THE GENETIC DUPLICATE—Day 9 Part 1
Kim was sleeping for six hours when her astral-projecting-spirit began walking around on a Raptor as the Raptor's two-men crew was surveying a solar system.
Kim was looking around in a confused manner when a repeating beeping sound from the Raptor's communication system caught her attention.
Lt. Vista, the pilot of the Raptor, faced the ECO and asked, "What do you have?"
"It's a distress signal from a colonial vessel. I'm running a check on the identity of that signal now." There was silence for a minute. The ECO then continued to say, "By the lords of Kobol. I don't believe this."
"What is it?" asked Lt. Vista.
"According to this, the distress signal belongs to the Raven class ship, the Hasting. Didn't the Hasting go missing during the original Cylon war?" said the ECO.
"It did," said Lt. Vista. "Where is that signal…"
Kim's attention was drawn behind her when she heard an Irish accent saying, "Kim-Lizzy; you and the people of the fleet are in danger."
Kim quickly looked behind her and when she saw who spoke she asked, "Grandpa, am I'm having a vision?"
"Your body is fast asleep in your bed, but your spirit is in the perfect state right now to learn so you can warn Cmdr. Adama of an appending danger," said Clifford.
"What danger?" asked Kim.
Clifford held out his hand and said, "Take my hand and I will show you."
Kim took his hand. She then found herself on a bridge of a military ship. The bridge crewmembers were performing his or her duties' in a calm manner. The uniforms were different, but Kim could tell that she was on a colonial vessel.
Kim watched the crew for a few seconds. She then turned to Clifford and asked, "Where are we?"
"We are on board the Hasting just before it went missing fifty-seven years ago," said Clifford.
"What? I'm in the past?" asked Kim.
"Your spirit is in the past," said Clifford. "I know you haven't read about the Hasting, but you did read about the Raven class ships during the original Cylon war with the colonies."
"The Raven class ship was mainly a support vessel," said Kim. "Those ships were used as escort vessel; medical ships and evacuation ships. What about them?"
Clifford just pointed towards the communication station. Novalee, the woman sitting at the station turned towards Cmdr. Richter and said, "Cmdr. Richter, a crew of a raptor has just leap into this sector and is reporting trouble with their navigation system and FTL drive. They are from the Battlestar Centaurus and they thought they were returning home. Sir, they are now requesting permission to land and make necessary repairs to their systems."
"Novalee, tell the crew of the raptor that they are cleared to land," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Aye sir," said Novalee. "Crew of the raptor, you are cleared to land." There was a short silence. "Cmdr. Richter, the crew of the raptor is reporting a vessel of an unknown origin crashing on the third planet of the Dorktus system."
"Novalee, get a hold of fleet and relay the message of a down vessel," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Aye sir," said Novalee.
As Novalee was radioing fleet, the executive officer, Col Tyse said, "The Dorktus system is on the outer rim."
"That is also a barren system," said Cmdr. Richter. "If there are any survivors, they won't last very long."
Kim got bored at what she was looking at and asked, "Grandpa, what's threatening about this?"
"You need to be patient Kim-Lizzy," said Clifford. "What you need to see will show itself, but this event is how it starts."
Kim attention was then drawn to Novalee as she said, "Cmdr. Richter, Admiral Starling is on the line."
Cmdr. Richter picked up the handset at his station and said, "Patch him through."
"Aye sir," Novalee.
A second later, Cmdr. Richter said, "Admiral Starling, it's always a pleasure."
"Likewise, Manfred," said Admiral Starling. "Manfred, I know you are loaded down at the moments with Gov. Ritz and the civilians of all ages, but you are the closes ship to the Dorktus system. If a vessel did crash there, most likely there won't be any survivors, but if there are then time will be of the essence. Your priority now is to go to the Dorktus system and search for survivors."
"Yes sir," said Cmdr. Richter. "Hasting out." Cmdr. Richter hung up the handset.
As Cmdr. Richter was giving the orders to jump, Kim asked, "Grandpa, is there anyway to fast forward this to the important part?"
"Okay Kim-Lizzy," said Clifford. "Close your eyes and imagine time moving by at twice the speed."
Kim closed her eyes and said, "Okay. I'm imagining it."
"And now imagine time going by at four times its normal speed… and now eight times its speed." When Kim heard a high pitch buzzing noise she opened her eyes and saw the crew dashing by her in an extremely fast speed. Seconds for Kim were several minutes for the crew of the Hasting. Kim fast-forward through the events of the crew finding a down vessel and Cmdr. Richter dispatching a search crew to the wreckage. When the search team was ready to return, Clifford said, "What you need to see is here so now imagine time at its normal speed."
