Chapter 21 Contact
"This is fraken nuts." yelled the backseat copilot/electronic warfare officer as the Raptor moved ever closer to the strange ship which was docked with a Cylon Basestar. "You are going to get us Fraken killed."
"Someone has to be the first on that ship and we aren't going to find out who they are buy talking over the wireless." Stated Racetrack as she began to slow down her Raptor as a large door opened up on the underside of the Normandy, showing a well light landing bay maybe large enough to have four Raptors land easily but landing a fast moving Viper would be impossible. She could see a strange shuttle craft hanging from restraint arms on her right and what appeared to be a large metal bulkhead was to her front.
"Not too late to get out of here." Said the copilot as part of the deck began to flash red showing her where to land. Lt. Margaret Edmondson put her hand over the jump computer as she thought about pushing the jump button.
"No." answered Racetrack as she guided her Raptor down for a landing, she powered down the engines as the shuttle bay doors leading out of the Normandy closed. The two pilots could hear air being pumped into the room behind them.
"Computer says the air is good." reported the copilot as suddenly the bulkhead door in front of the craft lowered showing another part of the shuttle bay. Standing there with strange weapons out and ready was a group of seven human looking figures. They were dressed head to toe in gun metal grey armor with a dark blue almost black visor over where their eyes were supposed to be. The figures began to spread out around the Raptor with their weapons out but in firing positions.
"Who are these Frakers?" asked the copilot as the two of them just sat stunned for a moment looking at the figures just outside.
"Well we won't find out by sitting on our asses." stated Racetrack as she stood up as best she could in the Raptor before moving to the main section. "You ready?"
"No." answered the copilot as he typed something into the computer. "There I encoded the systems; if this is a Cylon trap they can't access our files and find the fleet."
"You do realize that will only slow them down." stated Racetrack
"Yes, but it will buy the fleet some time." answered the copilot as Racetrack nodded her head.
"Lords of Kobol please protect us." prayed Lt. Margaret Edmondson before hitting the door button. The raptor door slowly opened as she felt the air rush past her helmet. Both colonial's eyes widened as they saw two figures dressed totally different then the other figures. One was a tall woman dressed in a deep blue uniform with long black hair and brown eyes. Standing beside her in a skin tight white and black uniform was another woman with long black hair and deep blue eyes.
"Welcome to the Sr-2 Normandy I am Lt. Commander Ashley Williams." stated the woman in blue with a warm smile.
"And I am Miranda Lawson." stated the woman in white.
"There not Cylons." stated Racetrack copilot as he said out load what she was thinking.
"And hello to you too." Said Miranda
"Please forgive him, he can be an idiot." explained Lt. Edmondson "Lt. Margaret Edmondson and the idiot behind me is Warrant Officer Aaron Saltz. So who are you people?"
"I think it would be better explained in the war room, if you two would come with us." Said Ashley
"We already came this far lets go all the fraken way." explained Lt. Edmondson as she and Warrant Officer Saltz followed Ashley and Miranda toward the elevator located at the back end of the Normandy. The moment they reached the doors they opened up allowing the four of them to step onto the elevator. It took them only a few seconds for the elevator to move up to the second level of the Normandy. The doors opened as Lt. Edmondson and Warrant Officer Saltz eyes widened as they looked into the giant room. The room was filled with people in dark blue uniforms manning the most advanced computers they had ever seen and none of the people where Cylons. All the screens, keyboards and everything else was made out light and was floating in mid air. In front of them was a large image of the galaxy.
"This way." said Miranda as they took a turned to the right passing though a military checkpoint where they where scanned with some sort of advanced computer. Once they where pass that they moved into another section of the ship. Finally they entered a large circle room which dropped down a bit toward a circle table. Standing at the table dressed in black armor with blue highlights was a man in his late to mid twenties.
"Welcome onboard the Normandy." said the man "I am Commander John Shepard of the System Alliance Marines and Citadel Council Spectre."
