CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
BATTLESTAR AMETHYST – KOBOL SYSTEM – SECURE CONFERENCE ROOM OFF CIC
Admiral Truly looked at Lee Chung-Hua and Mary Dekker after they had quickly read the report from Captain Puller on Kobol. Both the Amethyst's commandant and executive officer looked at each other and nodded.
"Chesty Six' idea to neutralize the Templar traitors on the Annapolis is a good one, Admiral", Lee said, "but it would have to be done quickly as both Ford and Richter would probably be getting suspicious about the delay".
"I agree with Commandant Lee, Admiral", Dekker echoed, "and Admiral Cain would more than likely concur. True, I'd feel better informing him beforehand, but the time element would work against us if we waited for his acknowledgement".
"If this is going to work, we'd need for there to be a plausible reason why both PEST ships would be lifting off-planet and going to another battlestar though – particularly if it's not the Pensacola they'd be going to", Truly pointed out.
All three of them were in the secure conference room in order to formulate a way for Puller's plan – using the Icarus and Jerusalem as 'Trojan Horses' to get people onto the Annapolis without tipping off either Commandant Ford or Major Richter. While Serenity was busy preparing to airlift the marines from the now-destroyed peregrine Tondolayo off-planet, Captain Puller was busy getting the Icarus ready for liftoff. He would be taking on board the Icarus most of his marines, leaving the rest and their APC to be airlifted off-planet by the peregrine General Ike, which would also control the TAD-loaded raptors. Puller had said that by getting the TAD's off Kobol this way, it wouldn't arouse suspicion from either Ford or Richter until it was too late.
"Well, Admiral", Dekker said after a few seconds of silence, "those people did have a non-belligerency authorization so technically speaking, whatever they do cannot be questioned by us, and when you were in communication with Forrest earlier, that was by secure laser link so the Annapolis would not have been able to overhear that you had negated it with Admiral Cain's directive from the President".
"Good point, but I'm more concerned with how Puller is going to convince Ford to take both the Icarus and the Jerusalem on board the Annapolis", Truly replied.
"If we can get close enough, perhaps Puller can let Vice-Commandant Duren know so that he can take direct action against Ford and Richter himself", Lee suggested. River Tam on Serenity had found out through her mind-interrogation of Brother Manna from the Jerusalem that Oswald Duren was not a Templar.
"If Ford had brought the Annapolis to Condition One, CIC would have a marine contingent guarding it, as per standard operating procedure. They would be more likely to obey Ford and regard Duren as a would-be mutineer", Truly responded, "No, we have to get either the Icarus or Jerusalem on board Annapolis and have them get both Ford and Richter down to greet the ship on arrival. We neutralize them, have Duren open communications with us to confirm things with us, then Duren can take command".
Just then, his comm-link beeped. Truly keyed his headset and heard the voice of Comms.
"Admiral, I've just received word that the TAD's have been loaded on board the raptors. Auto-piloting of the raptors has been activated and will be controlled from the General Ike", Comms reported.
"Have the Ike expedite getting the raptors off-planet, Comms", Truly ordered, "Ensure that their initial trajectory can't be monitored from the Annapolis' position, but get them off-planet ASAP as we don't know how long the countdown suspension will last. Also, send a message probe to Force Alternate informing him of developments. He'll need to know what we're doing. Expedite".
"Understood, Admiral", Comms acknowledged. Truly put down his headset.
"I think that given that we may not have much time left, we're not going to be able to properly plan, so we'd better let Puller ad-lib something. But make sure that he has clear communications with River Tam on the Jerusalem. I've a feeling that we're not done with Manna yet", Truly ordered, "I hope that the stories I've heard about marine improvisation saving the day isn't a bunch of felgercarb. It's a good thing he has a pilot with his marines".
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – PLANET KOBOL.
Puller looked out from the viewport of the Icarus' bridge and watched the General Ike – with the APC loaded back on board – lift off from the surface. The RSO on board the Ike was controlling the lift-off of the raptors carrying the TAD's. The Ike would guide the raptors on the sun-scuttle trajectory whilst Serenity would pick up the raptor crews waiting at the former TAD sites and get them back to the Amethyst. Hoping that the information provided to them regarding the location of the Battlestar Annapolis was accurate, he turned to face Sergeant Major Carter.
"I've got the arrest authorizations regarding Ford and Richter from Sunray, so we're all set", Puller announced, "Make sure that while in-flight, we keep communications open with Serenity".
