Disclaimer: I do not own Halo or BSG.
Trials of Reclamation
Chapter 11: Hero
June 4th 2711
Xi System-Tyron Nebula
In orbit above New Caprica
UNSC Spirit of Fire
Main Bridge
The remaining Cylons on the planet that surrendered had been moved to a makeshift POW camp away from the city. The UNSC ground forces had then started setting up a base just east of the city where they would operate from before the Cylons got their act together and decide to come back in force. The Colonial president, a man named Gaius Baltar had requested formal introductions after he realised that their saviours were in fact the 'thirteenth tribe' of legend.
Admiral Cutter had half a mind to tell him to piss off...
"Sir I'm detecting two ships on sensors," Serina spoke up.
"Origin?" Cutter asked.
"Colonial," Serina answered. "They appear to match the designs of the 'Battlestars' Galactica and Pegasus."
"Open a channel," Cutter nodded as he stood up and walked around to the holo-table as it displayed the two 'human' warships.
"Channel open," Serina told him.
"This is Admiral James Cutter of the UNSC Spirit of Fire to Colonial vessels," Cutter spoke into the comm. "Cylon forces have been neutralised and the planet below has been liberated from their control thanks to us."
"This is Admiral Adama of the Colonial Fleet," Adama responded. "We have been monitoring the situation and have already established communications with our people on the ground. We are aware that the Cylon forces have retreated but you'll have to forgive us if we remain cautious."
"Given the situation I would do the same," Cutter agreed. "I think we need to talk face to face...on the ground...Colonial One?"
"I'll be there," Adama confirmed.
June 4th 2711
Xi System-Tyron Nebula
New Caprica
New Caprica City / Colonial One
President's Office
"Mister President, Admiral...allow me to introduce you to Doctor Catherine Halsey and Admiral James Cutter, commanding officer of the UNSC Battle-Group Alexandria," Gaeta introduced as they entered the office. "Admiral Cutter, allow me to introduce you to President Gaius Baltar and Admiral William Adama of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol."
"It's a pleasure," Halsey nodded in greeting.
"Forgive me if I don't sound grateful for your assistance against the Cylons but what exactly are you doing here?" Gaius asked them.
"Originally we intended on finding you and escorting you back to one of our outer colonies. We didn't think you had settled down yet," Halsey explained. "Now that you have though and on a planet a long way from UNSC-controlled space we are now forced to improvise."
"Oh?" Adama questioned.
"She means that you have two options," Cutter spoke up. "Either bunker down and stay here or keep running towards Earth. Either way we'll be staying and fighting the Cylons by taking the fight to them."
"In short we plan on liberating your colonies and then taking them for ourselves including any and all technology you have. With or without your approval," Halsey explained.
"...Admiral Adama...we've heard that there are survivors still alive on your colonies correct?" Cutter inquired.
"That is correct," Adama confirmed.
"A small fleet of dropships cannot evacuate survivors of twelve nuked planets Admiral," Halsey told him.
"What Doctor Halsey is trying to say is that if you want to rescue large numbers of survivors then the best thing to do is load them onto the civilian ships," Cutter continued.
"What do you mean? We go back for them ourselves?" Gaius asked in a business tone. "Are you mad? We don't have the resources to do that never mind the fact that the Cylons could come back at any moment."
"We can take your entire civilian fleet back to your colonies to search for survivors along with a few of our ships as escorts," Cutter explained.
"...Well it would be good to be on the offensive again," Adama commented while trying to suppress a smirk.
"You can't actually be serious Admiral," Gaius spoke up.
"He is and I am," Roslin said as she stepped into the room. "Mister Gaeta would you please escort Doctor Baltar out of the room."
"Yes Madam President," Gaeta nodded and grabbed Gaius' arm.
"What are you doing? I won't-" any response he had was muffled by him being pushed out of the door.
"President Roslin I presume?" Halsey inquired.
"You presume correctly," Roslin nodded in greeting as she sat down. "I must apologize for that; after the recent affairs with the Cylons I'm not really surprised it took the public so long to make me retake the job. Personally I prefer teaching," she smiled. "So...what's this I hear about a rescue mission to the colonies?"
June 5th 2711
Xi System-Tyron Nebula
In orbit above New Caprica
UNSC Spirit of Fire
Sharon's Quarters
The past two days had been pretty hectic for everyone, especially Sharon who had a baby to look after while aboard ship though the only reason she was even allowed on a warship with a child was because of its captain. Though she wasn't officially a member of the crew most of them had come to accept her, especially the ship's AI, Serina.
"You have a visitor," Serina told her as the Cylon set her daughter down in her crib.
"Let them in," Sharon nodded and the door opened.
"Sharon?" a familiar voice asked.
"Helo!" Sharon shouted and pulled him into a hug.
"I missed you," Helo whispered into her ear.
"I know," Sharon said tearfully.
"Is that her?" Helo asked looking over her shoulder at the crib.
"Yes," Sharon pulled away and nodded. "This is Hera," she told him as she picked the baby up into her arms.
"She's beautiful," Helo said with a smile.
"Do you want to hold her?" Sharon asked.
"Can I?" Helo asked before Sharon handed the baby over to him. "She's so small," he commented.
"Give her a few years," Sharon said back with a smile. "How have you been Helo?" she asked after a moment.
"I've been...it's been torture not having you in my life," Helo admitted as he set his daughter down in her crib. "I can still remember that day when you boarded that dropship and took off with our daughter still inside you. I remember feeling depressed for awhile and wondering if you were okay and thinking that maybe I should have gone with you."