Kim closed her eyes again and when she heard conversations at normal speed she reopened her eyes.
"Sir, the search team is returning with one survivor; a man," said Novalee. "They say that the man is in remarkably good health for being the sole survivor of a crash."
The monitors throughout the ship went fuzzy at the same time. Before anyone of the bridge officers was able to report a problem with his or her monitor, the ship had a ship-wide electrical failure. The entire ship went pitch-black.
From the light from the stars, Cmdr. Richter was barely able to make out silhouette shapes of his crewmembers who were standing between him and the view out the main window.
Kim blurted out, "Jesus, what's going on?"
Almost over lapping Kim's words, Cmdr. Richter blurted out, "By the lords of Kobol, what just happened, and why hasn't the back-up generator come on?"
Before anyone had a chance to respond, five large balls of lights soared from stern to bow at an incredible speed. Before anyone had a chance to respond to the lights, the lights faded from sight and the Hasting' electrical system came back on.
Kim gestured towards the main window and said, "Okay, now that was weird."
Kim was then drawn to Cmdr. Richter as he commanded, "I want an explanation on the electrical failure along with the explanation to those lights."
The officer at the navigation system called out, "Sir, all navigation data and references are wiped clean."
Before Cmdr. Richter had a chance to respond, another officer called out, "Sir, all data in the main frame has been wiped clean."
"Whatever caused the electrical failure, most likely caused the data from our computers to be wiped," said Col Tyse
"Those lights were the whatever that caused this," said Cmdr. Richter. "Col. Tyse, let's get these system restored with the back-up tapes."
"I'll pray to the gods that the back-up tapes weren't effected from this incident," said Col Tyse.
Cmdr. Richter looked at Col. Tyse, but before he was able to respond to his remark, Novalee said, "Sir, the crew of the raptor is requesting landing clearance."
Cmdr. Richter turned to face Novalee and said, "Granted." He then faced Col. Tyse again. "Colonel, you have command of the CIC. I'm going have a talk with our guest."
"Aye sir," said Col. Tyse. He then took a step towards where the back-up tapes were kept.
As Cmdr. Richter was walking towards the exit, Clifford gestured towards him and said, "We are to follow the commander."
"Okay," said Kim. She and Clifford walked behind Cmdr. Richter.
As Kim and Clifford followed Cmdr. Richter through the corridors, Kim looked around and absorbed everything that came into her view.
The pilot Sharanee Stix, the ECO and a man who appeared to be in his early twenties were walking away from the raptor when Cmdr. Richter entered the hanger. Kim and Clifford were a step behind Cmdr. Richter.
As Sharanee and the others stepped up to Cmdr. Richter, Sharanee said, "Commander, let me introduce you to Ottious. Ottious, this is Cmdr. Richter."
At the same time Ottious was looking around in a manner as if he was looking for something or someone, Cmdr. Richter reached out his hand to shake hands.
Ottious looked at Cmdr. Richter's hand in a perplex manner at first, but then took his hand.
As they were shaking hands, Cmdr. Richter asked, "Your name is Ottious what?"
Cmdr. Richter and Kim saw Ottious thinking for a second. He then said, "My name is Ottious Stone."
"So Mr. Stone, what can you tell me about the crash?" asked Cmdr. Richter.
Cmdr. Richter saw Ottious searching his thoughts just before he said, "I prefer to be called Ottious, and I'm afraid not much. I mean I don't know what caused it or why I survived when no one else did, but the crash was actually the astral lab belonging to Dr. Penton."
Cmdr. Richter looked at Ottious in a curious matter and said, "Dr. Penton took himself and that lab of his into hiding about twenty years ago when the Caprica officials learned that he was experimenting on creating humans who would age at a slower pace and be resistant to diseases."
Ottious grinned and said, "You know all about Dr. Penton and his work."
"I just recently saw the documentary that they made of his life, and honestly most of the film was speculations," said Cmdr. Richter.
"So are you one of Dr. Penton's subjects?" asked Sharanee.
"I am, and I'm actually in my thirties," said Ottious.
"In a few minutes you will submit to a medical exam, but right now, I would like to know what you know about those balls of lights," said Cmdr. Richter.
Ottious looked at Cmdr. Richter and said, "I don't know anything of those lights. I also don't need a medical exam."
"I never asked for your opinion on getting a medical exam," said Cmdr. Richter. "You will submit to one."