Puller had taken position by the TAD detonation control console so that he would be able to quickly re-suspend the countdown if it resumed, though once the raptors broke orbit and headed to their solar-scuttle, the distance factor would make a swift countdown re-suspension impossible. The control console itself was so big, it could not be transferred to the General Ike in time, meaning that the Ike's RSO – PFC Jenny Weir, who was the remote control pilot for the raptors - was going to have her work cut out for her.
Puller looked over to the pilot's seat, which was filled by Marine Gunnery Sergeant Hugh Foley, who used to be a commercial freighter pilot before joining the Marine Corps.
"You're sure you can handle one of these Legend-class buckets, Gunny?", Puller inquired.
"Relax, Six", Foley assured him, "the controls are standardized and thanks to Miss Tam, we have the access codes and co-ordinates. But you will need to communicate with the Annapolis by text as either visual or audio might arouse suspicion".
"Just using text might arouse suspicion in itself", Puller replied cynically, "but the longer we delay, the more suspicious they will become. Let's do it!"
As Foley lifted the Icarus off the surface of Kobol, Ginny Annan walked onto the bridge. With the confirmation of her identity by Admiral Truly, Puller had released her from custody, and she was watching Foley piloting the Icarus.
"Well, Commandant", Puller said to her, "let's hope that this all works".
"Amen to that", Annan replied with a nod. Even though she was the senior ranking officer present, she was going to let Puller do his job with no interference from her.
PEST SURVEY SHIP JERUSALEM – PLANET KOBOL - BRIDGE
"Five", Gunnery Sergeant Xue Janping reported from the communications console, "Serenity reports that they should have all of the raptor crews evac-ed and back here within two hours. Also, Six is reporting that they are lifting off now. All of our people left here are on board".
Nodding acknowledgement, Lieutenant Holcomb turned to River Tam, who was with him on the bridge – along with the bound and gagged figure of Brother Manna. A heavily armed marine guard was watching over Manna as well. Mal Reynolds was piloting Serenity on its journey to pick up the other marines whilst River was on board the Jerusalem.
"Okay, Miss Tam", Holcomb said to her, "We've got an open channel to the Icarus. They will be in constant communication with us. If there is a question from either of the traitors on board the Annapolis that needs answering from Manna, you let them know".
"It will be easier now that I've broken down his resistance", River said, "and there will be no problem with my piloting the Jerusalem but do keep Manna close to me all the same", she suggested.
"Will do. I'm just glad that you can pilot this ship.", Holcomb said, "You'd best get us going as we need to catch up with Six on the Icarus".
Though the APC was on board Serenity – the Jerusalem could not accommodate the vehicle – The bulk of Holcomb's marines were on board the Jerusalem and would be tailing the Icarus on its trip to the Annapolis in order to keep River Tam in close communication with Puller if it became necessary. Though they did not have a pilot – and Grant Wise was totally unfamiliar with the control systems of this type of ship - River could however pilot the Jerusalem. It did necessitate Manna being dumped in the pilot's seat so that River could reach out to him if necessary. River quickly brought the engines up to power and smoothly lifted the Jerusalem off the surface of Kobol.
"We're on our way now?" Wise inquired as he walked on the bridge, "I just wanted to let you know that your marines are all squared away and raring to go". He smiled as he saw Manna bound and gagged.
"Affirmative, Commandant", Holcomb replied, "We've got a date with some traitors".
"Thanks for having me along, Lieutenant", Wise replied, "I can't wait".
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA – FALLBACK POSITION THETA – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
Cain read the message from the courier probe that had just jumped in from Kobol. So, Truly had stopped the TAD's detonating and were now seeking to remedy the situation with the Annapolis. Nodding at the ingenuity of all concerned, he was nonetheless annoyed that he still could not be there. The efforts to delouse the task force of Templar booby traps and operatives was continuing, but there was still something nagging at his mind. Just then, his comm-link buzzed.
"Father", he heard his daughter's voice in his head-set.
"We're still on duty, Commandant", Cain said half-jokingly.
"Very well: Force Alternate, Sir; I need to speak with you up in the conference room", she requested.
"Having CAG issues?" Cain asked.
Tricia replied, "No, Force Alternate, but something has come up and I need to confer with you".
"Very well", Cain said, "Have the deputy CAG take over and report to me in CIC".
Tricia acknowledged and terminated the communication. Cain had been keeping Tricia fully informed on the messages that had been received from Truly and was wondering if perhaps what she wanted to speak to him about had something to do with it.