"Your place was here, it always has been Colonel," Sharon told him as her fingers traced the insignia on his collar. "I heard you're the Galactica's new XO...it's a good position."
"But it's not by your side," Helo started.
"But it is now," a voice spoke from the door.
"Cortana," Helo greeted.
"You're being reassigned Helo," Cortana explained. "Starting tomorrow you'll be the Miranda's new XO; Admiral Adama gave the order after Colonel Tigh was reinstated this afternoon."
"But I'm not a UNSC officer," Helo told her.
"No you're not but you being allowed to serve on the Miranda is a show of good faith by Admiral Cutter," Cortana continued. "Considering the state of relations between your government and ours it seemed like a good idea at the time."
"Understood ma'am," Helo said with a nod.
"Good...report to the Miranda at 0800 hours tomorrow Colonel," Cortana said before she closed the door.
Sharon pulled him into a hug again as soon as the door was closed and just held him for what seemed like an eternity.
"Helo..." Sharon whispered.
"I've been reading up on UNSC law...the one about AI rights," Helo said to her. "I...will you marry me Sharon Valerie?"
June 5th 2711
Xi System-Tyron Nebula
In orbit above New Caprica
UNSC Spirit of Fire
Anders' Lab
"What are you doing?" Anders asked as she stepped into the room to see Halsey sitting watching the nearby television screen.
"I'm watching the meeting between the UNSC and Covenant Separatists when the war finally ended. Take a look," Halsey said as she turned it back on.
"A hero is more than a person, a hero is a belief. A belief that, against impossible odds, the world can be saved—and that the world is still worth saving. Heroes inspire that belief in us. They renew our faith and give us that most precious of all gifts—hope. The world needs heroes. That's why, when a true hero arrives, the world will honor him," spoke Lord Terrence Hood to the masses.
"He certainly has a way with words," Anders commented.
"And he used to be such a hard case," Halsey mused. "He was a good man; we could have done with more like him."
"Out there, we've walked quite friendly up to Death. Sat down and eaten with him, cool and bland, pardoned his spilling mess-tins in our hand. We've sniffed the green thick odour of his breath, our eyes wept, but our courage didn't writhe. He's spat at us with bullets and he's coughed shrapnel. We chorused when he sang aloft, we whistled while he shaved us with his scythe. Oh, Death was never enemy of ours! We laughed at him, we leagued with him, old chum. No soldier's paid to kick against his powers. We laughed, knowing that better men would come, and greater wars: when each proud fighter brags he wars on Death, for lives; not men, for flags," Terrence finished.
"Wilfred Owen right? World War II," Anders asked.
"Yes that's correct," Halsey confirmed. "It's on record in the Museum of Humanity back on Earth."
"...So...when are you going to leave my lab?" Anders asked.
"...You know I'm beginning to think you don't like me Ellen," Halsey said after a moment.
"You're right, I don't like you," Anders told her.
"Ellen I never was your enemy," Halsey said back.
"I never agreed with your methods," Anders said simply. "I never hid that from you and you didn't care at all."
"And if I did care then humanity might have lost the war," Halsey countered.
"The ends do not justify the means," Anders told her.
"...I know," Halsey acknowledged.
Anders huffed and turned away. "So what's the real reason we're going to the Colonial colonies?" she asked.
"You already know," Halsey said simply.
"Forerunner tech right?" Anders questioned. "You really think we'll find Forerunner technology there?"
"Kobol is a Shield World styled to connect directly to the central hub," Halsey explained. "It's made out of sentinels like Onyx was so there's no possible way that the Colonials could have escaped the planet without outside help. We know for a fact that there are no Forerunner craft in the Shield World so someone must have taken them and left centuries ago."
"And you think the Colonials are one of the ones who took them," Anders prodded.
"Onyx never had any natural resources and neither does Kobol. They couldn't have gotten off the planet without some kind of aid," Halsey said simply.
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," Anders said with a nod.
June 6th 2711
Xi System-Tyron Nebula
In orbit above New Caprica
Battlestar Galactica
CIC
"Well Bill we're ready whenever you are," Tigh said looking over at his CO.
"The civilian fleet reports ready," Gaeta reported.
"Any word from the Spirit of Fire?" Adama asked him.
"Transmission coming in now," Gaeta informed and put it on the speakers.
"This is the UNSC Spirit of Fire to the Battlestar Galactica are you receiving?" they heard Cutter through the speakers.
Adama picked up the phone and responded, "this is Galactica actual, we hear you."
"What do you say we get this show on the road?" Cutter asked him.
"Galactica and the civilian fleet are ready to head out, we're waiting on you," Adama stated.
"We're sending you jump coordinates now; we jump in five minutes. Spirit of Fire out," Cutter finished and the channel closed.
"Set condition one throughout the ship and prepare for hyperlight jump," Adama ordered and the crew immediately started carrying out his orders.
After a few more minutes the civilian ships started disappearing one by one in flashes of light followed closely by the Galactica and six of the UNSC ships jumping into slipspace. The other six ships including the two cruisers along with the Battlestar Pegasus remained behind in orbit to defend the planet just in case the Cylons decided to return.
They were going back to the colonies...
And they weren't leaving until every last man, woman and child was off the ground...
Author's Notes:
I actually had them planned to return to the Colonies for awhile, since chapter six when they were discussing the possibility of Forerunner tech in the Colonies. After the beating the Cylons took they clearly aren't going to try anything against New Caprica until they know they can win and with a pair of upgraded Marathon-class cruisers in orbit I doubt they would launch any kind of major attack just yet. Hell they couldn't even handle the frigates...
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