Hello Night-Hunter: La protección contra la Ashtorath de las colonias puede tener una solución política más que militar en este momento. Los coloniales no están en peligro directo, sin embargo, como el Ashtorath son ocupados luchando contra a un enemigo muy grave en lugar de conseguir venganza mezquina de los coloniales de un insulto. Que vendrían más adelante. Para la Junis tienes que ver que pasa. Puede ser adecuado.

Natzo : I remember that you mentioned that they found that Kobol had a lot of slavery and wasn't a paradise. I'm surprised they haven't connected the dots yet on a lot of the evidence. The 12 snakes are obviously Goa'ulds… This is not necessarily true. They may be goa'uld or they may not be. The jury isn't out yet. There have been strong suggestions that they were, though.

More Dakka I miss reunions are a 'deleted'. Have faith. I am sure something may come up in the future. Who knows?

NOTE: That little morsel that explained the cross-over involved with this story. That has now been erased, please keep that in mind. It may well be very useful to you in the future. This will be especially important to the regular readers. In fact I will repeat it at the end of this chapter. Trust me, tis' important.

Merry Christmas to everyone AND may you have a blessed Happy New Year.

Chapter Ten

INTERUDE (5)

One year earlier: Batlestar Junis, Location" 1400 light years distant from Cyrannus stat system

The battlestar Junis shook violently having damage inflicted on it that should have ripped the ship apart had, by some miracle survived. A ship, an alien warship of unknown origin had purposely rammed and penetrated the battlestar by unknown means, ripping through tens of meters of hardened armor. When the battlestar was rammed, every meter of the vessel shook violently. However, the ship was well built and the damage although extensive, hadn't been crippling which was worrying in and of itself. The ramming wasn't designed to destroy the battlestar but done in order to board her. That was the alien's agenda, and the crew of the Junis had no intentions of allowing their enemy's mission to go

Twenty-six year old First Class Engineer Sarai Casitas was terrified. She couldn't stop her hands from shaking as she held her pistol and firing half of her rounds at the strange armored invaders coming through a now ruined bulkhead intent on getting to main engineering in a matter of seconds. Like so many others on the ship, she'd joined the services near the end of the second Cylon war but had never personally experienced any real combat. The screaming, the blood, the noise, and the smoke served to intensify her terror, but her training was solid and she held her ground while several of her friends lay on the ground either severely wounded or dead. Seeing several targets, she fired a three round burst of anti-Cylon rounds aiming at the helmet of the alien closest to her position behind heavy equipment. The alien spun around, its faceplate cracked by a bullet. The enemy completed its turn to look directly at her. He woman was close enough to see the pure hatred in its eyes. She wasted no time, firing three more shots in quick succession. This time the faceplate shattered. The third bullet, unhindered by armor, entered the invader's forehead, continued forward until it slammed into the rear portion of the helmet. The alien was long dead before that bullet ricocheted back into the invader's brain.

The engineer was grimly pleased as she quickly reloaded her weapon. She was tracking her next target when the whitish mist released by the aliens almost a minute earlier touched one of her crewmates hunkered down next to her. The man's went wide as the pain hit and he started screaming as whatever that was in the mist clung to his clothing and exposed body parts producing painful blisters. Eyes wide with terror, Casitas broke her cover trying to get away from whatever was in the mist. Panic and rushing for different cover away from the mist, she felt her hip shatter as an alien energy burst burned her to the bone. The mist slowly enveloped her, and although unconscious, people still heard her screaming from its effects as it blistered every exposed part of her body.

The alien mist burned wherever it touched. Demarus' clothing, helmet, and armor protected him for the most part but his exposed chin felt like it was on fire. Huge blisters began forming. He dare not open his mouth. Others weren't so lucky. Frantic engineers rushed to their stations heedless of the threats, as they worked to increase the flow of the scrubber units. Very quickly both the mist and heavy smoke slowly dissipated while weapons fire from both sides increased. Invaders spotted the engineers and started shooting them.

"Grenade fire!" yelled Sergeant Gladius Demarus.

Four grenade launchers fired into the two dozen invaders, blowing the front role backwards, killing several instantly. Three of his own people were already down and the aliens continued their push regardless of their losses and showed no signs of hesitation in the face of the heavy resistant. The situation was quickly becoming untenable as another two dozen more invaders pushed their way through. With enemy re-enforcements arriving, Demarus knew the fight to hold their position was lost.