Kim saw the angry look Ottious gave Cmdr. Richter just before saying in a calm manner, "Yes, Cmdr. Richter. You're the one who is in charge."
Cmdr. Richter looked at Sharanee and said, "Escort our guest to sickbay."
"Yes sir," Sharanee said. "Ottious, come with me."
Clifford gestured and said "We need to follow Ottious to sickbay."
"I was hoping we were to," said Kim. "Something seems off about this guy and I would like to find out what."
Clifford grinned and said, "That is exactly why you are here."
As Kim and Clifford followed behind Ottious and Sharanee, Ottious kept looking back in a manner as if he was looking for something or someone. When Kim saw that Ottious seemed to have looked into her face for the forth time Kim said, "Grandpa, Ottious seemed to have looked at me a few times."
"He actually feels your presence, but he cannot see you or hear you," said Clifford.
"So he's actually looking for me?" asked Kim.
Before Clifford was able to respond, Sharanee said to Ottious, "You keep looking around. Is there anything wrong?"
"There's nothing wrong," said Ottious. "I kept thinking that I'm hearing something odd."
"You will get use to all the noises on this ship," said Sharanee. "I'm use to them so I don't even pay attention to them anymore."
Kim and Clifford followed Ottious and Sharanee into sickbay and then into an examination room. Just after Kim stepped in, she saw the medical technician walking up to a monitor that was showing a snowy picture.
As the technician was trying to fix the equipment he said, "This was just working right before you two walked in here. So this may take a minute." Kim watched the technician as he was attempting to get the monitor to work. "Ah, here we go. It's working now."
Kim saw that the monitor was still on the fritz and blurted out, "What do you mean it's working now? There's no change."
"They are seeing that the monitor is working when it's not," said Clifford.
"Is Ottious is capable at creating illusions?" asked Kim.
"He does," said Clifford.
"This guy isn't even human, is he?" asked Kim.
"You are catching on fast," said Clifford.
As the minutes past Kim watched in a focused manner as the medical technician gave Ottious a complete physical. During the physical not one of the instrument worked; however, the technician saw that each test he ran came out normal and average. Kim also saw how Sharanee was being taken in by Ottious's charm. When the physical was done, Sharanee gave Ottious a tour of the ship. Kim and Clifford followed their every move and saw how people would also be taken in by Ottious's charm.
After Sharanee showed Ottious most of the ship, Ottious asked, "So what about showing me the CIC section?"
"I'm sorry, but that is off limits to civilians," said Sharanee.
"I do understand, but seeing the CIC would give me a sense of security." Ottious then continued to ask in an enticing manner, "Would you please give me a chance at becoming secure while on this ship?"
Sharanee grinned in a delightful manner and said, "Okay. I'll show you to the CIC."
Kim looked at Sharanee in an awing manner and blurted out, "I can't believe how Ottious is getting his way with the crew and the civilians on board."
As Sharanee led Ottious to the CIC, Kim and Clifford followed.
On CIC Col Tyse was coordinating the restoration of the files.
When Sharanee and Ottious stepped onto the CIC, all the monitors acted up. The crewmembers who were monitoring the monitors saw them as they went bad just for a second, and then they saw the illusion of the monitors working.
Col Tyse saw Sharanee leading Ottious onto the CIC and walked up to them. As Col. Tyse was stepping up, he demanded, "Lieutenant, explain why this man is here."
Sharanee was just about to answer when Ottious said, "She was only trying to make me feel more secure. She didn't really want to bring me here, but I persuaded her that bringing me here would ease my worries."
"Well, I'm afraid you will have to leave," said Col. Tyse.
"Colonel, I'm just a simple person," said Ottious. "Since I am one person do you really see me as a threat to you for being here?"
"I don't see you as a threat," said Col. Tyse.
"You should," Kim blurted out.
"Colonel, it will make me feel more secure by seeing how things work, and I do promise I will keep my hands to myself," said Ottious.
"Well, at the moment we are restoring our systems, so there is really nothing to see," said Col. Tyse
"Sir, wouldn't this be the time to show Ottious around CIC?" asked Sharanee.
"All I want to do is look around and perhaps ask Sharanee a few questions," said Ottious.
Col. Tyse looked at Ottious in a skeptical manner. He then said, "Sharanee, you have my permission to show him around."
"Thank you, sir," said Sharanee.
Kim again looked at the situation with an awe expression on her face. She then asked, "Is there anyone on this ship that is not taken in by this person?"
Kim remained behind Sharanee and Ottious as they went from station to station. Sharanee explained to what each station did.