"X.O.", Cain said to Major Vansen, "I'll be in the conference room. Ensure that Commandant Cain-Syke meets me in there".
"Yes, Admiral", Vansen acknowledged.
A few minutes later, Tricia entered CIC. Vansen guided her over to the conference room. Nodding, Tricia entered the room and closed and locked the hatch behind her.
"What's up, Tricia?" Cain inquired.
"Sorry to be so vague earlier, Father", Tricia said, "but given what we both experienced over Gomoray, I didn't want any listeners in CIC thinking that we had both gone mad".
Cain nodded. That experience of their both talking with incorporeal Cylons whilst unconscious was something that neither of them had mentioned to anyone else – not even to Tom Sanders. Both of them had thought that they would not be believed and anything like that could well undermine the crew's trust in either of them.
"You 'saw' them again?" Cain asked. Tricia shook her head.
"Father", Tricia said carefully, "all of these messages – particularly those from Gemstone – have been nagging at me some. What happened with us after Spears stunned us, the disappearance of Spears, the Templars and their TAD's. All of this is making me think that…well…"
"Go on", Cain said gently.
"It's making me feel that we're like puppets on a string, playing in an act in which we don't have the script, nor a clear idea of who – or what – is pulling the strings", Tricia replied equally quietly.
"We're being manipulated, you mean", Cain concluded flatly, "I'm having similar thoughts, but what makes your feelings more than just a suspicion - or even paranoia – on your part?"
"It's those messages from Sunray regarding River Tam", Tricia replied, "I've been friends with the Serenity crew back at New Picon for a while now and I've gotten to know River and her brother Simon very well. Those Alliance butcher doctors that screwed up her brain gave her a lot of abilities including pre-cognitive and telepathic flashes, yet the information provided by River to Mal Reynolds and Richard Truly seem to be a lot more precise than from what I've seen her do".
"You think that those beings we spoke to are directly influencing things through River?" Cain asked.
"If they are indeed Cylons, remember that they said that the Cylons have various factions and that Kobol has a holy status with all of them. One of those factions – if not the ones we talked with – could well be using River as a conduit", Tricia answered.
"To what end though?" Cain asked next, "if these factions are as powerful as what they have said, they could have neutralized those TAD's themselves".
"Unless it is all part of this grand plan that they had alluded to", Tricia said, "and if a faction is trying to manipulate results and the other factions get wind of it…"
Cain nodded. Tricia's theory did sound crazy, but it was crazy enough to be true.
"Keep this to yourself, my daughter", Cain advised, "you may have hit on something here".
"What do you intend to do, Father?" Tricia asked.
"First, continue to delouse our battlestars here, then get going to Kobol. My gut feeling is telling me that Kobol is the nexus for all of this. Someone – or something - is steering us down a path that we can't yet see the end of, and that uncertainty is something that I can't have hovering over us, or the Alliance!", Cain said, "Return to your post and stand by for further orders".
Nodding Tricia left the conference room. As she headed back down to the CAG command office, she wondered if her voicing the suspicion was part of the manipulation, but like her father, she had a sickening certainty that Kobol was going to be the decisive point…
PEREGRINE GENERAL IKE – KOBOL SYSTEM - ONE THOUSAND KILOMETERS FROM UNMANNED RAPTORS
The General Ike's RSO was monitoring her controls carefully. The four unmanned raptors that were carrying the TAD's in their holds were in formation and she was making sure that they were properly responding to her commands.
"Jenny", the pilot communicated, "we're going to be flying this course for a while keeping the planet between us and the Annapolis for as long as we can, but at any time those TAD's may reactivate and with the Icarus going in the opposite direction, they probably wouldn't be able to stop a countdown resumption in time. If you get a signal from those things indicating that the countdown has resumed, we're jumping straight back to Gemstone. Understood?"
"Acknowledged, Jack", Jenny Weir replied. She knew that despite their distance from the raptors the detonation of four TAD's -even out here in space – would result in their destruction, and without a TAD detonation console interface with the TAD's, she couldn't re-suspend the countdown, so she monitored her console very carefully. The TAD's had monitor devices placed on them so that she could see if the countdown did resume, but so far, so good…
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – EN-ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
Gunny Foley was smoothly piloting the Icarus to the position that River had said was the location of the Annapolis. Puller had surmised that the now-dead Forrest would have been piloting the Icarus on a more-or-less stealthy mode, which meant that their intention to use text communications would be a logical move. Thanks to River Tam, he knew what to type on his keyboard…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
Kimberly Richter was looking at her screen as a line of text came across it:
WOODMAN TO WADER AND SHAKER STOP ICARUS AND JERUSALEM EN-ROUTE TO ACADEMY STOP USING NO VIDEO OR AUDIO COMMUNICATIONS FOR SECURITY PURPOSES STOP TADS POSITIONED AND ON DELAYED COUNTDOWN TO DETONATION STOP ROUND TABLE COMPLETE STOP AWAITING REPLY PAUSE
Richter noted that Forrest's callsign of 'Woodman' and Ford's and her callsigns were correct, and the 'Round Table Complete' codesign told her that this message was genuine. Using text made sense as there was no clear idea where the Pensacola was, and she didn't like to have these communications listened-in on by other ears.