"Commander Shepard, I am Lt. Margaret Edmondson and this is Warrant Officer Aaron Saltz of the 12 tribes of Kobol Military from the Battlestar Galactica." explained Racetrack "And forgive my bluntness but we have some questions."
"Namely where are you from." said Aaron Saltz as the two colonials walked down to the table located in the center of the war room.
"Since we are cutting to the point so will I." stated Shepard as he tapped a few commands into his computer. The colonial's eyes widened as the image of a blue and green planet which didn't match any of the 12 colonies appeared a single moon moved over the planet. "This is where we are from. Most of my crew was either born here or directly decent from colonies from our home world, Earth."
"Earth your from Earth?" asked Racetrack with a smile.
"I grew up on Earth." added Shepard as suddenly the two colonial officers began to jump for joy.
"This will be written in the history books." stated Aaron before looking at Shepard. "You will go down in history."
"Yet another time your name is going to be in the history books Shepard." said a voice from behind the colonials, they turned to see a strange bird like creature dressed in blue and black armor.
"What the frak is that thing?" asked Aaron
"Allow me to introduce some of the other members of my team." said Shepard "Garrus Vakarian a Turian and one the best shots in the galaxy."
"You mean the best shot." corrected Garrus with a laugh.
"An alien? You have an alien on this ship?" asked Racetrack
"Not just one, we have five different races on this ship and that isn't even counting EDI, the Cylons or Javik." pointed out Ashley
"Why would you count the Cylons?" asked Aaron "They are machines."
"Because in the rest of galaxy machines like the Cylons who have reached true intelligence have the same rights as everyone else." explained Shepard "We are currently working on freeing the centurions on board this Basestar from the AI hardware block which stopped them from being free."
"So you aren't destroying them?" asked Aaron
"No." answered Shepard "Why would I?"
"Because those mother frakers killed billions when they nuked our home worlds, don't you care about your cousins?" asked Aaron
"Aaron calm down." ordered Racetrack "They have no idea what we have gone though."
"You're a refugee fleet on the run from the Cylons which you made before they rebelled. After decades of peace they returned and destroyed your 12 worlds killing billions." said Shepard
"How could you know all that?" asked Racetrack
"A few days ago we passed through your home system; there we came across some destroyed centurions which provided information along with three colonial survivors." explained Miranda "They explained to us what happened."
"You have colonials onboard?" asked Racetrack "Where?"
"Well the two children are asleep, it's three in the morning here and Carolanne is probably at the bar." explained Shepard
"Three in the morning?" asked Racetrack as she looked at her watch it was only two in the afternoon fleet time.
"You may now Carolanne's ex-husband." said Miranda "One Admiral Adama."
"The Admiral's ex wife is onboard?"asked Racetrack
"Yes." stated Shepard
"If she has told you all this why are you protecting toasters?" asked Aaron
"The centurions have done nothing wrong, they where slaves to the humanoid models." explained Garrus "We are freeing them."
"They killed billions of people, it's like you don't care about billions of lives." growled Aaron
"Calm down." ordered Racetrack as she looked at her copilot.
"They don't care about billions of people dying?" yelled Aaron back.
"It isn't that we do not care." explained Shepard as he took a deep breath "The thing is that just five years ago a war ended which covered the entire galaxy. No one knows the true number of people who died but Earth went from a population of 11.4 billion to just under a million people hiding in remote places around the world in only a few months."
"What?" asked Racetrack
"And Earth wasn't alone, on my home world of Palaven millions die in the first day of the war." explained Garrus "If Liara was here she would probably give you a detailed number of worlds hit but needless to say almost every world was hit by the Reapers. Hundreds of Trillions of people die across the galaxy. So it isn't that we don't care but we have experienced so many deaths that sadly we have gotten used to it."