Sharanee was showing Ottious around for ten minutes when Cmdr. Richter walked onto the CIC. When Cmdr. Richter saw Ottious, he stepped up to Col. Tyse and demanded in a loud manner, "Why is this man in my CIC?"
"Commander, being the way we are restoring our systems I didn't see the harm for him to see the CIC," said Col. Tyse.
Sharanee stepped up and said, "Cmdr. Richter, Ottious felt very insecure and I was just trying to make him feel more at ease."
"Cmdr. Richter, it was really my doing," said Ottious. "I am just one simple person and…"
Cmdr. Richter said almost in an angry manner, "Shut the frak up. Col. Tyse, I want this man place in a brig immediately."
Kim looked at Cmdr. Richter in a delightful and a surprisingly manner. Sharanee looked at him in a shocked manner and asked, "Commander, isn't that a little extreme?"
"Lt. Stix, if you don't want to be in an adjacent cell to Ottious, you will not say another syllable." When Sharanee kept quiet, Cmdr. Richter looked at Col. Tyse and said, "Get a security detail up here on the double to escort this man to a cell, and once you made that call consider yourself relieve of duty."
"Sir, you are relieving me from duty over Ottious being in CIC?" asked Col. Tyse.
"You and Lt. Stix are fraking lucky that I do not confine you two to your quarters while waiting trial for treason," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Treason, sir?" asked Sharanee.
"Lt. Stix, you are also relieved of duty, and you are not allowed to return to duty until you finish reacquainting yourself with the colonial military regulations from cover to cover," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Sir, that will take days to read all of that," said Sharanee.
"Then you should get started right away," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Yes, sir," said Sharanee. "Sir, before I'm relieved of duty I request permission to escort Ottious to the brig personally."
"Lt. Stix, I will be calling the brig in ten minutes and if Ottious is not resting comfortably in a cell, you will be charge with treason," said Cmdr. Richter.
Sharanee stood at attention and as she made and held a salute she said, "Yes, sir."
Cmdr. Richter looked at Sharanee in an annoyed manner, and without returning the salute, he demanded, "Get Ottious out of here."
"Yes, sir," said Sharanee. She then dropped her salute and faced Ottious. "Let's go."
As Sharanee and Ottious were walking away, Cmdr. Richter said, "Col. Tyse, you are dismissed for the next eighteen hours."
"Yes, sir," said Col. Tyse. He then followed Sharanee and Ottious out into the corridor.
"Wow, Cmdr. Richter doesn't play around," Kim commented.
Kim was then drawn to a crewman when he said, "Cmdr. Richter, my monitor went out for a second and when it came on, I'm getting a completely different reading from before."
"Sir, the restoration of the files has prematurely stopped, and we are now receiving an error code," said another crewman.
"Run a diagnostic on each system and check the back-up tapes for corruption," said Cmdr. Richter.
"Yes, sir," said the crewman.
Kim watched the crew of CIC performed their duties in an interest manner. Within ten minutes a crewman reported that the back-up tapes were corrupted and only ten percent of the navigation chart was restored.
After hearing the report, Cmdr. Richter said, "Okay, obviously we are not going to get all of these system restored, but we will need the navigation restored so we don't travel blind and in the wrong direction. Mr. Pike, get a team down on the landing bay and copy the navigation files from one of the raptors."
"Yes, sir," said Pike.
As Pike was complying with the order, Rodney Ritz, a civilian and a governor to the Sagittarian government walked onto CIC.
Cmdr. Richter heard Gov. Ritz stepping onto the CIC and when he turned to look he said, "Gov. Ritz, CIC is off limits to all civilians and you will have to leave."
Gov. Ritz continued to walk towards Cmdr. Richter and said, "I just met with Ottious Stone. Why are you treating him as if he is a criminal?"
"Ottious Stone had compromised the security of this ship, much like what you are doing now," said Cmdr. Richter. "Now you have two minutes to leave my CIC before you end up in the brig yourself."
"Cmdr. Richter, I am a political icon in the Sagittarian government," said Gov. Ritz. "If you arrest me, I can certainly ensure that you will lose your command of this ship."
Cmdr. Richter picked up the handset. A second later, he said, "This is Cmdr. Richter. I need a security detail in CIC immediately."
"You will regret this," said Gov. Ritz. He then turned and walked towards the exit.
Cmdr. Richter was still on the handset as Gov. Ritz was leaving. He then said, "Disregard, that order."
As Cmdr. Richter was hanging up the handset, Clifford said, "Gov. Ritz is who we need to follow now."