"Fall back!" targeting another alien, he emptied his clip at the nearest attacker and watched in grim satisfaction as the thing crumpled. The satisfaction was short lived as a plasma shot penetrated his body armor and struck his heart. As his vision began fading to black, the sergeant thought he saw what might have been a heavy boot steeping over his slumped body.

A gout of flame flashed across the leader of Grey Team from the large hole that perforated what had to be a tyllium feed line. The volatile liquid quickly exhausted itself and to his relief the flame decrease while he lined up his target and fired his first shots from his D-08A, scoring direct hits at the closest of the enemies stepping over one of his fallen fellow marines. Instead of falling it was forced back a couple of feet as the anti-Cylon penetrator rounds ripped through the body armor. These creatures were tough. Instead of dying it growled at him. Another three round burst from another member of the Rapid Reaction Response team put it down permanently as both Grey and Red teams reinforced the rapidly dwindling first responders and crew.

A quick glance confirmed the use of energy weapons of some type by the enemy which easily burned through Colonial body armor. But the armor piercing 5.9mm AC rounds in turn took their tolls on the invaders. Grenade damage was evident everywhere, a grim testament to the RRR's initial resistance to invaders still pouring in heedless of the horrific damage being inflicted on them. Gold Team had set up five 5.9mm caseless, belt fed anti-Cylon machine gun and were preparing to light up the entire area as soon the two RRR teams could evacuate what was left of the survivors. Engineering had to be held no matter the cost or the entire ship would be lost.

Command Center Junis"

"Sir," Kimei started. His eyes never left his board. "Video shows we have an approximate count on the infiltrators. There are close to three hundred borders repeat three hundred trying to get through two damaged bulkheads. I see some of them carrying heavy weapons. If they get through…"

"We'll lose the ship," Commander Eddlison finished. "I want all of our secondary batteries to keep pounding those shields. It has to be compromised, sticking in our guts like that and the pounding it's taking from the Tycheon."

"Only six batteries of ours are in range," the weapon's officer said. "We're on target."

Eddlison could feel the faint vibrations as the smaller guns slammed shells towards the enemy ship that had impelled itself into his battlestar.

O'Dellis' eyes were continually glued on the enemy ship that had rammed them. "I see no change in the shield," he said to the Commander.

"Get me the Tycheon."

"Channel still opened, sir."

Ellison cursed softly. He'd forgotten but he wasted no time. "Commander Sacca fire for effect on the invader. We have to try to pull itself free."

"Understood. No nukes. In your condition, the Junis will break up."

"Do it. Try not to hurt my ship too much.

"No promises Commander. We're moving closer to our position. Firing for effect in thirty seconds."

"We'll be ready. Do what you can."

"Commander, they're are attempting to pump some type of gas into life support. It's incapacitating anyone it touches."

"Have secondary engineering flush that poison from our life support, now, priority one."

"On it, sir," the lieutenant answered, her hands already flying across her keyboard. Secondary engineering crews responded immediately and working to flush the alien gas from the air systems. Already more than forty of the crew were in agony barely able to breathe and each time they labored to breaths, more of the gas entered their system increasing the agony.

Colonel Perris and the three RRR teams were knocked onto the floor by the tremendous explosion rocking the guts of the ship. A quick glance at the other Colonial marines confirmed that the explosion happened behind them as intense heat washed over them and the crew from behind. Small arms fire erupted, followed immediately by unidentified rapid weapons fire and roars mixed with all too human screaming and gurgled roaring.

"Move people! Get out of the way!" Perris yelled as she went flying back towards the same direction as she had just come from with her support team following closely. "They've created another breach," she said into her wireless as her headed towards the noise. She understood exactly what they we trying to do. She'd do the same thing if the situation was reversed. "They're trying to flank main engineering."

Another explosion blew a bulkhead open in front of them and the first of several dozen invaders glared at her. The colonel had to force herself from shivering when she got a really good look at the invaders. Most of them looked Human with some strange implants decorating their faces and skulls, and she found herself mildly disappointed. They could very well be cylon variants for all that she knew. But her disappointment changed when saw that five of them were unmistakably alien. Bigger than the average Human, they radiated hostility. They were heavily armored. Their skin tone was a dark gray and their teeth were small but prominent and pointed. The eyes were blood red and what caught her attention her were the shapes of the creature's skulls which wasn't rounded like a Human. Instead it was creased with small creases evident from front to back. She was shocked once more as she saw that the ridges glowed from some type of electronic or cybernetic implants. That was the last thing she noticed before her weapon was firing of its own accord, the anti-Cylon penetrator rounds crashing into the armored creature. The alien staggered, roared its defiance then pointed his own weapon and began firing. The narrow corridor offered no protection for either side as automatic machinegun fire crisscrossed with plasma bolts at what was essentially point-blank range.