"Well, looks like the TAD's are going to blow Kobol up very soon", Ford said quietly, "though I am wondering why Truly doesn't seem to be bothered by their leaving. Send a query as to that".
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – EN-ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
SHAKER TO WOODMAN STOP WADER WANTS TO KNOW WHY SUNRAY NOT INQUIRING AS TO YOUR BEING OFF-PLANET STOP AWAITING REPLY PAUSE
"Seems that Ford is being pretty smart", Puller commented, "Okay, so he wants an answer. Let's give him one".
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
WOODMAN TO SHAKER STOP INFORM WADER THAT SUNRAY INFORMED SHIPS PERFORMING OUTER-SYSTEM SURVEY WHILST LANDING PARTIES CONTINUING ON-PLANET SURVEY STOP SUNRAY REMINDED OF NON-BELLIGERENCY STATUS OF PEST SHIPS STOP SUNRAY ACKNOWLEDGED MESSAGE AWAITING REPLY MESSAGE ENDS.
Ford nodded at the message. That non-belligerency authorization really did its job in stopping Truly from being too nosey. It looked like they were going to succeed.
"I'd feel better talking with them over video or wireless", Ford mused, "but given that we could be overheard, Brother Forrest is playing it safe. But let's do so as well…"
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – EN-ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
SHAKER TO WOODMAN STOP DOES THE SUNFLOWER SEEDS STILL TASTE SWEET IN THE SUNSET? STOP AWAITING REPLY PAUSE.
Puller smiled. River Tam's information probe of Manna was working better than expected…
BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS – COMBAT INFORMATION CENTER
Ford nodded as the reply to his coded inquiry came back up on the screen:
WOODMAN TO SHAKER STOP YOU KNOW THAT ONLY AT SUNRISE DO SUNFLOWER SEEDS TASTE SOUR STOP AWAITING REPLY PAUSE.
"Well, that's a relief", Ford whispered, "you'd better give them our precise co-ordinates and authorization to land".
"Is that two ships approaching us on LIDAR, Commandant?" Vice-Commandant Duren inquired as he walked up to both Ford and Richter. Richter had quickly turned off the screen that had the text messages.
"Ah, yes, X.O.", Ford replied, "They are PEST ships that had been attached to the Kobol survey. They are acting as couriers between us and Sunray".
Nodding, Duren looked closer at the dradis screen.
"Hmmm", Duren mused, "looks like Legend-class survey vessels. Not exactly discrete couriers. I'd have thought that they would have used a stealth-raptor instead. And two ships rather than one?"
"X.O.," Richter interjected, "they sent to me an eyes-only message stating they had non-belligerency status and that their orders were not to be questioned. The status was authenticated by Comms".
Duren's eyebrows rose. That type of status was higher than top military security protocols. What was going on to have survey ships – which he hadn't been informed would be part of DIASPORA – have such high-level security status?
"They'll let us know what it's all about when they get here, Oswald", Ford said reassuringly, "Make sure that Port Bay Six and Seven is readied to receive our guests".
"As you say, Commandant", Duren acknowledged. He went over to Core Command to have the duty officer inform the relevant crew chiefs to ready the landing bays for the arrival of the Icarus and Jerusalem.
PEST SURVEY SHIP ICARUS – EN-ROUTE TO BATTLESTAR ANNAPOLIS
"They're sending us their precise co-ordinates now. We're getting a clearance from Academy Core Command to alight on the Port bay. We're to go to Bay Six and the Jerusalem is to go to Bay Seven", Foley reported.
"ETA, Gunny?" Puller inquired,
"Five minutes", Foley responded, "We're heading in".
"If those two are going to continue keeping a tight lid on things, then those traitors will be greeting us personally", Puller commented, "and I'm sure that my marines will be giving them a welcome that neither of them will forget".