Kim looked at Clifford in a curious manner for a second. She then said, "Okay."
Kim and Clifford followed slightly behind Gov. Ritz as he walked through the corridors. As Gov. Ritz entered the officer's club, Kim and Clifford entered behind him. Kim and Clifford was only a step behind Gov. Ritz when he stepped up to an empty seat next to where Col. Tyse was sitting and sat down. When Col. Tyse looked at Gov. Ritz, Gov. Ritz said, "Colonel, I have just came from CIC and I'm not at all happy with Cmdr. Richter's performance as a commander."
"This is the second ship that I have served under him in three years," said Col. Tyse. "He's okay."
"Regardless of how you think of him, I want him removed from the position of being the commander," said Gov. Ritz.
"Well, the only person who can do that is an admiral," said Col. Tyse.
"Colonel, my voice carries substantial pull with the president and among the admirals of our mighty fleet. So as long as you are acting under my orders to take command of this vessel, no…"
Col. Tyse quickly interrupted by saying, "Gov. Ritz, what you are suggesting is mutiny."
"I was about ready to say the same thing," said Kim.
"I can guarantee you that you won't be charge with mutiny," said Gov. Ritz. "When we returned to colonies, I will be filing a complaint against Cmdr. Richter that will most likely have him discharged from the military. Now you can help me or I will be filing a similar complaint against you as well."
"That's not right," said Kim.
"Gov. Ritz, what you are asking me to do is unethical," said Col. Tyse.
"Okay, a little more wordy, but the same thing," said Kim.
"Colonel, I think you are misunderstanding me," said Gov. Ritz. "I'm not asking you to take command. I'm ordering you to and I do have that authority."
"Gov. Ritz, I will obey your orders, but I will be filing an official protest against you when we returned to colonies," said Col. Tyse.
"That is your right," said Gov. Ritz.
Col. Tyse stood up and left the officer's club. Kim and Clifford remained one step behind him. Kim watched Col. Tyse in a distasteful manner for fifteen minutes as he gathered mutineers. After Col. Tyse gathered his men, he went to CIC. Kim and Clifford followed Col. Tyse and watched him as he and his mutineers took over the CIC.
Col. Tyse and a few other personnel led Cmdr. Richter and his loyal crew to the brig. As Cmdr. Richter and his crew were being placed in the brig, Ottious was released.
Kim and Clifford followed Col. Tyse and his mutineers back to the CIC, and just after stepping on the CIC, the five balls of light shown themselves again. As before the electrical system went out for a few seconds and when it came back on, the computer mainframe was wiped clean again.
Kim saw the horrid expression on Ottious's face, when the light came back on. Immediately afterwards Ottious convinced Col. Tyse that the balls of light were a severe threat to everyone and persuaded him to make a long series of blind FTL jumps.
As the crew was preparing themselves for their first FTL jump, Clifford said, "Kim-Lizzy, it's time to move twenty years in the future, so take my hand."
"Okay," said Kim. She then took Clifford's hand.
Instantly she found herself looking over the Hasting's crash-site that was converted into a shelter for the survivors. The people who were walking in and out of camp were between the ages of twenty-five and fifty. An overwhelming number of grave markers were able to be seen not too far from the crashed ship. Kim was looking around for a few seconds when she saw Ottious walking off the ship. Ottious didn't appear to have aged.
Kim looked at Ottious in a confused manner and asked, "Grandpa, I thought you were taking me twenty years into the future after the mutiny of the Hasting?"
"I did," said Clifford.
Kim pointed to Ottious and said, "Isn't that Ottious? And the people would be older also."
"Kim-Lizzy, the Hasting was transporting civilians of all ages when Ottious stepped aboard the ship," said Clifford. "Most of the adults were killed when the Hasting crashed and the adults you see now were only children during that time. The adults that weren't killed during the crashed basically killed each other off."
"Well what about Ottious?" asked Kim. "He should be twenty years older."
"If he was human, he would be," said Clifford.
"Grandpa, the crew of the Raptor I was on found the distress signal of the Hasting," said Kim. "Are they going to find Ottious too?"
"They will find him along with the sole survivor of the Hasting," said Clifford.
"Seeing what happened to the Hasting, Ottious can't be allowed to join the fleet," said Kim.
Clifford grinned and said, "It's time for your spirit to return to your owned time and for you to wake up."
Kim looked at Clifford and smiled. She then saw Clifford fading from her sight. She quickly looked around and saw the scenery fading as well. She looked at Clifford again and just before he completely faded away, she said, "Bye Grandpa. I love you."