"DRADIS contact!"

"Vector heading," the Commander snapped. The Junis shook three more times as the Tycheon pounded away at the enemy ship. The constant glow around the alien ship flickered slight at the continuing punishment but the ship was still intact. With the presence of another incoming enemy ship, the already serious threat was compounded forcing the Commander towards a decision he didn't want to make.

"Coming directly towards us. Two hundred thousand kilometers and closing fast, sir" Kimei announced. "The base configuration is identical to the alien ships but three times the mass. Distance, one hundred seventy thousand, one hundred sixty thousand. It'll be on top of us in a couple of minutes."

"Enough of this. Prepare for emergency jump. Are all of our fighters secured on the Tycheon?"

"Affirmative."

"Inform them that we are jumping in fifteen. Spin the drive."

"Calculations are complete, sir. But we're getting variances on the jump field."

"Understood," Eddlison said. "The field configuration was off because of that ship sticking in our guts. If the field varies past zero point four seven, we'll wind up as a singularity." He didn't elaborate as the bridge crew knew exactly what would happen. Battlestars never jumped with other ships to close to them. The usual results as the catastrophic destructions of the ship.

"The enemy ship is ninety five thousand klicks and closing."

"Eight seconds."

"The Tycheon has jumped."

"Sir, can the ship survive with another ship penetrating the hull and with a force field interfering with our JD generation?"

The answer was grim. "We're about to find out."

"Three…two…one…engaging."

There was that timeless instant when everyone felt nauseous and at the same time those precious few that felt one with the universe as the Junis along with a portion of the enemy vessel still penetrating the hull, transitioned to another area of space. Two seconds later, the remaining half of the enemy ship imploded and then exploded leaving quickly cooling shrapnel sized pieces no larger than marbles.

The battlestar Junis appeared in a burst distortion five kilometers between its sister ship and the fuel transport some twelve kilometers further away. The remains of the enemy ship still glowed from its forceful division and scores of bodies spilled out of the opened section along with instrumentation and countless amounts of debris.

The ship rocked slightly as another internal explosion reminded everyone that there were still invaders on the ship who no had nothing to lose. And if the Earthers could find a battlestar after it jump using their scanners…

"Restart the clock, we're jumping as soon as we can," the Commander quickly ordered. "I want those invaders put down and get me a prisoner!"

Home II

Home II, the world of the black sand, one hundred twenty-five degrees was, in the Race's opinion, 'balmy' and 'delightful'. A desert world, it was considered paradise by the members of the Race, but many other species, including the Cylons and Humans, used other, far more expressive words to describe the planet in summer time and those words were used quite frequently. When Daniel Jackson and a few others of visited Home II, all of them agreed that the now destroyed desert world of Abydos was somewhat mild in comparison. The intense heat and dry conditions were the main reasons why many of the non-reptilian species Embassies were located in the so-called Southern Polar Regions where the temperature was much more hospitable, especially in the winter season where the temperature dropped below eighty degrees for weeks at a time. It even snowed a couple of times in the high mountains, causing a minor panic among the few numbers of Lizardians living in the area. The three lizardian species of the Empire were not impressed by the cool temperatures and never experienced that scientifically bizarre occurrence called snow except when created in laboratories under controlled conditions. Ironically, the Southern Polar Regions area became a fancy tourist attraction for the members of the Empire. Seeing the strange Tosevite and Tosevite-like creatures was still a source of uniqueness and adventure to many of the young males and females of all three species. The Tosevite also gave context to those same young ones that were signing up for the war against the Colonial Tosevite faction who had conquered as well as ruined large portions of Home. Their feelings hadn't dimmed much and the Race had very long memories.

A young male Lizardians named Lipsat, was in deep conversation with Senior Intermediary/Senior Shuttle Pilot Nignxe, one of the first males that personally encountered the Terrans and had since become one of the more celebrated and respected males on the planet. His easy going manner and apparent comfort associating and interacting with the Humans and the other aliens living and visiting Home II was the a source of jealousy and envy among many of the elite members of the Race. Because of this, Nignxe created one dangerous and feared enemy.