"Hundreds of Trillions?" asked a stunned Racetrack
"Yes, one race, the Batarian where pushed to the edge of extinction." added Miranda "A race with hundreds of worlds almost whipped out in under a year. The rest of the Galaxy did better but still to this day all the worlds across the galaxy which are scared by the Reaper war."
"Reaper war?" asked Aaron
"I have heard enough." said Racetrack as she looked at Aaron "We need to get back to the fleet so that we can inform the Admiral."
"If it is ok with you, I and a team would like to go with you." Said Shepard "I am sure your military command would feel safer if we didn't show up with a Cylon Basestar in tow."
"By team how many are you talking about?" asked Racetrack
"Myself plus two members of my team people, plus Carolanne." said Shepard
"Alright." said Racetrack as suddenly Aaron's stomach growled
"Sorry I forgot to grab my ration bar before we left Galactica." admitted Aaron
"We have some food downstairs in the mess if you want it." offered Shepard
"What type of food?" asked Aaron
"Anything you want." answered Ash
Meanwhile on New Caprica an emergency meeting of Colonial Government and the Cylon High Command was taking place on Colonial One.
"What do you mean Earth?" asked the three model D'anna Biers as she and the other
"The computer system in one of their packs translated this man's tattoo to "Earth for all the Glory." explained Baltar as he held up the photo of the man (James).
"Are you sure?" asked Boomer
"I was standing with him when it happened, it said Earth." confirmed Caprica Six as she sat in her chair on colonial one. Outside the streets where once again filled with movement however most of the movement came from New Caprica Police and the Centurions. The human civilians where once again free to move though the city however most remained to close to their tent homes in case of another crack down, going out only to get food and to work. "We now have to reinforce our positions her and around the gate."
"We have seven Basestars there and two more Basestars just arrived half an hour ago over New Caprica raising the total to four." explained a two "Maybe if we cut back the number of ships we have running supplies from the remains of the 12 tribes we can better hold those positions."
"But we need to get supplies from the 12 tribes, machine parts and vehicles. If we are ever to make this work down here." pointed out Caprica Six
"Well we can't do everything Caprica Six, we have a limited supply of ships." pointed out two "Maybe if we finish off the colonial fleet we can recall those ships we have out searching for them."
"Excuses me but what is this Gate?" asked Baltar
"That is a Cylon matter and none of your business." stated Cavil
"It's an artifact which we found while we were searching for the colonial fleet." explained Caprica Six as the other Cylons glared at her. "He needs to know."
"Fine." stated Cavil "We found what they Hybrids call the gate, we are currently researching it."
"Can I see it?" asked Baltar
"It's far too big to brought here, it's about the size of a small planetoid." explained the three "We are still not sure what it does."
"Could it be something that the 13th tribe made?" asked Baltar
"No." answered Cavil definitely. "I am also sure that the people we encountered are can't be from Earth."
"And how do you know that?" asked a four "The evidence seams to point to the strong possibility that they are from Earth."
"They can't be because…" started Cavil as he took a deep breath as he prepared to disclose the greatest secret of the Cylon race "Because the final five are in fact the only survivors from Earth."
"What?" asked Caprica Six as everyone looked at him.
"The Final Five where the only survivors from the 13th tribe of Kobol, a tribe of humanoid Cylons." explained Cavil "They created machine slaves like the centurions, they then destroyed each other in nuclear holocaust. Only five members survived and using the resurrection they made the journey to the 12 tribes. They came when the 1st Cylon War was raging, they made a deal in return to creating us we had to end the war with the humans."
"How could you know this?" asked a three
"Because I was the first, I meet the final five and they told me it." explained Cavil
"Why did you hid this from us?" demanded Boomer
"Because if you knew who the final five where you would go to them before the time was right." explained Cavil
"Before the time is right?" asked Caprica Six
"The final five believe that we have to live in peace with the humans, much like you Caprica Six." Explained Cavil "I killed them and then blocked their memories of who they really where, they are in fact living out there right now."
