control yourselves, we will respond immediately and without mercy."
"We've heard about the mercy you've extended to the free Jaffa and how your forces have tried to subjugate them," countered Goesel.
"Excuse me?' snapped Hayes, immediately becoming angry." I don't know where you get your information from but we haven't tried to subjugate anybody."
"We've also seen your phaser energy weapons and warp drives and a dozen other lost Federation technologies you're in the process of rediscovering," he continued excitedly, ignoring Hayes' phony protests. "You're the threat to the Colonies, not us to you."
"We've told you before that Star Trek is simply entertainment. It has no bases in fact."
"Five entertainment shows, a number of movies, and your channel of History have my advisers saying otherwise. But, as you wish. You can continue pretending it's a fantasy if it makes you comfortable."
"Believe what you will, President Goesel. But understand that I speak for a united Earth in saying that we don't want war with you. However as long as you refuse to acknowledge the truth that we are not the Thirteenth tribe and am not subject to your rules and regulations under the dictates of your government, we will remain in a state of cold war. We will not return the Cylons and we will not subject ourselves to you or your government or your gods."
"Your stubbornness to accept the truth is what keeps us separated, President Hayes. But it's becoming apparent that we do need a buffer zone of some sort to avoid any future conflicts between our people."
"An excellent idea," and Goesel suddenly got the impression that this is what Hayes was aiming for in the first place. "But treaties take time to implement."
"True and in order to make it effective we need to know what star systems you claim as territories so that we will not violate the and vice versa. There are three systems that we have found that we are laying claim to. They are uninhabited. I will provide the details to you, if your will do the same."
"I have my people on line now. They can arrange the details."
Smiling inwardly, he knew he was right. "I will have my people ready to discuss the details of our little arrangement in fifteen minutes."
"Good. Better yet, we'll re-establish communications in one hour. Until then, President Goesel."
"Until then, President Hayes."
The phone went silent.
This is part one of a split chapter. Sorry about the wait however there have been illness and other RL challenges that I've had to deal with.
Notes
Also note a couple of things 1). This is an official RAAB AU which Ash, the author of RAAB participates in as I do with his, so there will be a lot of similarities with said story but there are major differences as well. For example, the Race was killed off in RAAB by Ra and as such have nothing to do with Ash's story. each will branch off into its own completely although they will always be brother and sister to one another.
Next is the big challenge. Race years are twice that of a Sol year so it can get screwy when it comes to mentioning years. Sorry about that but I hope that wasn't too confusing.
Next in this semi-tongue fan fiction, the Race will be seen to speak normally to each other but when speaking to aliens, the pattern will be as Harry Turtledove intended.
Lastly, if you haven't noticed there is almost a running joke as to who is called what. For example Earthlings are called Apellai, Tau'ri, Terrans, Tosevites, Big Uglies, whatever depending on who's talking to whom at any given moment. The same for the Colonials and the Race so be prepared.
Thank you for all of your comments and reviews. I love them all and please keep them coming.
The next chapter will continue the Colonial discussions among themselves and will focus also on the internal politics of the Emperor and the Race.