Fleetlord Reffet greatly envied Nignxe because a male of no real status was more respected by the Cylon and Humans than he was (all of which made Fleetlord Atvar irrationally happy since Nignxe was still under his command). Atvar and to a lesser extent Shiplord Straha, protected and ran interference for the still innocent Nignxe, from Reffet's wrath. It was one of the few things that both senior Lizardians freely and happily collaborated on together.

"You must be honored to know that the Emperor has chosen you go to Tosev III as an ambassador," Lipsat said happily. To the male the word ambassador still seemed to be a source of confusion. The tens of thousands of years, the Race never had a use for ambassadors. The Hallessi and Rabotev worlds were easily conquered and ambassadors weren't needed as the Race overran their worlds. Those species had no choice but to become part of the Empire. Until recently, the Race had no ambassadors. Now they had several as many of the worlds had Embassies on Home II and the Race had reciprocated. It was a strange new experience for the Race. Home had no ambassadors as of yet as the Emperor turned the responsibility over to Emperor Risson, Ruler of Home II. Needless to say, Rison wasn't pleased with the extra responsibilities and suspected Senior Emperor Runshan of as the Humans saying went, 'palming off' some of the duties to his subordinate. But it was also understandable as Home was still recovering from the Colonial attack and the Emperor Runshan needed to focus all of his attention there. "Many males envy you, but many more members are glad that they were not chosen to go to a place where the aliens are so large and dangerous-looking. But you will finally get your apartment you have so wished for on that cold, wet planet."

"It is cold, and it is wet, and it is called Earth, not Tosev III," admonished Nignxe. "Remember this as you speak to the Humans."

"Yes, Superior Sir. Forgive my lapse."

"You are forgiven, Junior Air Shuttle Lipsat," Nignxe said. "But to respond to you, I will follow the Emperor's orders and go to Earth as an ambassador-representative, but a part of my liver is not happy. Years ago I was as excited a new hatching to go to that world as many of us were. But the conditions were different. We thought that we would be ruling over the planet and the Humans would be deferring to the Race."

"Do you not mean being subjected to the Race?"

"I am being what is called 'politically correct', the male explained. "And, the answer is yes. I have a great responsibility. Now that the time is near, I am anxious. Some of the old fears have surface although I know better."

"Please clarify this. What were some of the fears that have surfaced?" asked Lipsat. "I know my fears but they may not coincide with your fears of going to Earth."

"Truth. Even in cold sleep, we of the Conquest Fleet dreamed that the Humans would be ignorant savages that would attack and try to eat us. That was a natural fear that no one expected would happen. Our space ships, our weapons, and our scientific knowledge was superior and would keep us from such harm, but travelling to an unknown world; yes, it did cross our minds. Those fears surfaced once more among my friends and possibly even the Fleetlord," he whispered, "When the Terrans intercepted us in their powerful ships to blow the Conquest Fleet out of space, I first feared that they could conquer Home and use us as a food supply for their billions of relatives. I had an overactive imagination," he confessed.

"When I saw my first Terran with their furry heads and flat grinding teeth, I believed it as well," his friend admitted.

"Truth. We did not know how or what they would do to us. But traveling to their ship and meeting them was so exciting and I knew I could develop a friendship with them. And I have become real friends with those present on Home II. I learned the language and continued to learn their very complex customs."

"I differ with you, Superior Sir. You instinctively understand more than almost any other male or female in the Empire that I know. Senior Psychologist Ttomalss envies you and is competing against you to show the Emperor that he should be given the title of Senior Intermediary, not you. He has the training, experience and the education. But the authority fell onto your head feathers as gently as a powdered sand pebble. You are more respected than he and to forget this truth is foolishness."

"I took time to learn the language and interact with them, not study them as if they were creatures to be analyzed. He is a psychologist and I have learned that his training encourages him to view aliens as something to be studied. But that limits him and this is a lesson that he is learning with some difficulty. I do have hopes that he will succeed. I could use his professional insights."

"It is the Race's hope as well. But that male has not tasted the full truth of this statement yet. But you have already learned that lesson emerging from the eggshell."

"I treat them as I would expect to be treated."

"But you still insult me about my clothing," an alien voice from behind them said.

Both Lizardians turned, surprised that the Cylon-Human Caprica Six was behind them listening to their conversation.

"How is it that you are able to constantly sneak up on me?" exclaimed an exasperated Nignxe. Lizardian eye turrets swiveled independently and the female was still able to sneak up on him like a predator pouncing on prey.