"The final five are on New Caprica?" asked Boomer
"Yes, and once they realize the truth they will come back to their children." explained Cavil "So there is no way that this strange ship or these people are from Earth, because Earth is a nuclear wasteland."
A flash of light filled the space nearby the Colonial Fleet as a single Raptor appeared.
"Racetrack to Galactica come in Galactica." stated Racetrack's voice over the wireless speakers located inside the CIC as she transmitted her ID code informing the high command that it was her at the controls.
"Racetrack this is Galactica Actual you are an hour behind your return time." stated Admiral Adama into his wireless translator.
"Sorry Galactica Actual kind of went against your orders and made contact." admitted Racetrack as her Raptor moved toward the Galactica "We will need a squad of marines to meet us in the hanger."
"Marines?" asked Adama
"We are heavy four people." explained Racetrack as she looked at the group of people crammed into the holding area "On second though make it two squads of Marines."
A few minute later two squads of Colonial marines dressed in the black body armor and armed with weapons that appear to be weapons from earth history. The marines took positions along the catwalks and behind large creates as most of the deck crew was rushed out of the hanger. Only a small crew remained to get the raptor into position, Admiral Adama settled onto the deck just as the Raptor was wheeled to a stop.
"Admiral you shouldn't be here." stated his XO Karl Agathon
"No." stated Adama as the Raptor door opened up as Racetrack stepped off the Raptor with her hands raised.
"Hold your fire!" ordered Racetrack as the next figure stepped off the Raptor. It was a man dressed in strange black armor with blue highlights. His blue eyes scanned the area noting the location of every colonial marine.
"By the Gods." stated Karl as the next figure stepped off the Raptor, standing there in mostly blue and black armor was a creature with a strange bird like face with what looked like encased feathers coming out of the back of its head. Its different jointed legs moved across the raptor wing before moving to the deck. Following the creature out was a much smaller framed female figure stepped out of the Raptor in what appeared to be some kind of space suit. The outline of her face along with some the details could be seen as she stepped off the Raptor with what appeared to be a strange suitcase in her three digital hand. The Colonials just stood there stunned as they looked at the three strange beings standing before them. Slowly the three of them began moving toward Admiral Adama even as the marines kept their guns trained on them. Finally the three figures stopped in front Admiral Adama and Karl Agathon.
"Admiral Adama, I am Commander John Shepard of the System Alliance Vessel SR2- Normandy." explained Shepard "allow me to introduce my fellow Citadel council Spectre Garrus Vakarian."
"Hello." answered Garrus "And since I know you're wondering what I am, I am a Turian and the lovely Quarian is Tali'Zorah vas Neema one of the best computer programs and technician in the galaxy."
"Greetings believe me the Quarian people will do everything we can to help your migrant fleet." stated Tali as Admiral Adama and the other Colonials just seemed too stunned for words.
"Thank you." said Admiral Adama not sure how to react, there was a handbook form the colonial government before the fall on how to deal with Alien contact but that seamed pointless when two of them where standing in front of him along with a strange human.
"We found someone who you know very well when we were passing though your home system." explained Shepard as he turned his head back to the Raptor. Admiral Adama looked toward the Raptor only to have widened beyond the point he thought possible. Standing there was a woman he though died years ago and one he hadn't talked to years before that, his ex wife Carolanne. Everyone watched as the woman walked forward, pushing past Shepard stopping right in front of Admiral Adama.
"Hello Bill." said Carolanne as the ex-husband and wife looked at each other.
"Hello Anne." said Bill as he used Carolanne's nickname as she walked up to Bill Adama and slapped him hard across the face.
"Well looks like we are back to normal." stated Adama as he rubbed his check
"Where is my son?" demanded Anne as she glared at her ex-husband.
Well I hope you liked this chapter and how I had the colonials meet Shepard and his team. Next chapter will have the official meeting on Galactica. Until then I would like to thank everyone who reviewed and I ask that you keep reading. Thanks Wilkins75