She smiled. "I can't help it. I was built that way." Turning, she walked up the stairs into her relatively small home with both males following her. "Come on in. you're late."

"I am late by two minutes," Nignxe hissed. "Traffic was bad. There are too many of those giant Human cars clogging the roadways. They don't follow the proper rules of the road. They drive too fast or too slow and pass responsible drivers that they believe are traveling too slowly when members of the Empire are simply obeying the rules."

"Well, In that case, I forgive you," she smirked. "But not the insults about my choice in clothing!"

"I say this because you have no taste in clothing styles!"

She laughed. Her jeans and slacks were immaculate. Many of the Terran males said so, not directly of course but with their eyes. "That comment is coming from a lizard who walks around naked except for some dashes of paint smeared on your body? Ha hah."

Both of Nignxe's eye turrets locked onto to her. Now that he was used to seeing different pieces of colored cloth on Humans, he'd become somewhat of a Lizardian expert on Human clothing (which wasn't saying that much but was much better than any other member of the Empire). So, he didn't miss a beat when he replied, "I have read and seen the Earth Vogue and a few other fashion magazines. Apparently," he added dryly as only a Lizardian could, "you have not."

Immediately, both the female Cylon and lizardian began laughing of the absurdity of it all. The verbal sparring was an old battle between the two of them. And, what was ironic was that what was absurd now would become commonplace and even significant in the very near future as the next generation grew to prominence.

When the small group reached the dining area the Lizardians were immediately assaulted. There was some salted roast Rial meat sitting on the table. She offered it to them and the four visitors each took a large portion along with liberal mounts of Terran vodka. The members of the Race loved the strong drink, but hated whisky. That was something Caprica didn't understand because she actually preferred that hard liquor. For the next half hour, they lapsed into a comfortable conversation with Lipsat and the others remaining essentially silent as the two others spoke in a mixture of Lizardian, Caprican standard, and Terran English. The other three Lizardians struggled to follow the rapid conversation but Lipsat, Ranslaw and Kasspit were learning Caprican and Terran English quickly.

"The Earth Humans are…not bad, but remember that they are still Humans," Caprica said carefully.

Nignxe nodded in human fashion towards her, mindful of her experiences with the Colonials. The psychological scars still remained. Those experiences still stung but she as much better. Her sister Six, Cassiopeia still suffered from the effects of the torture and therapy had helped only a little. Doctor Jackson's suggestion that she keep a journal did help and she was writing a book about her experiences, bless her heart. "I am careful of all you alien creatures. But I have not had your experiences," he added gently as he would never hurt his friend. "I do not understand why one intelligent being would do that to another. I hope to never suffer as you have. You were in a war and tried to kill billions of Colonialists, and terrible things happen in war between equals."

"They committed genocide," the Cylon said. It was interesting to Nignxe that those words were said for the first time without the burning emotion accompanying it. "I can't forget that and what they did to me….and some of the others."

"But you forget that you attempted to do the same thing to them and you tried to do it first. You lost, but you are surviving as the members of Home have survived the Colonial conquest. Are we afraid of them and what they can do to us? Yes, and we will explain this fear to them one day if an agreement cannot be reached."

"You willing to treat with them after what they did?" she asked. "What of revenge and justice for what they did? Will an agreement give you justice?"

"They are intelligent beings. We are intelligent beings. We should be able to speak to each other intelligently and resolve our differences before we go to war. That is my hope."

"You're so strange, Nignxe." Caprica said as she thought about what he was saying. "That is why Cassiopeia adores you so much."

"The feelings are returned. I find that I like experiencing new things without killing them."

"So," she said, changing the subject, "you are going to take the position on Earth."

Nignxe thought for a second. "As I have answered my own doubts. Yes, I will. It will be a great learning experience."

"You're a better person than I."

"Yes, I am," he laughed. "I always have been."

Caprica was about to retort when the doorbell rang. Caprica didn't even bother to get up, rather choosing to yell for the others to come in. The yelling hadn't disturbed Nignxe but the bell had frightened the other Lizardians who had never heard the sound. It rang as opposed to hiss like the Race's so those unfamiliar with the sound jumped as they heard it for the first time.

The door opened and Richard Cavil stepped in first followed by Sonia Kapilli one of the Threes. Several more Cylons, including Sharon Valeri and two Earthers entered and with them was the last living hybrid being assisted by a cane and an Eight named Gracia. It still stunned Caprica that the hybrid, who wished to be called Starlight-Sunrise was even ambulatory, but there she was actually moving on her own accord. She rarely spoke and hybrid-speak was hard to understand but she was improving after three years and she loved going places. Caprica understood her need to get out and be among people and open spaces completely.

What truly stunned the Cylons was Starlight's apparent crush on Terran Ambassador Jonathan Yeager's son, Thomas. She blushed intensely each and every time she saw the young man. At first her fellow Cylons thought that something was wrong with her. It never occurred to them that she was even capable of such emotions, but she was and no one knew where this possible relationship might go. There was no question of Starlight's sheer beauty, a trait that all female Cylons shared, however she was never designed to even leave her tank. But here she was walking with assistance to what amounted to a party. Thomas was obviously human and of course Caprica knew that Starlight's beauty would turn Thomas' head, but her sister was 'limited' and no one knew how the relationship would turn out. The truth was they were still stunned that there could even be a relationship. Therefore, Thomas was warned by several Cylons that he should be very careful as he had chosen to pursue this. If he caused her harm or hurt he was promised that he would suffer the consequences of his actions.

Nignxe thought of her as an amazing, curious creature. Starlight-Sunrise was fifty percent biological, well seventy-six now with the Terrans and that other species helping her. It was his understanding that she would never be what the Cylons termed 'normal' but she had the chance to be happy, whatever that meant for such an artificial-biological construct. Still, Thomas loved spending time with and talking to her even if she rarely returned conversation. Mostly she smiled.

"I hope you have enough food," was the first thing Richard said as he smirked at the hostile looking Three glaring at him. "Sonia will eat everything including the kitchen sink if you don't. I mean, look what happened to that girlish figure. Where did it go?"

Behind him some of the others were smiling and even the former hybrid seemed joyfully amused.

"You're enjoying this, you maniac."

"You volunteered it to see if the procedure would work," he smirked. "Congratulations, it worked. You're the first Cylon ever to get pregnant by natural means." He smiled wistfully. "Ah, those Earth people and their medicines."

Sonia cocked an eyebrow at Richard. The old snot was correct, she had chosen to undergo the procedure and it was a glowing success. Years of studying the cause of their infertility had narrowed the problem down to the very same nanites that gave them their boosted immune system was the culprit.

The very nanites that coursed through their bodies, boosting their resistance to diseases, poisons, and to some extent certain radiation poisonings also prevented pregnancy in the females and fertility in the males.

In the female Cylon, nanites identified sperm as 'alien' invaders and destroyed before conception could take place. For the males their sperm carried the nanites and those micro machines attacked and destroyed ova also preventing conception. If Cylon males and females came together both sets of gametes decimated each other, obliterating any possible chance of conception. In essence their own artificial immune systems kept them effectively sterile.

Terrans and Orbanian medical scientists working together, discovered the root cause of the Cylon sterility and developed a response, but the price for the Cylons was high. The Cylons would lose their enhanced strength and immunity. Their ability to use subspace to transmit their memories, all that they were, to resurrection ships was forever lost which really didn't matter as there were none left. One the positive side, the cure would allow the remaining active nanites to transmit the parent's knowledge to the fetus although not the actual memory engrams. The Orbanians were especially interested this direction in nanotechnology as they used a similar technology. The test Cylon subjects now had the ability to reproduce the old fashioned way but the price was the loss of the uniqueness that made them what they were. They would be changed forever. The cure took time but it gave the Cylon race had a chance to grow. However, this mode of reproduction wasn't something they were used to. After all, they were essentially a newborn race and pregnancy was something very, very new for them.

Sonia looked squarely at Caprica. "Do you have your rifle handy?" she asked. "I need to kill a vermin."

Richard started laughing. "Oh, come on, it's not that bad."

"I wish you were pregnant right now!" she grumbled. "Then you can experience this weight gain, crazy food craving, sleepless nights, nausea, needs to go to the bathroom all of the time, not to mention the constant bloated feelings. I am so looking forward to giving birth in about six months! Oh, God! I hate you. I hate all men!" She was yelling at him by the time she was finished.

"Hormones talking," Richard said.

"You are gravid!" Nignxe exclaimed. "This means your species can continue to move forward into the sands of time. Your people will survive! How many eggs, I correct myself. How many live borne, do you expect? Five or six? I know Human and Cylons have perverted sex drives and not mating seasons so will you have another one after this youngling is ejected? How many do you expect to have since you are a mother of a new growing species?"

"Caprica. Do you have an extra bullet?" Sonia asked politely.

The Six actually smiled. "No, I don't, and Nignxe?"

"Yes, Caprica?"

"Shut up about this before she kills you."

"Yes, Caprica."

"I've always wanted children," Sonia said. "We all did. It is a fulfillment of our lives. But my God, I never imagined that it would be this hard!"

"You're frightening us," one of the Eights said quietly.

"Who knows?" said Nathan, one of the Terrans who was dating Anne another one of the Threes. "Maybe its Gods way of letting us know how serious the gift of life is and why we need to take care of the young that are given to us."

"Spoken like one of those Terran priests," Sonia growled. "I see I'm going to need more bullets. And, I want some chocolate."

"Sharon carries the stuff in her bag," Richard happily supplied.

"No, I don't!" a horrified Boomer responded. "Ask Caprica, get hers!"

"Such compassion," Sonia sneered. "Caprica?"

"Yes, you can have some, but none for Richard."

"Thank God," Sonia answered.

The male Cylon merely laughed. "I am so looking forward to seeing that mature look grow on you. The wrinkles, the gray hair and the look of paranoia as soon your baby leaves your field of vision; all of the joys of motherhood. It'll be great!"

"Seriously, this is what you wanted," Nignxe said. He ignored the byplay about the chocolate. Cylons had a fetish about that plant-based food. He couldn't understand why. "Your previous method of reproduction is gone. You must survive. This is the way of life and life finds a way."

"You saw Jurassic Park, I see," Caprica said.

"It is a great movie," the Lizardian said. "The alien Lizardians are so like us and the raptorvites that are native to this world, but so different. I saw that Earth is or was not that much different from Home and Rabotev and Halless. Of course, I would never want to meet some of those alien raptors or that Rex species." He started laughing. "They remind me of the old predators of Home. Good riddance."

Lipsat, unlike his associates was twitching. "Caprica Superior Ma'am. I do not understand," he said in Race standard. "I see that you do not venerate our Emperors ancestors nor your own not-Emperors. You have the superstition that makes no sense. I apologize, but I do not understand.

"I've never fully believed in God either, but the way things have happened to us, makes we wonder if God has a bizarre sense of humor. I never imagined that something like this could have happened, which in a crazed way may affirm that God does exist."

"Your superstition is unnatural for intelligent creatures."

Richard smirked but at the same time his response was surprisingly thoughtful. "I am not necessarily a believer in God or gods or ancestors I don't have. Billions in the Empire believe in your Emperors of the past, considering them deities. But billions on Earth and other planets believe or believed that their stars moved around their worlds or that their worlds were flat and if they traveled too far, they'd fall off of their worlds. That belief didn't make them right. The Colonials believe in the gods who I personally believe were trumped up parasites. My fellow Cylons believe in one god who may or may not exist. "He laughed. "Most Cylons and Colonials believe in something. Just because they believe does not make them right. However, the odds are is that somebody is right. My personal opinion? I believe that or at least I hope that if there is a God, then it is one that is powerful enough to do anything but wise enough to allow to make our own choices whether good or bad and be judged accordingly by that superior power."

Caprica shook her head in dismay. "You never believed," she said quietly looking at him in disappointment. "None of the Cavils believed. But God is everywhere."

The One almost laughed again. "You're just figuring that out? We've gone through this so many times," he said. "If there is a God, then God is going out of its way not to make its presence known directly to us and I for one, pardon the pun, find that fascinating. This brings us a lot of theological questions about God and about its fascination about its desire to force us to use our faith to acknowledge it."

'This does not answer my original question," Lipsat said softly. "We believe in our Imperial ancestors and you believe in something that is bigger than the universe. Such a concept is foolish."

"On the contrary, if I believed in that foolish concept as you call it, then I would want to believe in something bigger than the universe, not a bunch of dead rotting mortal creatures that continue to rule over us after we die."

"That was uncalled for," Sonia said.

"Maybe," he conceded. "But remember, I'm not a believer," he added. "I wouldn't even believe in those so-called ascended beings you Earth people still keep mentioning. They sound as unenlightened as we are. My belief is in my people." He looked around quickly at the glaring faces. "Yes, yes, I'm telling the truth. My belief is in our welfare, and the eventual destruction of the Colonials, or at least having them hurt enough to think about what they've done to their children is what I care about."

"It's not our problem right now," Sonia countered. "They don't care about us anymore and I don't want to be bothered with them ever again. We've not their problem. We can't do anything to them." Sonia looked exasperated. "We're almost extinct as a people and that is my main concern right now. The Colonials aren't important right now."

Richard looked at her like she was insane. "You can't be that dumb! The instant glares of anger from everybody immediately set him on edge. "Let me rephrase that before someone shoots me. Sonia, you're pregnant. You're the first mother of our new race, helped by the Orbanian and Terrans. By the way Sharon is throwing up every few minutes, she's probably pregnant, too. Naughty girl. You need to stay away from Ryan. You know how those Earthers are. Oops, too late," he mused. "Seriously, that alone will make the Colonials hate us and the Terrans even more. But they can't do anything about it for now because everybody knows, they want to play nice with the people who can kick their collective butts. Then your ambassador tells them that Home Two exists and they have tyllium, gold, naquada, and precious metals, plus us. The only reason they're not hunting us down now is because they're scared of the Terrans."

Jonathan Yeager decided to jump into the conversation. "You're right Richard, we do carry a bigger stick. That's the reason why the Race, the Colonials, the Goa'uld, the Wraith, and the Cylons of course won't mess with us unless they are sure they can win."

"We didn't try anything with you!" Caprica yelled out. "You save us!"

"Let's be real," Jonathan said. "If your little plan had succeeded with the Colonials you would have wiped them out and come looking for us and you know what would have happened."

Richard looked indignant as he answered. "Not necessarily. We might have won. But," he hastily added, "I'm one of the more rational of my brethren left and I will freely admit that if we had attacked Earth, we most likely would have lost. I am happy though that we never had to test that possibility. Truthfully you helped us, something I would have never believed a Human of any world would do. Your people could have killed us all and not lose a night's sleep over killing machines. You helped us when you didn't have to. Now, you've helped our species to survive and we have you to thank for it." He smiled at Sonia, and to her surprise it was genuine. "I can tell you personally that if my brother John were here instead of me, he could be cursing you and every other Human in existence for obligating us like this. He'd also be thinking of ways to destroy all Humans everywhere." He sighed. "He was always really was over dramatic."

"But, do you share some of his beliefs?" Jonathan asked. "Deep down, are you interested in wiping out Humanity?"

"I may be made of the same genetic material, but I am not him," Richard answered. "Neither are my two brothers. However, my question remains, how could your ambassador to the Colonials be so naïve as to tell the Colonials about Home II and the riches you have here? He placed a huge target on the entirety of the Race."

Nignxe's eye-turrets were moving rapidly between Richard and Jonathan. "I do not understand. What do you mean by placing a target on the Race?"

Richard looked at the aggrieved reptilian. You have tyllium. They're running out. The Colonials will come because they don't have a choice. It's just a matter of time."

Richard glared at Nignxe and then at the others in the room. "Stop them, now, before they stop you."

"You speak of war?" asked Lipsat.

Richard's response was grim. "You're in one already."

From Ash's Boomstick (otherwise known as Bob Regent):

Alright, something for the readers to think about. Virtually every SB (space battles) fanfiction written by myself and Skeet (AlbertG) are part of the same overarching multiverse, this consists of fics involving Stargate SG1, Star Trek (in its incarnations) Battlestar Galactica (all incarnations) and Babylon Five in one way or another. Currently off the top of my head this consists of A Thin Veneer, the Ruinations Series, A Universe of Change Series, Another Perspective, Worldwar Series, Consequence of Actions (CoA) and Reunions are a Bitch. It was not originally intended to be so but I have known Skeet now for a little under fifteen years and as such we have conversed a lot in that time, this led to us working together on a lot of things. In fact it is Skeet and RenS who are responsible for what became CoA through their own fics, the same way that Chris O'Farrell and Tyr are responsible for Raab ('Reunions are a Deleted' on this site).

The nods or mentions of each other's work in our fics are deliberate as a kudos to the other writers, several characters, ships, places etc. in each of my fics are based on real life as a thanks to those who I have met online over the years. Skeet is probably one of the three or four fic writers I hold up as those I try to emulate, with another dozen that I owe a lot to as friends over the years (some on SB and some not). Edit: I knew there was something I forgot, I really had no idea how easily I could make CoA and Raab (Reunions are a Deleted for FF fans) the same universe until I read this chapter (referring to chapter 9).

Keep this in mind for 2017. Again have a blessed New Years!